Editing Avitus (section)

==Fall==
{{Main|Roman civil war of 456}}
[[File:As Majorian-RIC 2646v.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Majorian]], ''[[comes domesticorum]]'' of Avitus, and [[Ricimer]], a general of barbaric descent, rebelled against their Emperor, defeated him near [[Piacenza]], and obliged him to become Bishop of the city. It was Majorian who succeeded Avitus on the throne.]]

In the meantime, resentment amongst the population of Italy against the "foreigner" Avitus grew. The population of Rome, devastated by the [[sack of Rome (455)|sack of Rome]], suffered from food shortages due to the Vandal control of the naval routes, aggravated by the requirements of the foreign troops that had arrived with Avitus. The imperial treasury was almost empty and, after disbanding his Visigoth guard because of popular pressure, Avitus was obliged to pay their huge wages by melting down and selling the bronze of some statues.<ref>[[John of Antioch (chronicler)|John of Antioch]], fragment 202.</ref>

Counting on the popular discontent, on the disbandment of the imperial guard, and on the prestige gained through their victories, [[Ricimer]] and the ''[[comes domesticorum]]'' [[Majorian]] rebelled against Avitus; the Emperor was obliged to leave Rome in early autumn and to move north. Ricimer had the Roman Senate depose Avitus and ordered the murder of the ''[[magister militum]]'' [[Remistus]] in the ''Palatium'' at [[Classe, ancient port of Ravenna|Classe]], on 17 September 456.<ref>''Fasti vindobonenses priores'', 579; ''[[Auctarium Prosperi Havniense]]'', 1.</ref>

Avitus decided to react. First he chose Messianus, one of his collaborators in his embassy to the Visigoths ordered by [[Petronius Maximus]], as the new ''magister militum''; then he probably went to Gaul ([[Hydatius]] says to [[Arles|Arelate]])<ref>Hydatius, 177.</ref> to collect all the available forces, probably the Visigoth guard he had just disbanded; finally he led his forces against the troops of Ricimer, near [[Piacenza]]. The Emperor and his army entered the city and attacked the huge army led by Ricimer, but after a great massacre of his men, including Messianus, Avitus fled on 17 or 18 October 456. In the immediate aftermath Ricimer spared his life, but forced him to become [[Bishop of Piacenza]].<ref>''Fasti vindobonenses priores'', 580 (reporting 17 October as the day of the battle); ''Auctarium Prosperi'', ''s.a.'' 456 (reporting 18 October); Victor of Tuenna, ''s.a.'' 455 (reporting Avitus' consecration by the Bishop of Milan, Eusebius).</ref>