Romulus Augustulus

Romulus Augustulus (flourished 5th century ad) was known to history as the last of the Western Roman emperors (475–476). In fact, he was a usurper and puppet not recognized as a legitimate ruler by the Eastern emperor.

Romulus was the son of the Western empire’s master of soldiers Orestes. His original surname was Augustus, but it was changed to the diminutive because he was still a child when his father, after driving the Western emperor Julius Nepos from Italy, elevated him to the throne on October 31, 475. For about 12 months Orestes ruled Italy in his son’s name, but eventually his troops mutinied and found a leader in the German warrior Odoacer. Odoacer’s forces captured and executed Orestes on August 28, 476. Romulus, however, was spared because of his youth; Odoacer gave him a pension and sent him to live with his relatives in Campania, a region of southern Italy. His subsequent fate is unknown. A comment by Cassiodorus may suggest that he survived until the rule of Theoderic (ad 493–526).