Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

the fall of the western empire 23
action. The activities of Franks and other parvenus took still more territory
out of central control. Particularly ominous in this respect was the
expansion of the Armoricans and, above all, the Franks in northern Gaul
from the 460s. 57 The dangers inherent in the new political order were thus
profound. Centrifugal forces could not be transformed into centripetal
ones merely by throwing around a few Roman titles.
2. Attempts at equilibrium, 457–68
The deposition of Avitus in October 456 was followed by an interregnum.
It was not until 28 December 457 that Majorian was declared Augustus at
Ravenna. The new emperor had served under Aetius and was brought back
from retirement by Valentinian III, after Aetius’ murder, to help reconcile
the latter’s troops. As early as 455 he was being talked of as a potential
emperor, and, although he worked closely with Ricimer against Avitus,
Majorian was clearly no mere puppet of the Italian army’s generalissimo
(unlike many of his successors). The delay between Avitus’ deposition and
Majorian’s election was taken up with delicate negotiations, winning
support for his candidacy not only in the west but also from Marcellinus,
the army commander in Dalmatia, and from Constantinople. Majorian
eventually took the throne with the backing of the eastern emperor Leo I. 58
Majorian’s four-year reign is marked by determined efforts to restore
order in the west. In the letters of Sidonius, considerable evidence survives
of the efforts he made to woo Gallic aristocrats. In 458, Majorian progressed
through southern Gaul and, employing a mixture of force and generosity,
attempted to heal the divisions created by Avitus’ defeat. 59 Sidonius,
at least, was won over. He composed and delivered a panegyric in the new
emperor’s favour, receiving in return a minor official post. Majorian’s military
forces were also active outside Italy. Of his commanders’ activities, we
know that Aegidius in Gaul fought both Franks and Goths. The latter
engagement, at least, would seem to have been successful, since Gothic
forces later assisted Nepotianus, another of Majorian’s commanders, to
curb Suevic activities in north-western Spain. 60 In 461, however, Majorian
attempted to invade Vandal Africa via Spain and was heavily defeated (see
below). This provided Ricimer with an opportunity which he was quick to
take. He formally deposed Majorian on 2 August 461, and had him executed
five days later.
57 Franks: James (1988a) 64ff. Armorica may have seen substantial immigration from Britain (e.g.
Riothamus: PLRE ii.945), on top of an indigenous population which had already shown separatist tendencies:
p. 8 above.
58 Stein (1959) 374–5; Max (1979) 234–6; O’Flynn (1983) 185–6 n. 18. Marcellinus took part in
Majorian’s Vandal expedition (PLRE ii.709). 59 Mathisen (1979).
60 Refs. PLRE ii.12 and 778, cf. O’Flynn (1983) 106ff.
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