v49_0964 - JULIUS NEPOS Tremissis

JULIUS NEPOS

(06/24/474 - 08/28/475)

Julius Nepos was independent and dominated Dalmatia when he was proclaimed Augustus in June 474, upon the deposition of Glycera, who received the bishopric of Salona as compensation. Weakly supported by the Eastern Emperor at a time when Zeno himself faced the usurpation of Basiliscus by his son Marcus, Julius Nepos could not maintain his power. He was overthrown by his Magister Militum Orestes. The latter proclaimed his son, Romulus Augustulus, on October 31, 475. He could only maintain his power for a year, until September 4, 476. On this date, Odoacer deposed the last Western Emperor and returned the imperial insignia to Constantinople, marking the fictitious union of the two \"pars\" of the Empire, with Odoacer becoming patrician. Meanwhile, Julius Nepos had withdrawn to Damaltia, his original territory. He took up the purple, but never really held power and was assassinated in 480 at the instigation of Zeno, with the help of Theodoric, Odoacer's future competitor..