Romulus Augustulus

Romulus Augustus was the final emperor of the Western Roman Empire.

His reign was very short, lasting only ten months. He held power from October 31, 475, until September 4, 476. Because he was a child, people gave him a nickname. They called him "Augustulus," which means "little Augustus." This was a derisive name meant to mock his young age. His rule marked a major turning point in history. Many historians use his removal to mark the end of antiquity. It also signals the beginning of the medieval period.

To understand his rise, one must look at the Roman Empire's structure. By the time of Emperor Diocletian, the empire was too large for one person. It was eventually split into two parts. There was the Eastern Roman Empire and the Western Roman Empire. The division became permanent after the death of Theodosius I in 395. While the Romans saw themselves as one unit, they had two rulers. The West faced many problems during the 5th century. It was more rural and had a less stable economy than the East.

During this time, the Western Empire faced many invasions. Germanic tribes, often called barbarians, moved into Roman lands. In 410, the Visigoths sacked Rome. In 455, the Vandals sacked Rome as well. Because of this instability, the Roman army relied on barbarian mercenaries. These soldiers were known as foederati. These military groups became very powerful in politics. By 475, the Western Empire was in a state of critical decline. Authority was mostly limited to Italy and parts of Gaul.

Romulus came from a military family in the province of Pannonia.

His father was a man named Orestes. Orestes had once served as a secretary to the Hunnic king, Attila. Before Romulus took power, Julius Nepos was the emperor. However, Nepos had little support in the West. Orestes led a multi-ethnic army of foederati against the existing government. On August 28, 475, Orestes entered the capital city of Ravenna. Nepos fled to Dalmatia to claim he was still the true emperor. Following this, Orestes proclaimed his young son, Romulus, as emperor.

Romulus was likely only ten years old when he took the throne.

He was a figurehead, meaning he had little actual power. Orestes ran the administration as the master of soldiers. The Eastern Emperor, Zeno, refused to recognize Romulus. Zeno still considered the exiled Nepos to be the rightful ruler. In 476, the foederati in Italy demanded land to settle on. Orestes refused this request. This led to a rebellion led by a barbarian officer named Odoacer. Odoacer defeated Orestes at the Battle of Ticinum and executed him.

On September 4, 476, Odoacer captured Ravenna.

He deposed Romulus and became the first King of Italy. Odoacer did not name a new Western emperor. Instead, he sent the imperial regalia to Emperor Zeno in the East. This act ended the Western Roman Empire as a political entity. Odoacer recognized Zeno as his superior, but he ruled Italy himself. This transition changed the political landscape of Europe forever. The era of the Western Roman emperors had come to an end.

Odoacer chose to spare the life of the young Romulus. He did this because of the boy's youth and beauty. Romulus was sent to live in Campania, near Naples.

He lived at the Castellum Lucullanum, a fortified estate. This place had once been a villa for the emperor Tiberius. Romulus received a large annual pension of 6,000 solidi. This was a very wealthy amount, similar to a Roman senator. He lived there with a large group of relatives. Some records suggest he may have helped found a monastery. He might have lived until at least 507 or 511. A letter from Theodoric the Great mentions a "Romulus" regarding a pension. This suggests the last emperor lived a quiet life in exile.