Aelia Marcia Euphemia Empress of West 467-472 AD Wife of Anthemius Daughter of Marcian Aelia Marcia Euphemia was the daughter of the Eastern Emperor Marcian (450-457AD). She was married to Anthemius in 453, a union that resulted in four sons and a daughter. Her proclamation as Augusta presumably occurred at the same time as her husband’s elevation to […]

Anthemius 467-472 AD Son-in-law of Marcian Appointed Emperor of the West by Leo I Procopius Anthemius was the son-in-law of the late Emperor Marcian. He was married to his daughter Aelia Marcia Euphemia in 453 AD. Following the death of Severus III, the Western throne lie vacant for seventeen months during which time Ricimer continued […]

  Libius Severus III 461-465 AD puppet Emperor of Ricimer   Libius Severus, an obscure individual of Lucanian origin, was proclaimed Emperor by Ricimer more than three months after the execution of Majorian. He was perfectly content to leave the government entirely in the hands of the barbarian general, unlike Majorian. Some of his tiny bronze coinage, nummi, […]

Majorian 457-461 AD Puppet Emperor of Ricimer Julius Majorianus was descended from an old Roman family. Majorian had served with distinction under Aetius. Following the overthrow of Avitus in October 456 AD, there were nearly six months before the next Emperor was chosen. General Ricimer elevated him to the vacant Western throne. Majorian was, perhaps, […]

Leo II 473-474 AD Grandson Leo I – Son of Zeno Leo II was the son of Zeno and Ariadne. Leo II was born about 467 AD and was raised to the rank of Augustus by his grandfather, Leo I, in October, 473. Following the death of Leo I less than four months later, the infant Leo II was […]

Aelia Verina Wife of Leo I Mother-in-law of Zeno Aelia Verina was a woman of untold ambition. Verina was the wife of Emperor Leo I and the mother-in-law of Emperor Zeno. After the death of her husband in 474 AD, Verina continued to take a leading role in the political life of her time during […]

LEO I 457-474 AD Emperor of the East Leo I was a Thracian and a man of considerable military experience. Despite his lack of formal education, it was his professional experience as a soldier that perhaps qualified him to be proclaimed Emperor soon after the death of Marcian, early in 457 AD. During his reign, Leo […]

Avitus 455-456 AD   Gothic Usurper in the West Marcus Maecilius Flavius Eparchius Avitus was descended from a noble family in Gaul. Avitus was a popular career man in Gaul who had risen to the position of Praetorian Prefect in the Province. He was a close friend of the Visogothic King Theodoric I. In 437 AD, Avitus […]

Petronius Maximus March-May 455 AD Emperor in the West Flavius Anicius Petronius Maximus became one of the most prominent Senators in Rome under the reign of Honorius. Petronius was of noble birth coming from one of the great senatorial families in Rome – the Anicii. Petronius was a very ambitious man and he made his […]

Marcian 450-457 AD Emperor in the East Marcian was an accomplished soldier of humble origin who fought against the Persians. His father was also a soldier from the Balkans. Marcian became a widely respected tribune under Theodosius II. There are two versions of his eventual rise to the throne. One version claims that Theodosius had […]