Romanus (Usurper)
Encyclopedia
Romanus was a Roman usurper
in the West Roman Empire who unsuccessfully rebelled against the Emperor
Anthemius
in 470 before being executed at Rome
.
during the final decades of the Western Roman Empire
. A known supporter of Ricimer
, the Magister militum
, this brought him into conflict with the Emperor
Anthemius
, who both distrusted and disliked Ricimer.
In 470, Anthemius fell seriously ill, and it was rumored that sorcery
had been used to afflict the emperor. Ricimer saw an opportunity to install a new puppet emperor, and began to lay the groundwork for the accession of Romanus to the imperial throne. However, Anthemius eventually recovered, and accused a number of Ricimer’s supporters of using sorcery to try to bring about his death, including Romanus, whom he also accused of seeking to usurp his throne. He had the senator beheaded in 470, an act which he hoped would secure his throne.
In fact, it did the opposite. Ricimer became furious about the death of Romanus, and was the trigger which he used to move against Anthemius, whom he deposed in 472.
Roman usurper
Usurpers are individuals or groups of individuals who obtain and maintain the power or rights of another by force and without legal authority. Usurpation was endemic during roman imperial era, especially from the crisis of the third century onwards, when political instability became the rule.The...
in the West Roman Empire who unsuccessfully rebelled against the Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Anthemius
Anthemius
Procopius Anthemius was Western Roman Emperor from 467 to 472. Perhaps the last capable Western Roman Emperor, Anthemius attempted to solve the two primary military challenges facing the remains of the Western Roman Empire: the resurgent Visigoths, under Euric, whose domain straddled the Pyrenees;...
in 470 before being executed at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Career
Romanus was a Roman Senator and a Patrician who had achieved the rank of Magister officiorumMagister officiorum
The magister officiorum was one of the most senior administrative officials in the late Roman Empire and the early centuries of the Byzantine Empire...
during the final decades of the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
. A known supporter of Ricimer
Ricimer
Flavius Ricimer was a Germanic general who achieved effective control of the remaining parts of the Western Roman Empire, during the middle of the 5th century...
, the Magister militum
Magister militum
Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire...
, this brought him into conflict with the Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Anthemius
Anthemius
Procopius Anthemius was Western Roman Emperor from 467 to 472. Perhaps the last capable Western Roman Emperor, Anthemius attempted to solve the two primary military challenges facing the remains of the Western Roman Empire: the resurgent Visigoths, under Euric, whose domain straddled the Pyrenees;...
, who both distrusted and disliked Ricimer.
In 470, Anthemius fell seriously ill, and it was rumored that sorcery
Sorcery
Sorcery may refer to:* Magic * Maleficium * Witchcraft* Sorcery , a video game for the PlayStation 3 utilizing the PlayStation Move* Sorcery , 1995* Sorcery , 1974...
had been used to afflict the emperor. Ricimer saw an opportunity to install a new puppet emperor, and began to lay the groundwork for the accession of Romanus to the imperial throne. However, Anthemius eventually recovered, and accused a number of Ricimer’s supporters of using sorcery to try to bring about his death, including Romanus, whom he also accused of seeking to usurp his throne. He had the senator beheaded in 470, an act which he hoped would secure his throne.
In fact, it did the opposite. Ricimer became furious about the death of Romanus, and was the trigger which he used to move against Anthemius, whom he deposed in 472.
Sources
- Mathisen, Ralph W., "Anthemius (12 April 467 - 11 July 472 A.D.)", De Imperatoribus Romanis, 1998
- Jones, A.H.M., Martindale, J.R. The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. II: AD395-527, Cambridge University Press, 1980
- MacGeorge, Penny, Late Roman Warlords, Oxford University Press, 2002