Julius Nepos

Copyright (C) 1998, Ralph W. Mathisen.

After the death of Anthemius (467-472), not to mention that of Olybrius (472), the aging eastern emperor http://orb.rhodes.edu/encyclop/early/De_Imp/leo1.htm">Leo  would have viewed himself once again as sole emperor, with the right to select a new emperor in the west. Initially, he seems not to have made any effort to name a western colleague, perhaps being forestalled by the example of what had happened to Anthemius and by not having a suitable candidate of his own. In 473, however, he decided to take action after the Patrician Gundobad raised Glycerius, the Count of the Domestics, to the purple in March. John of Antioch noted, "When Leo, the emperor of the east, learned of the election of Glycerius, he appointed Nepos as general of an expedition against him" (fr.209.2: Gordon trans., p.122). Leo must have dithered for some time before doing so, because by the time the decision was made the approaching winter had closed the seas and it was too late for Nepos to take any action. For Leo, Nepos was a good choice: as in the case of the nomination of Anthemius, by this means he not only could rid himself of a possible rival in the east, but also reassert his own authority over the west.

At the very beginning of spring, 474, Nepos crossed to Italy, arriving at the the port of Rome. The chronicler Marcellinus stated,

"The Caesar Glycerius, who held the imperial power at Rome, was deposed from power at the port of the city of Rome [i.e. Ostia] by Nepos, son of the sister of the former patrician Marcellinus. From Caesar he was ordained a bishop, and he died... Nepos, who had expelled Glycerius from the emperorship, was acclaimed as emperor at Rome ("Glycerius Caesar Romae imperium tenens a Nepote Marcellini quondam patricii sororis filio imperio expulsus in Portu urbis Romae ex Caesare episcopus ordinatus est et obiit... Nepos, qui Glycerium regno populerat, Romae elevatus est imperator": Chron. s.a.474-475.

John of Antioch said of Nepos,

"He took Rome, captured Glycerius without a fight and, having stripped him of royalty, appointed him bishop of Salona. He had enjoyed his rule for eight months. Nepos was immediately appointed emperor and ruled Rome" (fr.209.2: Gordon trans., pp.122-123)

The Anonymus valesianus provides a similar report: "Therefore, at the order of the emperor Zeno, the patrician Nepos, arriving from Constantinople at the port of the city of Rome, deposed Glycerius from the emperorship and made him bishop, and Nepos was made emperor at Rome" ("igitur imperante Zenone Augusto Constantinopoli superveniens Nepos patricius ad Portum urbis Romae deposuit de imperio Glycerium et factus est episcopus et Nepos factus imperator Romae": 7.36 s.a.474). And the Fasti vindobonenses priores not only confirm the location of the deposition, but also provide a date: 24 June ("his consul. de imperio Glicerius in Portu urbis Romae; eo anno levatus est d.n. Iulius Nepos VIII kald. Iulias": nos.613-614; cf. Auctuarii Hauniensis ordo posterior, s.a.474: "Glycerius de imperio deiectus a Nepote patricio in Portu urbis Romae episcopus ordinatur. Nepos patricius in Portu urbis Romae imperii iura suscipit"). The Auctuarii Hauniensis ordo posterior, however, dates his accession to 19 June.

The preceding sources indicate that Nepos did not become emperor until after the formal deposition of Glycerius. But the mid-sixth-century historian Jordanes, however, not only made it clear that as far as the eastern court was concerned, Nepos was the direct successor of Anthemius, but also suggested that the investiture ceremony took place not at Rome but at Ravenna, and before, not after Glycerius' deposition:

"After Anthemius had been killed at Rome, Zeno, through his client Domitianus, named as emperor at Ravenna Nepotianus' son Nepos, who had been joined in marriage to his niece. Nepos, having taken legal possession of the empire, deposed Glycerius, who had imposed himself upon the empire in a tyrannical manner, and made him bishop of Salona in Dalmatia ("occisoque Romae Anthemio Nepotem filium Nepotiani copulata nepte sua in matrimonio apud Ravennam per Domitianum clientem suum Caesarem ordinavit [sc.Zeno]. qui Nepos regno potitus legitimo Glycerium, qui sibi tyrannico more regnum inposuisset, ab imperio expellens in Salona Dalmatia episcopum fecit": Romana 338-339).

REIGN

Little is known of Nepos' activities, domestic or foreign, during his brief reign. In Italy, Nepos issued gold solidi and tremisses at Rome, Ravenna, and Milan, as well as semisses at Rome. Silver also was struck at Ravenna, and bronze at Milan. A token imperial coinage even continued in Gaul, where a small number of gold solidi were issued at Arles and attest to Nepos' efforts there. In northern Gaul, small silver pieces in Nepos' name were issued, perhaps by the quasi-imperial Roman rulers such as Syagrius of Soissons who maintained themselves there.

In an unusual step for this late period Nepos even issued a few symbolic coins in the names of Zeno  and Leo II, attesting to the close ties between the two courts, even though, as opposed to the case of Anthemius, he had no expectations of any concrete assistance from Constantinople.

Nepos' best-known efforts involved Gaul, where he named Ecdicius, the son of the emperor Avitus (455-456), as his Patrician and Master of Soldiers. Sidonius Apollinaris, ever the optimist, wrote to his wife Papianilla about the appointment:

"The moment the Quaestor Licinianus, coming from Ravenna, crossed the Alps and set foot on Gallic soil, he sent a message in advance to make it known that he was the bearer of imperial codicils conferring the title of Patrician on Ecdicius... Julius Nepos, true emperor in character no less than prowess, has done nobly in keeping the pledged word of his predecessor Anthemius that the labors of your brother should be recognized; his action is all the more laudable for the promptitude with which he has fulfilled a promise reiterated so often by another. In future the best men in the state will feel able to spend their strength with the utmost ardor for the commonwealth, assured that even should the prince who promised die, the empire itself will be responsible and pay the debt due to their devotion and self-sacrifice..." (Epist. 5.16.1-2: Dalton trans., 2.69).