Editing Julius Nepos (section)

==Reign==

===Emperor in Italy (474–475)===
[[File:Solidus Iulius Nepos Arles.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|[[Solidus (coin)|Solidus]] of Nepos minted at [[Arles]] in southern [[Gaul]]]]
Nepos and his force sailed from Constantinople and landed at [[Portus]], near Rome,{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=777}}{{sfn|Grant|1985|p=306}} where he was promptly proclaimed {{lang|la|[[Caesar (title)|Caesar]]}},{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=247}}{{Efn|The chronicle of [[Marcellinus Comes]] and the ''[[Anonymus Valesianus]]'' specify Nepos landing at Portus. The later work by [[Jordanes]] contradictingly states that Nepos landed at [[Ravenna]], and was proclaimed ''Caesar'' there on the orders of Zeno.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998|p=}} Following Jordanes, some modern historians hold that Nepos was made ''Caesar'' at Ravenna rather than Portus. In any event, he was made ''Caesar'' before he was made ''Augustus''.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998|p=}}{{Sfn|Cosentino|2015|p=55}}}} per the procedure preceding elevation to the rank of {{lang|la|[[Augustus (title)|Augustus]]}} (emperor).{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=247}} On 24 June,{{Efn||name=cor-date}} having deposed Glycerius, Nepos was proclaimed the western ''Augustus'' in Rome.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}{{Sfn|Cosentino|2015|p=55}} Nepos thus accomplished the exact intervention into Italy that had been planned by his uncle Marcellinus some years prior.{{Sfn|Liebeschuetz|2007|p=488}} Nepos was the last emperor to be crowned in Rome until the coronation of [[Charlemagne]] in 800.{{Efn||name=coronation}} Glycerius put up no resistance against Nepos,{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} and his life was spared; he was consecrated as bishop of [[Salona]],{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=514}} the provincial capital of Dalmatia.{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=247}} It is not clear if Nepos becoming emperor had been Zeno's plan, but in any event, Zeno swiftly recognised him as the legitimate western emperor.{{Sfn|Wozniak|1981|p=362}} His rule was likewise accepted by the [[Roman Senate]] and the people of [[Roman Italy|Italy]].{{sfn|Grant|1985|p=306}}

Few records of Nepos' reign survive, and little is known of his activities.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=247}} He is known to have issued coins throughout Italy, such as at Rome, [[Ravenna]] and [[Mediolanum]]. Coinage minted in northern Gaul in his name indicates that his rule was accepted by the Roman general [[Syagrius]], who ruled a more-or-less [[Kingdom of Soissons|autonomous province of his own]] there.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} Nepos also issued symbolic coins of Zeno and his junior colleague [[Leo II (emperor)|Leo II]], indicating his close ties and gratitude to the eastern court.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}
[[File:Gold Tremissis of Julius Nepos.jpg|thumb|upright=1|left|Tremissis of Nepos minted in Rome.]]
Nepos worked to restore imperial prestige. Through his initial efforts, a Visigothic attack on Italy appears to have been repelled and the [[Burgundians]] were once again made into ''[[foederati]]'' (barbarian allies of the empire).{{Sfn|Halsall|2007|p=299}} It appears that Nepos mainly directed his efforts to attempting to restore and consolidate imperial authority in Gaul. The remaining imperial territories in Gaul were at the time being invaded by [[Euric]], king of the Visigoths, who hoped to take control of the province of [[Aquitania Prima]].{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=247}} To combat the threat, Nepos appointed [[Ecdicius]], a son of the former western emperor [[Avitus]] ({{Reign}}455–456) as patrician and ''magister militum''.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} Per the surviving writings of contemporary Gallo-Roman authors, such as [[Sidonius Apollinaris]], Nepos' accession was enthusiastically accepted in the remaining imperial possessions in Gaul.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} Ecdicius successfully managed to relieve a Visigothic siege of [[Arles]] in 474. Still, he was less successful in 475 as there simply were not enough remaining military resources to achieve victory.{{Sfn|Halsall|2007|p=299}} Even after Ecdicius had proven unable to defeat the Visigoths,{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=247}} the threat of imperial invasion made Euric willing to negotiate with Nepos. In the spring of 475, Nepos sent as his ambassadors to Euric a group of Roman bishops, which included [[Epiphanius of Pavia]], who had previously brokered peace between Ricimer and emperor Anthemius. Although Epiphanius and his delegation apparently achieved peace, a second delegation, consisting of the bishops Leontius of Arles, Faustus of Riez, Graecus of Marseilles, and Basilius of Aix, was sent later in 475, possibly tasked with working out the concrete terms of the peace treaty. The Romans in Gaul, including Sidonius Apollinaris, were shocked to learn that the peace had involved ceding the [[Auvergne]] region to the Visigoths in turn for them leaving the rest of what remained under imperial control in Gaul alone.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}{{sfn|Grant|1985|p=307}} Nepos' failure to actually defeat the Visigoths, combined with Zeno's overthrow in Constantinople in early 475 by the usurper [[Basiliscus]], weakened Nepos' position,{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=247}} which had been shaky in Italy from the very beginning.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1997}}

In his foreign policy, Nepos also had to deal with the [[Vandals]], who ruled [[Africa (Roman province)|North Africa]], and their renewed and increased pirate attacks throughout the Mediterranean. Because of the weak position of the western empire, Nepos was forced to recognise Vandal rule over the territories they had already taken in Africa and throughout the Mediterranean, such as the islands of Sardinia and [[Corsica]], the [[Balearic Islands|Balearics]], and parts of [[Sicily]].{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}

After the failure of Nepos' efforts in Gaul, he dismissed Ecdicius and replaced him as {{lang|la|magister militum}} with [[Orestes (father of Romulus Augustulus)|Orestes]],{{sfn|Grant|1985|p=307}} a distinguished officer who had once served as {{lang|la|[[notarius]]}} (secretary) to the [[Huns|Hunnic]] king [[Attila]].{{Sfn|Mathisen|1997}} Nepos tasked Orestes with leading another army against the Visigoths, and against the Burgundians, who were rebelling, in southern Gaul.{{Sfn|Kos|2008|p=439}} Orestes' army included many ''foederati'' troops, whom he learned were upset with the emperor for refusing their requests to be granted land.{{Sfn|McEvoy|2012}} With the backing of this army, Orestes disobeyed Nepos' orders and instead marched on [[Ravenna]], the capital of the western empire.{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=777}}{{Sfn|Mathisen|1997}} Hoping to maintain control, Nepos recalled Ecdicius from Gaul, but he was unable to arrive in time.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} On 28 August 475, Orestes entered Ravenna with his army, and Nepos escaped across the [[Adriatic Sea]] to Salona in Dalmatia,{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=777}}{{Sfn|Mathisen|1997}}{{Sfn|Kos|2008|p=439}}{{Sfn|McEvoy|2012}} having ruled in Italy for only 14 months.{{Sfn|Wozniak|1981|p=362}} On 31 October, Orestes proclaimed his young son, [[Romulus Augustulus]], as emperor.{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=950}}

===Exile in Dalmatia (475–480)===
[[File:Marcellinus Dalmatia.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|Approximate extent of Nepos' domain in [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Dalmatia]] in 476, with neighbouring states]]
Little is known of Nepos' later activities in Dalmatia due to the scarcity of surviving sources.{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=248}} Nepos never renounced his claim to the [[Western Roman Empire|Western Empire]] and continued to be recognised in the east instead of Romulus Augustulus.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1997}}{{Sfn|Heather|2015}}{{Sfn|Sandberg|2008|p=209}}{{sfn|Gregory|2010|p=117}} Throughout his time in exile, Nepos hoped to regain control of Italy.{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=248}} On 4 September 476, Romulus Augustulus was deposed by the barbarian general [[Odoacer]], who became the first [[King of Italy]].{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=950}} Odoacer sent Romulus' western imperial regalia to Zeno in the east, and swore allegiance to him, ruling without further imperial successors in the west.{{Sfn|Nathan|1997}} Odoacer considered the Roman Empire from this point on as only requiring a single emperor, ruling from Constantinople.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1997}} At the same time, an embassy from Nepos arrived in Constantinople, congratulating Zeno on regaining Constantinople from Basiliscus and requesting his assistance in restoring Nepos to power in Italy. Zeno responded to the ambassadors sent by Odoacer, members of the Roman Senate, that they had killed one east-supported emperor (Anthemius) and driven one out (Nepos) and that they would do well in receiving Nepos back as their ruler. Zeno also stated that Odoacer would do best in receiving the rank of patrician, which he had requested, not from Zeno, but from the legal western ruler, Nepos, although Zeno promised to grant the rank if Nepos would not. Zeno also urged Odoacer to accept Nepos back as emperor in Italy.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}{{Sfn|Mathisen|1997}}{{Sfn|Halsall|2007|p=300}} Although Zeno and Verina, who remained influential at court, officially supported Nepos' restoration and continued to regard him as the western emperor,{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=248}}{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} he was not granted the necessary military support or funding to retake Italy.{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=248}}
[[File:Diocletian's Palace (original appearance).jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Diocletian's Palace]], possibly the residence of Julius Nepos during his nominal continued reign in Dalmatia]]
Odoacer only nominally accepted Nepos' rule, resuming the production of gold coins in the name of Nepos at Italian mints, but taking no serious action to restore his throne.{{sfn|Grant|1985|p=307}} Coins of both Nepos and Zeno were minted in Italy, and Odoacer perhaps provided Nepos with a pension,{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}{{Sfn|Kos|2008|p=439}} but in practice ignored him.{{Sfn|Wozniak|1981|p=362}} In 477 or 478, Nepos again petitioned Zeno to help him retake Italy.{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=248}} Also in 477, some of the remaining imperial possessions in southern Gaul rebelled against Odoacer, probably intending to fight for the restoration of Nepos. Zeno received embassies from both Odoacer and Gaul, but was forced to support Odoacer given that supporting the Gallic rebels against Odoacer would have amounted to declaring war on Odoacer, which Zeno was not prepared to do.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}}

In 479, Nepos' hopes may have been ignited when [[Theodoric the Great|Theodoric]], the king of the [[Ostrogoths]], offered to pledge his troops to fight for Nepos' claim.{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=248}} Nepos was murdered on 9 May 480,{{Efn|name=deathdate}} at his villa near Salona, possibly the same building as [[Diocletian's Palace]],{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=248}} by members of his retinue, the {{lang|la|[[Comes|comites]]}} [[Ovida]] and Viator.{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=778}}{{sfn|Grant|1985|p=307}} It is possible that the former emperor Glycerius, whom Nepos had deposed, also played a leading role in the murder,{{Sfn|Jones et al|1980|p=514}}{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=1081}} possibly as the instigator.{{Sfn|Halsall|2007|p=301}} If Glycerius was not the instigator, it is possible that the murder was caused by Nepos in 480 actively beginning to prepare his forces for a real attempt at recovering Italy militarily, and that his supporters in Dalmatia were unwilling to embark on such an adventure.{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} Though the chroniclers of the time wrote of Nepos' violent and unexpected death, it was given little attention and no actions were taken against his murderers for quite some time.{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=248}}{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} Only in late 481 or 482 did Odoacer invade Dalmatia and put Ovida, who had become the ruler of the province, to death,{{Sfn|Demo|1988|p=248}} using Nepos' murder as a pretext to conquer the province for himself.{{sfn|Grant|1985|p=307}}{{Sfn|Mathisen|1998}} The eastern empire made no attempt to stop him.{{Sfn|Wozniak|1981|p=364}} After Nepos' death, Odoacer recognised Zeno as his new suzerain and Zeno did not appoint a new western emperor, becoming the first proper sole Roman emperor of the entire empire since the death of [[Theodosius I]] in 395 (though he continued to only effectively control the eastern provinces).{{Sfn|Bury|1923|p=422}}{{Sfn|Williams|Friell|1998|p=187}}