Editing Majorian (section)

===Reconquest of Gaul===
{{Main|Gothic War (457–458)}}
[[File:MajorianEmpire.png|thumb|upright=1.4|During his four-year reign Majorian reconquered most of Hispania and southern Gaul, meanwhile reducing the Visigoths, Burgundians and Suevi to federate status.]]
After consolidating his position in Italy, Majorian concentrated on the recovery of [[Roman Gaul|Gaul]]. When news of the deposition of the Gallo-Roman emperor [[Avitus]] arrived in Gaul, the province refused to recognize Majorian as his successor. An important clue to this is an inscription found in [[Lugdunum]] (modern [[Lyon]]s) and dating to 458; according to Roman custom, the inscriptions were dated by writing the names of the consuls in office, who that year were supposed to be [[Leo I (emperor)|Leo I]] and Majorian. This inscription, instead, records only the name of Eastern Emperor Leo I, showing that Majorian was not recognized at the time as the lawful Western Emperor.<ref>{{CIL|13|2363}}, to be compared to {{CIL|13|2359}}.</ref>

Another clue is the fact that, at the death of Avitus, the citizens of Lugdunum sent an envoy to Leo, and not to Majorian, to ask for a reduction of taxation.<ref>[[Gregory of Tours]], ''Glory of the Confessors'' 62. Cited in Mathisen.</ref> Finally, there is a record of a [[Marcellan conspiracy|failed usurpation in Gaul, around this time]].<ref>[[Sidonius Apollinaris]] tells (''Letters'', I.11.6) that this usurpation regarded some Marcellus. The hypothesis that this Marcellus is to be identified with the semi-independent ''comes'' of Illyricum [[Marcellinus (magister militum)|Marcellinus]] has been rejected, as this conspiracy was to put Avitus back on the throne, or to oppose a Gallo-Roman noble to Majorian.</ref>

In late 458, Majorian entered Gaul, with an army strengthened by barbarian units.<ref>Sidonius Apollinaris, ''Carmina'', V.474–477.</ref> The Emperor personally led the army, leaving Ricimer in Italy and choosing Aegidius and the ''magister militum Nepotianus'' as collaborators. The imperial army defeated the [[Visigoths]] under king [[Theodoric II]] at the [[Battle of Arelate]], forcing the Visigoths to abandon [[Septimania]] and withdraw west to [[Aquitania]]. The Roman victory was decisive: under the new treaty the Visigoths had to relinquish their vast conquests in [[Hispania]] and return to [[foederati|federate]] status. Majorian chose his trusted general Aegidius as the new ''[[magister militum]] per Gallias'' (military commander of Gaul) and sent an envoy to Hispania, to report the victory over the Visigoths and the new treaty with Theodoric II.<ref>[[Hydatius]], 197, ''s.a.'' 459; [[Gregory of Tours]], ''Historia Francorum'', II.11.</ref>

With the help of his new ''foederati'', Majorian entered the [[Rhone Valley]], conquering its populations "some by arms and some by diplomacy".<ref name=priscus27>Priscus, fragment 27.</ref> He defeated the [[Burgundians]] and besieged and conquered the city of [[Lugdunum]]: the rebel city was heavily fined, while the [[Bagaudae]] were forced to join the Empire.<ref name="mathisen" /> Despite the fact that the Gallo-Roman aristocracy had sided with Avitus, Majorian wanted a reconciliation, not a punishment. With the intercession of Majorian's ''magister epistolarum'' Petrus, [[Sidonius Apollinaris]], the son-in-law of Avitus, was allowed to deliver a panegyric<ref>Sidonius Apollinaris' ''Carmen'' V.</ref> in honour of the Emperor (early January 459), receiving in reward the appointment to the rank of ''comes spectabilis''. Much more effective was, however, the granting of the tax remission that the citizens of Lugdunum had requested from Leo I.<ref>Sidonius Apollinaris, ''Carmina'', V.574–585.</ref>