Anthemius

Anthemius (467-472 CE) was a Roman Emperor of the West appointed by the Magister Militum, Ricimer.
He made a last attempt to dislodge the Vandals from North Africa and save the Western Roman Empire, at the Battle of Cape Bon (468 CE). He used the combined forces of the Eastern and Western Empire, but failed.

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

NAME:
- Procopious Anthemius
ANTHEMIUS’ DATES OF REIGN AS EMPEROR:
- From 12 April 467 CE to 11 July 472 CE.
- Co-Emperor with Leo I in the East.
ANTHEMIUS’ DATE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
- Born c.420 CE. Died 11 July 472 CE.
PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
- Born in Constantinople. Died in Rome.
ANTHEMIUS’ PREDECESSOR:
- Severus III
ANTHEMIUS’ SUCCESSOR:
- Olybrius
HEIR TO THE THRONE BECAUSE:
- He was proclaimed Emperor in the West by the Eastern Emperor Leo I, to prevent Gaiseric the Vandal from placing his own candidate, Olybrius.
- Ricimer, the Magister Militum in the West, accepted Anthemius.
DIED PEACEFULLY OR ASSASSINATED:
- Beheaded by the Magister Militum, Ricimer, after he laid siege to Rome.
WHERE BURIED:
- Unknown.
ANTHEMIUS WAS FAMOUS BECAUSE:
- Anthemius attempted to retake North Africa from the Gaiseric the Vandal, and retake Gaul from the Visigoths. Both attempts failed.

Leo I, the Eastern Emperor, sent Anthemius to Rome at the head of an army led by the Governor of Illyricum, Marcellinus.
On the 12 April 467 CE, he was proclaimed Emperor, and Ricimer, the Magister Militum, did not oppose him.

Supported by Funds from the East, in the Autumn of 467 CE, Marcellinus, the Governor of Illyricum, prepared a naval and military attack on North Africa. But the onset of bad weather meant it had to be cancelled before it could begin.
In 468 CE, one thousand ships sailed for North Africa under Marcellinus, but were defeated at the Battle of Cape Bon, where Marcellinus was killed. This ended any hope of defeating Gaiseric. The Eastern Emperor, Leo I, was forced to conduct a separate Treaty with him.

In 470 CE, Anthemius raised an army from the former Britannia, to attack the powerful King Euric of the Visigoths. The invasion was a failure.
Anthemius then raised another army, which set off to attack Euris from Arles. It also was completely defeated.

In 470 CE, Ricimer and Anthemius fell out, and Ricimer moved his force out of Rome, but no further conflict followed.
In 472 CE, Ricimer besieged Anthemius in Rome. After five months Ricimer entered the city, and despite various attempts to raise relief from outside Italia, Anthemius was captured and beheaded on 11 July 472 CE.