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Julius Nepos
Short Biography
about the life of Julius Nepos
Short Biography profile and facts about one of the most famous Romans of all, in the life of
Julius Nepos,
Emperor of the
Western Roman Empire
Name commonly known as: Julius Nepos
Latin Roman Name:
Julius Nepos
Reigned as Roman
Emperor / Caesar: June 474 - 28
August 475
Dynasty /
Historical Period: Western Empire
(394 - 476) which led to the
disintegration of Roman authority
and the Fall of the Roman Empire
Name of previous Emperor: His predecessor or the Emperor before Julius Nepos was
Glycerius he was succeeded by
Romulus Augustulus
Place and Date of
Death: 480 in Dalmatia
For the names of the next
Roman emperors in the East and the West of the Empire refer to the
Timeline of
Roman Emperors
Interesting facts
about the life of Julius Nepos
Obtain a fast overview of the times of the Roman Emperor
Julius Nepos from the following facts and information about his life.
Julius Nepos first succeeded in his career as the governor
of the province of Dalmatia. He was a man who had good
connections as he was married to the niece of Leo I (hence
his name 'nepos' meaning nephew). In March 473 Glycerius had
been appointed as a puppet emperor of the Western Empire by
Gundobad but his position was never sanctioned by Leo I, the
Emperor of the Eastern Empire. Emperor Leo I first sent an
army of Ostrogoths (Eastern Goths) against Glycerius but the
Ostrogoths were bribed to leave. The following year, in 474,
Leo I sent Julius Nepos to oppose Glycerius. Glycerius
immediately surrendered to Julius Nepos. Glycerius was
treated leniently by Julius Nepos, probably due to his early
surrender. Glycerius was appointed bishop of Salona in
Dalmatia. Julius Nepos became the next emperor. During his
reign there were further problems with Geiseric, the king of
the Vandals whose pirate ships plundered the coast of Italy.
Zeno I succeeded Leo I as emperor of the Eastern Empire.
Julius Nepos was never popular with the Romans or the senate
due to his connections with the Eastern Empire. Julius Nepos
appointed a Roman politician called Orestes as his magister
militum (Master of the Soldiers). The man who held this
powerful office was often the power behind the throne and
had previously been held by military commanders like
Stilicho and Ricimer. The appointment of Orestes was a huge
mistake. Orestes was ambitious, powerful and treacherous.
Orestes took over the palace at Ravenna and Julius Nepos was
forced to flee to Dalmatia where he becomes a bishop. In 480
Julius Nepos was assassinated. It is believed that
Glycerius, the exiled emperor who Nepos had earlier deposed
was responsible for his death. Orestes makes his son
Romulus Augustus the new
emperor of the western empire.
Julius Nepos
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