Majorian

  • Marjorian (457-461 CE) was a Roman Emperor in the West appointed by the Magister Militum, Ricimer.
  • He is famous for being the last Emperor to attempt the restoration of the Western Roman Empire.

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

  • NAME:
    • Flavius Julius Valerius Majorianus
  • MAJORIAN’S DATES OF REIGN AS EMPEROR:
    • From 1 April 457 CE to 2 August 461 CE.
    • Co-Emperor with Leo I in the East.
  • MAJORIAN’S DATE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
    • Born c.420 CE. Died 7 August 461 CE.
  • PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH?:
    • Place of birth unknown. Died in Tortona.
  • MAJORIAN’S PREDECESSOR:
  • MAJORIAN’S SUCCESSOR:
  • HEIR TO THE THRONE BECAUSE:
    • Ricimer rebelled against Avitus, but as a Barbarian could not become Emperor, so he proclaimed his fellow Commander Majorian as Emperor instead.
  • DIED PEACEFULLY OR ASSASSINATED:
    • Majorian was beheaded five days after being deposed by Ricimer.
  • WHERE BURIED:
    • Mausoleum of Majorian, Church of St. Matthew, Tortona.
  • MAJORIAN WAS FAMOUS BECAUSE:
    • Majorian was the last Emperor to attempt the restoration of the Western Roman Empire, regaining control over Spain, most of Gaul, Sicily, Illyricum, but failing to invade Africa.
    • Edward Gibbon considered him the last great Roman Hero.

2. BRIEF SYNOPSIS

RISE TO POWER (457 CE)

  • The Eastern Emperor Leo I, promoted Majorian Magister Militum, but did not proclaim him Emperor.
  • On 1 April 457 CE the army proclaimed Majorian Emperor, after his troops decisively defeated an invasion by the Alemanni.
  • The other Magister Militum, Ricimer, could not be proclaimed Emperor as he was a Barbarian, but he remained the more powerful of the two, having already deposed Avitus.

REBUILDING THE ROMAN MILITARY (458 CE)

  • Realising that Italia was vulnerable to Hunnic fleet raids, and Gaul was controlled by the Visigoths, Marjorian decided to rebuild the defences of Italia.
  • In 458 CE, Majorian passed an Edict reconfirming Valentinian III‘s earlier Edict of 440 CE, allowing the right of individual citizens to bear arms.
  • In order to defend against further Germanic invasions, Majorian then recruited Germanic soldiers to form a Roman army.
  • To oppose the Vandal fleets, Majorian rebuilt the two Italian fleets, almost certainly at the old naval bases of Misenum near Naples and Classe at Ravenna.

TAX REFORMS (458 CE)

  • To end decades of Tax avoidance, Majorian changed the Laws regarding Tax, payment of Marriage Dowries and Tax Collection, and successfully restored the flow of Taxation to the Imperial Treasury.
  • Majorian then minted great quantities of Gold, Silver and Bronze coins.
  • Majorian then showed great respect to the Roman Senate and the Gallic Senatorial class, to encourage them to pay their taxes, by re-admitting them into the upper echelons of Roman Public Service.
  • To stop the practice of demolishing historical old monuments and robbing them to build new ones (which was cheaper than importing material), Majorian passed a Law imposing huge fines for such behaviour.

RE-OCCUPATION OF GAUL (458 CE)

  • In 458 CE, Majorian took his new army into Gaul. He defeated King Theodoric II at Arles, forcing him to give up Septimania, and retire to his kingdom in Toulouse. He also negotiated with Theodoric II that the Visigoths in Spain recognise Rome as their Overlord.
  • Majorian then turned north up the Rhone, defeated the Burgundians and reoccupied Lyon. The historian Sidonius Apollinaris accompanied Majorian during this period.

RE-OCCUPATION OF SPAIN (459 CE)

  • Majorian then persuaded the Magister Militum of Illyricum, to take his army to occupied Sicily and retake it from the Vandals. He also planned to retake Africa from the Vandals, but first needed to occupy Spain and build an invasion fleet.
  • In 459 CE, Majorian successfully campaigned against the Suebi in northwestern Spain, reconquered Lusitania, northeastern Spain and Baetica, before arriving at the Mediterranean port near Elche, to board his invasion fleet.
  • After failing to negotiate a Peace Treaty with Majorian, Genseric anticipating a Roman Invasion, laid waste to Mauretania, to prevent the Romans landing there from having any supplies. Genseric also successfully destroyed the Roman Fleet at Elche, ending Majorian’s hopes of invading Africa.

REVOLT OF RICIMER AND DEATH OF MAJORIAN (461 CE)

  • Majorian returned from Spain via Arles, where he disbanded his army.
  • On 2 August 461 CE, Majorian arrived at Tortona near Placentia, where he was arrested by Ricimer and his officers.
  • Majorian was beheaded on 7 August 461 CE. Three months later Ricimer proclaimed Severus III as Emperor.

3. BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

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