Editing Julius Nepos (section)

== Background ==

=== Geopolitical background ===
{{See also|Fall of the Western Roman Empire}}
[[File:Western and Eastern Roman Empires 476AD-es.svg|thumb|upright=1.6|left|The [[Byzantine Empire|Eastern]] (orange) and Western (green) Roman Empires in 476]]
The idea that the [[Roman Empire]] had grown too large to efficiently be managed by one emperor, and was more appropriately governed by two co-ruling emperors, had become established by the time of emperor [[Diocletian]] ({{Reign}}284–305) in the late 3rd century. Throughout the 4th century, various different divisions were made until the empire was firmly and permanently divided into western and eastern spheres of imperial administration from the death of emperor [[Theodosius I]] ({{Reign}}379–395) in 395.{{Sfn|Corning|2015|p=32}} Though modern historians typically use the terms [[Western Roman Empire]] and [[Eastern Roman Empire]] to describe the new political situation, the Romans themselves never considered the empire to have been formally divided, still viewing it as a single unit, although most often having two rulers rather than one.{{sfn|Bury|2015|p=278}} The Western Roman Empire was more rural than the east, with fewer people and a less stable economy. Throughout the 5th century, it experienced an increasing number of [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] [[barbarian]] invasions and settlements and a period of decline.{{Sfn|Corning|2015|p=32}} In 410, the [[Visigoths]] under [[Alaric I]] had [[Sack of Rome (410)|sacked]] [[Rome]]; in 455, the last western emperor of the [[Theodosian dynasty]], [[Valentinian III]] ({{Reign}}425–455), was deposed and murdered. That same year, Rome was [[Sack of Rome (455)|sacked again]], this time by the [[Vandals]] under [[Gaiseric]], who captured Valentinian's widow, [[Licinia Eudoxia]], and two of his daughters, [[Eudocia (daughter of Valentinian III)|Eudocia]] and [[Placidia]]. The Western Roman army gradually became increasingly reliant on barbarian mercenaries. After Valentinian's murder, the most powerful barbarian generals, such as [[Ricimer]], became politically dominant, ruling through proclaiming [[Puppet monarch|puppet emperors]].{{Sfn|Herrin|2019|p=77}} In the time between the death of Valentinian and the accession of Julius Nepos, a period of less than twenty years, seven different emperors ruled the west and effective imperial control was only exercised in [[Roman Italy|Italy]], [[Raetia]] and some regions of [[Gaul]].{{Sfn|Gibbon|1872|p=99}}{{Sfn|Mathisen|1997}}

===Ancestry and family===
[[File:Leo I (cropped 4to3, closeup).jpg|thumb|Bust of the eastern emperor [[Leo I (emperor)|Leo I]] ({{Reign}}457–474), who assigned Nepos the army he took Italy with and who was possibly the uncle of [[Julius Nepos's wife|Nepos' wife]]]]
Julius Nepos was a native of the Roman province of [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Dalmatia]].{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=777}}{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=247}} Dalmatia, although politically, economically and geographically oriented towards the Western Roman Empire, had formally been under the authority of the Eastern Roman Empire since 437, when the western emperor Valentinian III had ceded it to the east. In practical terms, the province was often more or less autonomous.{{Sfn|Wozniak|1981|p=353}}{{sfn|Grant|1985|p=306}} Nepos was the son of [[Nepotianus (magister militiae)|Nepotianus]] (died 465),{{sfn|Grant|1985|p=306}} a general who served under the western emperor [[Majorian]] ({{Reign}}457–461). The nephew of the {{lang|la|[[magister militum]]}} ('master of troops', a high-ranking military officer) [[Marcellinus (magister militum)|Marcellinus]] (died 468),{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=1081}} being the son of one of Marcellinus' sisters.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=777}}{{sfn|Grant|1985|p=306}} Nepos may have been part of a prominent local Roman family in Dalmatia. This is supported by memorial inscriptions from four roughly contemporary individuals; Aelia Nepotes, Aelia Nepos, another Julius Nepos and Nepotes, having been identified from Dalmatia.{{Sfn|MacGeorge|2002|p=42}}

Nepos' uncle Marcellinus was a prominent late Roman general, having fought the Vandals in several campaigns and playing a notable role in momentarily fending off Vandal attempts at controlling [[Sardinia]]. In 461, after the murder of Emperor Majorian by Ricimer, Marcellinus appears to have planned to invade Italy to depose Ricimer's puppet emperor [[Libius Severus]] ({{Reign}}461–465), but he was dissuaded from this course of action by the eastern emperor Leo I.{{Sfn|Liebeschuetz|2007|p=488}} Nepos married a Roman noblewoman whose name is not recorded, but who was related to the eastern empress [[Verina]],{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=777}}{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=1081}} possibly a niece of Leo I.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}

By the time of his death, Marcellinus had been a semi-autonomous governor in Dalmatia, and after his death,{{Sfn|Wozniak|1981|p=353}} Nepos inherited this position.{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=1081}} Nepos is first attested on 1 June 473,{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=247}} when he is described as {{lang|la|[[magister militum Dalmatiae]]}},{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=777}}{{Sfn|Liebeschuetz|2007|p=488}} although it is possible that he had held that rank ever since Marcellinus' death.{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=777}}{{Sfn|Wozniak|1981|p=362}} Nepos might have held this position until he became emperor in 474, by which point he had also become a [[Patrician (ancient Rome)|patrician]].{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=777}}

===Appointment===
After the death of the western emperor [[Anthemius]] ({{Reign}}467–472) as well as his successor [[Olybrius]] ({{Reign}}472), who had not been recognised in the east, Leo I, the sole remaining Roman emperor, maintained that he had the right to select the new western emperor. At first, Leo did not act on this right, perhaps because he had no suitable candidates to promote or because of the violent end of Anthemius, who had been previously appointed by Leo I. In March 473, the [[Burgundians|Burgundian]] king [[Gundobad]], nephew of Ricimer, appointed the {{lang|la|[[comes domesticorum]]}} (commander of the palace guard) [[Glycerius]] as western emperor.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} Angered by this, Leo appointed Nepos as the commander of an army to attack Italy and depose Glycerius.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=777}} Why Leo waited so long to appoint Nepos is not known, but by this time the winter meant that Nepos could not take action against Glycerius for a few months.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} By appointing Nepos to lead the invasion, Leo not only sought to assert his authority in the west but perhaps also hoped to rid himself of a possible rival in the east.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} After the political situation in [[Constantinople]] had stabilised sufficiently in the aftermath of Leo I's death on 18 January 474, Nepos left for Italy in the spring of 474, with the backing of the new eastern emperor [[Zeno (emperor)|Zeno]].{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=247}}{{Sfn|Halsall|2007|p=298}}