Editing Avitus (section)

==Foreign policy==
Treaties under [[Marcian]] and a treaty of 442 between emperor [[Valentinian III]] and the Vandal king [[Gaiseric]] had failed to reduce Vandal incursions and raids along the Italian coast. Avitus' own efforts secured a temporary winter truce with them; but in March 456, Vandals destroyed [[Capua]]. Avitus sent [[Ricimer]] to defend [[Sicily]], and the Romans defeated the Vandals twice, once in a [[Battle of Agrigentum (456)|land battle]] near [[Agrigento]] and another in a [[Battle of Corsica|naval battle]] off [[Corsica]].<ref>See [[Priscus]], ''History'', fragment 24, and Hydatius, 176–177.</ref>

{{Main|Gothic War in Spain (456)}}
During the reign of Avitus, the [[Visigoths]] expanded into [[Hispania]], nominally under Roman authorisation but actually to promote their own interests. In 455, Avitus had sent an ambassador, ''[[comes]]'' Fronto, to the [[Suebi]] and then to [[Theodoric II]] to ask them to formally recognise Roman rule. When the Suebi invaded the Roman province of [[Hispania Tarraconensis]], the Visigoths attacked and defeated them 5 October 456 at the Campus Paramus, twelve miles from [[Astorga, Spain|Astorga]], on the banks of the [[Órbigo|Órbigo (Urbicus)]],<ref>E. A. Thompson, "The End of Roman Spain. Part II", ''Nottingham Medieval Studies'', 1977.</ref> subsequently occupying the province as nominal ''[[foederati]]'' of the Empire.