Get this from a library! [citation needed], Odoacer advanced on Ravenna, capturing the city and the young emperor after the short and decisive Battle of Ravenna. 1), & the Anonymous Valesani Pars posterior (8.37) -- so it would be accurate to refer to him as "Augustulus" Romulus Augustus' power base was actually at Ravenna (Anon. Flavius Romulus Augustus (c. AD 460 – after AD 476; possibly still alive as late as AD 507), known derisively and historiographically as Romulus Augustulus, was the Roman emperor who ruled the Western Roman Empire from 31 October 475 until 4 September 476. After seizing control of Ravenna, Odoacer sent the former emperor to live in the Castellum Lucullanum in Campania, after which he disappears from the historical record. He is often described as the last Western Roman emperor, though some historians consider this to be Julius Nepos. Neither Zeno nor Basiliscus, the two generals fighting for the eastern throne at the time of Romulus's accession, accepted him as ruler. His original surname was Augustus, but it was changed to the diminutive because he was still a child when his father, after driving the Western emperor Julius Nepos from Italy, elevated him to the throne on October 31, 475. Flavius Romulus Augustus (460s/470s – after 511), often called Romulus Augustulus, was the last of the Western Roman Emperors.. For about 12 months Orestes ruled Italy in his son’s name, but eventually his troops mutinied and found a leader in the German warrior Odoacer. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. However, few of Nepos' contemporaries were willing to support his cause after he had fled to Dalmatia. The historical record contains few details of Romulus's life. [23], Following Odoacer's coup, the Roman Senate sent a letter to Zeno that stated that "the majesty of a sole monarch is sufficient to pervade and protect, at the same time, both the East and the West". Das Oströmische (oder Byzantinische) Reich hingegen überdauerte die Kris… His reign was purely nominal. [5] The Latin suffix -ulus is a diminutive, hence Augustulus effectively means "Little Augustus". [6] Several months after Orestes took power, a coalition of Heruli, Scirian, and Turcilingi mercenaries demanded that he give them a third of the land in Italy. Italics indicates a junior co-emperor, while underlining indicates a usurper. Romulus Augustulus, deposed in the year 476, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Join Facebook to connect with Romulus Augustulus and others you may know. After ten months in power, during which time his authority and legitimacy were disputed beyond Italy, Romulus was forced to abdicate by Odoacer, a Germanic foederatus officer who defeated and executed Orestes. Romulus’ father was originally from Pannonia and served as a secretary and diplomat for Attila the Hun. This act has been cited as the end of the Western Roman Empire, although Romulus's deposition did not cause any significant disruption at the time. Nepos maintained a claim to the position until he was murdered in 480. Romulus Augustus or Augustulus is acknowledged by many historians to be the last Roman emperor. After Attila’s death, Orestes joined the service of the western empire and quickly achieved senior position. But Cassiodorus does not supply any details about his correspondent or the size and nature of his pension, and Jordanes, whose history of the period abridges an earlier work by Cassiodorus, makes no mention of a pension. Ruled: 31 October AD 475 – 4 September AD 476. Romulus's deposition by Odoacer traditionally marks the end of the Roman Empire in the West, the end of Ancient Rome, and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Western Europe. up to 1850) also refers to him as, History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, "805-806 (Nordisk familjebok/Uggleupplagan. "[21] The villa was converted into a monastery before 500 to hold the saint's remains.[20]. Romulus Augustus (Augustulus was a nickname) was deposed by Odoacer, a barbarian and a military commander of troops allied with the Romans. He was the son of Orestes, a Roman who once served as a secretary in the court of Attila the Hun before coming into the service of Julius Nepos in AD 475. [6] Thomas Hodgkin, a translator of Cassiodorus' works, wrote in 1886 that it was "surely possible" the Romulus in the letter was the same person as the last western emperor. var den sidste af det Vestromerske Riges kejsere.. Han blev født under navnet Flavius Romulus som søn af den romerske politiker, militærleder og diplomat Flavius Orestes (død 476).. Flavius Romulus blev proklameret som kejser under kejsernavnet Romulus Augustus den 31. oktober 475 e.Kr. [Source] Romulus Augustus (Latin: Romulus Augustus ; born c. AD 461 – died after AD 476, and was apparently still alive as late as 507) was an emperor (alleged usurper) reigning over the Western Roman Empire from 31 October AD 475 until 4 September AD 476. Romulus' father Orestes was a Roman citizen, originally from Pannonia, who had served as a secretary to Attila the Hun and later rose through the ranks of the Roman army. Romulus Augustus was a 16-year-old minor at the time. He was born Flavius Romulus to Flavius Orestes, a Roman politician considered to be at least partly of Germanic descent. For the comics character, see. On account of the boy's youth (he was only thirteen years old) he was called Augustulus, the little emperor. Romulus was the son of the Western empire’s master of soldiers Orestes. [15] The Eastern Roman Empire treated its western counterpart as a client state. [13] When Orestes refused, the tribes revolted under the leadership of the Scirian chieftain Odoacer. Romulus Augustus is called "Augustulus" by several near-contemporary authors: Jordanes (Gothica 242), Candidus (frag. Many historians have noted the coincidence that the last western emperor bore the names of both Romulus, the legendary founder and first king of Rome, and Augustus, the first emperor. Books. The Anonymus Valesianus wrote that Odoacer, "taking pity on his youth" (he was about 16), spared Romulus's life and granted him an annual pension of 6,000 solidi before sending him to live with relatives in Campania. Some historians regard Julius Nepos, who ruled in Dalmatia until he was murdered in 480, as the last lawful Western Roman Emperor. Romulus Augustulus, in full Flavius Momyllus Romulus Augustulus, (flourished 5th century ad ), known to history as the last of the Western Roman emperors (475–476). Orestes became Magister militum because of the decision of Julius Nepos in 475. [Fik Meijer] Orestes ruled for a year in his son's name. 23. [6] The name Romulus was also changed derisively to Momyllus meaning "little disgrace".[7][8]. [10] This is not as coincidental as it may seem; all emperors bore the name Augustus as it was part of the imperial title. [22] The letter would match the description of Odoacer's coup in the Anonymus Valesianus, and Romulus could have been alive in the early sixth century. View the profiles of people named Romulus Augustulus. He is widely known by the dispar… Died: Unknown – Romulus possibly died sometime in the early sixth century. His subsequent fate is unknown. Romulus oli tuolloin 14-vuotias, ja Orestes käytti poikaansa nukkehallitsijana. Zeno pointed out that the Senate should rightfully have first requested that Julius Nepos take the throne once more, but he nonetheless agreed to their requests as a fait accompli. The Eastern Emperor Leo, who died in 474, had appointed the western emperors Anthemius and Julius Nepos, and Constantinople never recognized the new government. His father, the general Orestes , deposed Julius Nepos and proclaimed Romulus Augustulus emperor. [19], The ultimate fate of Romulus is a mystery. Odoacer, already the de facto ruler of Italy, now ostensibly ruled de jure in Zeno's name. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In reality, the… Letzter vom Oströmischen Reich anerkannter Kaiser war jedoch sein Vorgänger Julius Nepos. Born: c461 AD. In the same year he was promoted to the rank of magister militum, but then led a military revolt that forced Nepos to flee into exile. Deposed in the year 476, the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire. As part of Ancient Rome Week on the History Extra website, we explore the life of the last Roman emperor…. [6][20], The sources do agree that Romulus took up residence in the Castel dell'Ovo (Lucullan Villa) in Naples, now a castle but originally built as a grand sea-side house by Lucullus in the 1st century BC,[20] fortified by Valentinian III in the mid-5th century. Retzius - Ryssland)", The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, "Romulus Augustus – The Last Roman Emperor", "Make Rome Great Again. Romulus, however, was little more than a child and figurehead for his father's rule. Flavius Romulus Augustus (c. 460 – after 476, possibly still alive as late as 507), known derisively and historiographically as Romulus Augustulus, was Roman emperor of the West from 31 October 475 until 4 September 476. Cassiodorus, then a secretary to Theodoric the Great, wrote a letter in 507 to a "Romulus" confirming a pension. [12] Orestes, however, refused to become emperor, "from some secret motive", said historian Edward Gibbon. [11], Orestes was appointed Magister militum by Julius Nepos in 475. Orestes was captured near Piacenza on 28 August 476 and swiftly executed. [6], As a proxy for his father, Romulus made no decisions and left no monuments, although coins bearing his name were minted in Rome, Milan, Ravenna, and Gaul. Later, he raised to the ranks of the Roman army. As a proxy for his father, Romulus made no decisions and had no true power. This article was most recently revised and updated by Charly Rimsa, Research Editor. He is often described as the last Western Roman emperor, though some historians consider this to be Julius Nepos. [25] The 2007 film The Last Legion, and the novel on which it is based, includes a heavily fictionalized account of the reign and subsequent life of Romulus Augustus; escaping captivity with the aid of a small band of loyal Romans, he reaches Britain, where he eventually becomes Uther Pendragon. In fact, he was a usurper and puppet not recognized as a legitimate ruler by the Eastern emperor. [19][24], As the last Western Roman emperor before the traditionally agreed-upon end of the Western Roman Empire, Romulus has been portrayed several times in film and literature; the play Romulus the Great (1950), by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, focuses on the reign of "Romulus Augustus" and the end of the Roman Empire in the West. Chr.). A comment by Cassiodorus may suggest that he survived until the rule of Theoderic (ad 493–526). Orestes was appointed "master of soldiers" by Western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos in 475.On August 28, 475, a coup d'état led by Orestes … Odoacer's deposition of Romulus Augustus, occurring in 476 AD, was a coup that marked the end of the reign of the Western Roman Emperor last approved by the Western Roman Senate and the creation of the Kingdom of Italy, although Julius Nepos exercised control over Dalmatia until 480. The administration was carried on cautiously and shrewdly by Orestes. Nepos fled to Dalmatia, where his uncle had ruled a semi-autonomous state in the 460s.