Severus III

Severus III (461-465 CE) was a Roman Emperor in the West appointed by the Magister Militum, Ricimer.
He lost the last two remaining Provinces of Illyricum and Gaul.

1. BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

NAME:
- Flavius Libius Severus Serpentius
SEVERUS III’ DATES OF REIGN AS EMPEROR:
- From 19 November 461 CE to 15 August 465 CE.
- Co-Emperor with Leo I in the East.
SEVERUS III’ DATE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
- Born c.420 CE. Died 15 August 465 CE.
PLACE OF BIRTH AND DEATH:
- Born in Lucania.
SEVERUS III’ PREDECESSOR:
- Majorian
SEVERUS III’ SUCCESSOR:
- Anthemius
HEIR TO THE THRONE BECAUSE:
- Majorian was assassinated by the Magister Militum, Ricimer, who proclaimed Severus III Emperor in his place.
DIED PEACEFULLY OR ASSASSINATED:
- He died of Natural Causes.
WHERE BURIED:
- Unknown.
SEVERUS III WAS FAMOUS BECAUSE:
- During his reign, the last two Roman Provinces were lost:
  - Illyricum came to be controlled by the Eastern Empire.
  - Gaul was transferred to the Visigoths leaving only Italia and Sicily

Severus III was a Roman Senator.
The Magister Militum, Ricimer, proclaimed Severus III Emperor after he had assassinated the previous Emperor, Majorian.
Ricimer was a Barbarian and therefore did not qualify to become Emperor, but as head of the armed forces, he held all the power.

Gaiseric the Vandal in North Africa, held various members of the Imperial family after his Second Sack of Rome in 455 CE. He proclaimed Olybrius Emperor, but Ricimer ignored him and had Severus III proclaimed Emperor.
Gaiseric avoided an invasion, but his fleets conducted piratical raids on Italia, causing impoverishment to the big estates.

Severus III was not recognised as Emperor in any of the former Roman Provinces, nor by the Eastern Empire.
The two remaining Provinces, Gaul and Illyricum, refused to accept him.
Concerned about an invasion by Marcellinus Comes, the Governor of Illyricum, Severus III appealed to Leo I to intervene.
Leo I sent an envoy to Illyricum, and the result was that Illyricum came to be controlled by the Eastern Empire. Leaving just Northeastern Gaul as the only remaining Roman Province.

Aegidius, the Governor of Gaul, also refused to accept Severus III. Severus appointed Agrippinus as a new Magister Militum of Gaul, over Aegidius.
Agrippinus received assistance from the Visigoths in removing Aegidius. In exchange for their help, the Visigoths received Narbonne in 462 CE.
This meant that by the end of his reign, Severus III only ruled over Italia and Sicily.