Editing Julius Nepos (section)

=== 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}}