Flavius Romulus Augustus, known derisively and historiographically as Romulus Augustulus, was Roman emperor of the West from 31 October 475 until 4 September 476. He is often described as the last Western Roman emperor, though some historians consider this to be Julius Nepos. Romulus's deposition by Odoacer traditionally marks the end of the Roman Empire in the West, the end of Ancient Rome, and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Western Europe.
The 5th century is the time period from 401 to 500 Anno Domini (AD) or Common Era (CE) in the Julian calendar. The 5th century is noted for being a period of migration and political instability throughout Eurasia.
The 470s decade ran from January 1, 470, to December 31, 479.
Julius Nepos was de jure and de facto Roman emperor of the West from 474 to 475 and then only de jure until his death in 480. Born to a distinguished family, he succeeded his uncle, Marcellinus, as military governor of the province of Dalmatia in 468. With support of the Eastern Empire, Nepos overthrew his predecessor Glycerius without a fight and proclaimed himself western emperor in June 474. Orestes, the Magister Militum, turned his forces on Nepos in August 475, forcing him to flee by ship to Dalmatia. Orestes crowned his son Romulus as Emperor in Nepos's absence, but neither the Eastern Emperor Zeno nor many Western provinces recognized Romulus, regarding him as a usurper. Nepos never relinquished his imperial title and sought a compromise with the barbarian king Odoacer who deposed Romulus. Odoacer ambiguously recognized his claim but refused him any role in government outside of Dalmatia. Nepos was assassinated in 480 while plotting his own restoration, and Zeno formally abolished the Western division of the Empire.
Flavius Novus Leo I was Eastern Roman emperor from 457 to 474. A native of Dacia Aureliana near historic Thrace, he was known as Leo the Thracian.
Flavius Zeno was Eastern Roman emperor from 474 to 475 and again from 476 to 491. Domestic revolts and religious dissension plagued his reign, which nevertheless succeeded to some extent in foreign issues. His reign saw the end of the Western Roman Empire following the deposition of Romulus Augustus and the death of Julius Nepos, but he contributed much to stabilising the Eastern Empire.
Flavius Basiliscus was Eastern Roman emperor from 475 to 476. A member of the House of Leo, he came to power when Emperor Zeno was forced out of Constantinople by a revolt.
Flavius Leo II was briefly the Byzantine emperor in 474 AD when he was a child aged 7. He was the son of Zeno, the Isaurian general and future emperor, and Ariadne, the daughter of Emperor Leo I. Leo II was made co-emperor with his grandfather Leo I on 18 November 473, and became sole emperor on 18 January 474 after Leo I died of dysentery. His father Zeno was made co-emperor by the Byzantine Senate on 9 February and they co-ruled for a short time before Leo II died on 10 November 474.
Aelia Verina was the Empress consort of Leo I of the Byzantine Empire. She was a sister of Basiliscus. Her daughter Ariadne was Empress consort of first Zeno and then Anastasius I. Verina was the maternal grandmother of Leo II.
The office of Roman Emperor underwent significant turbulence in the fourth and fifth centuries, particularly under the period of the Dominate. In the West, where the fall of the Western Roman Empire was underway, its holders became puppets of a succession of barbarian kings. In the East, it began to assume autocratic trappings.
Flavius Procopius Anthemius was a politician of the Eastern Roman Empire, son of Western Roman Emperor Anthemius.
Flavius Illus was a Byzantine general, who played an important role in the reigns of the Byzantine Emperors Zeno and Basiliscus.
Marcian was a member of the House of Leo and a usurper against Emperor Zeno in 479.
Aelia Ariadne was Eastern Roman Empress as the wife of Zeno and Anastasius I.
Aelia Zenonis was the Empress consort of Basiliscus of the Byzantine Empire, brother of Verina. Her sister-in-law was Empress consort to Leo I and mother to Ariadne. Her niece Ariadne was Empress consort to Zeno and mother of Leo II. Her ancestry is unknown.
The Isaurian War was a conflict that lasted from 492 to 497 and that was fought between the army of the Eastern Roman Empire and the rebels of Isauria. At the end of the war, Eastern Emperor Anastasius I regained control of the Isauria region and the leaders of the revolt were killed.
The wife of Julius Nepos was the last empress of the Roman Empire in the West, whose husband reigned from 474 through 480, although he was in exile from his capital after 475. His surname, Nepos, he obtained through his marriage. His wife's given name is not in any primary source, all of which report her as the neptis of Leo I the Thracian of the Roman Empire in the East (457–74), and his spouse Verina. The word neptis could translate as granddaughter, niece or (close) relative, but it is usually assumed that Julius' wife was Leo's niece, and more likely related by blood to Verina rather than Leo. The historian Malchus reports, "Verina also joined in urging this, giving a helping hand to the wife of Nepos, her relative".
The history of the Eastern Roman Empire (324–1453) is generally considered to fall into three distinct eras:
The Eastern Roman Empire was ruled by the House of Leo from 457, the accession of Leo I, to 518 AD, the death of Anastasius I. The rule of the Leonid dynasty coincided with the rapid decline, collapse and eventual fall of the Western Roman Empire. Following the end of the Western Empire, Emperor Zeno abolished the position of Western Roman Emperor and declared himself the sole Roman Emperor. The Eastern Roman Empire would come to last for several more centuries, and subsequent dynasties would invest large amounts of resources in attempts to retake the western provinces.
