Editing Ricimer (section)

==Lineage==
The date of Ricimer's birth is unknown. Some scholars have dated it as late as the early 430s, which would have made him unusually young when he rose to power. A birthdate of around 418 is more likely. The names of his parents are also unknown. In his panegyric to [[Anthemius]], given in 468, the poet [[Sidonius Apollinaris]] claimed that Ricimer was [[Suebi|Suevic]] on his father's side and [[Visigothic]] on his mother's, specifying that his maternal grandfather was [[Wallia]], King of the Visigoths, who died in 418.{{sfn|MacGeorge|2002|p=178}} It has been suggested that his Suevic father may have been a son of [[Hermeric]], the king of the Suevi around 418, or else possibly [[Hermegarius]], a Suevic war leader who died in 429.{{sfn|Gillett|1995|pp=380–384}} 

It has been surmised that Ricimer was the offspring of a [[marriage alliance]] between the ruling Suevic and Gothic houses and although Ricimer's father was identified as a Sueve, his identity is more frequently attested as Gothic by ancient writers.{{sfn|MacGeorge|2002|p=179}} Such an alliance has been suggested as occurring in the year 431, but a more likely date is anterior to Wallia's death in 418. Wallia's Visigothic successors were not his close relatives and may have been hostile toward the family members of the former king.{{sfn|Gillett|1995|pp=380–384}}  

As entry into the Western Empire's military was a frequent option for "losers of struggles for leadership among the barbarians",{{sfn|Gillett|1995|p=382}} Ricimer's family may have entered the service of Rome.{{sfn|Wolfram|1988|p=33}} Historian Peter Heather suggests that the lack of stability among the Visigoths themselves may have incentivized Ricimer's pursuit of an "entirely Roman career", despite being "the grandson of the Visigothic king Wallia".{{sfn|Heather|1996|p=199}}

Like many Germanic figures of note, Ricimer had relational ties to other tribes, like the Burgundians. For instance, Gundobad, Ricimer's "subordinate and successor", was his nephew since his sister had married the Burgundian king [[Gondioc]].{{sfn|MacGeorge|2002|pp=178–179}}{{efn|John of Antioch (fragment 209) is the source of this claim.}}