MAGISTER MILITUM from 456 to 472 and PATRICIAN from 457

Ricimer was the most pivotal imperial figure in the Western Empire during its final years. An Arian of mixed barbarian blood, he had a Suebian father and a Visigoth mother who was related to King Wallia of the Visigoths. Flavius Ricimer ruled the West through puppet emperors, notably Libius Severus and Anthemius, since he was not able to actually assume the emperorship because of his German origins. In 456 he defeated a Vandal fleet; with this victory he was promoted to magister militum, overthrew the emperor Avitus, and placed Majorian on the throne.

Ricimer in 461 removed Majorian and replaced him with Libius Severus even though the emperor in Constantinople objected. This independence by Ricimer allowed Severus to remain emperor. The magister militum spent the next years scheming against a rival, Marcellinus of Dalmatia, while defending against attacks by Geiseric, king of the Vandals and Alans, who invaded Italy unsuccessfully. In 465 he removed Severus and ruled the empire himself till 467 when Anthemius was appointed. To ensure his continual position and control he married Anthemius’ daughter Alypia.

He distrusted the Eastern emperor and refused to take part in the invasion of Vandal Africa in 467. Despite his supremacy in the Empire he carefully avoided participation in the doomed expedition of 468 against the Vandals of Africa. This lack of concern for the expedition may have led to his rupture with Anthemius in 470. Temporarily reconciled in 472, another break took place. With the help of his nephew, Gundobad the Burgundian, Ricimer had the emperor put to death and put a new candidate on the throne. However, Ricimer died shortly thereafter.

Ricimer perhaps more than any other individual destroyed the West by his continual placing and removing of emperors who were ineffective and weak. He forced emperors to give up large tracts of land to his followers and allies. He forced Libius Severus to surrender stretches of imperial territory to the barbarians. He ruled through them, weakening the empire.