Editing Majorian (section)

{{short description|Western Roman emperor from 457 to 461}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Majorian
| image        = Solidus Majorian Arles (obverse).jpg
| caption      = ''[[Solidus (coin)|Solidus]]'' of Majorian, marked:<br />{{Smallcaps|{{Abbreviation|d·n·|DOMINUS NOSTER}} iulius maiorianus {{Abbreviation|p·f·|PIUS FELIX}} {{Abbreviation|aug·|AUGUSTUS}}}}
| succession   = [[Roman emperor]]
| moretext     = in the [[Western Roman Empire|West]] {{nwr|(unrecognized in the [[Eastern Roman Empire|East]])}}
| reign        = 28 December 457{{snd}}{{nowrap|2 August 461}}
| predecessor  = [[Avitus]]
| successor    = [[Libius Severus]]
| regent       = [[Leo I (emperor)|Leo I]]
| reg-type     = [[Eastern Roman Empire|Eastern]] emperor
| birth_date   = {{circa}} November 420
| birth_place  = [[Roman Gaul]]
| death_date   = 7 August 461
| death_place  = [[Dertona]],  Western Roman Empire
| full name    = {{langr|la|Iulius Valerius Maiorianus}}<ref>His full name is only given in the [https://www.thelatinlibrary.com/sidoniuscarmina.html ''Carmen'' IV] of [[Sidonius Apollinaris]], all other documents refer to him as Julius Majorianus.</ref>
| mother       = Daughter of Majorianus, {{lang|la|[[magister militum]]}}
| religion     = [[Chalcedonian Christianity]]
}}
'''Majorian''' ({{langx|la|Iulius Valerius Maiorianus}}; {{circa|420}}{{snd}}7 August 461) was [[Western Roman emperor]] from 457 to 461. A prominent commander in the [[Late Roman army|Western military]], Majorian deposed [[Avitus]] in 457 with the aid of his ally [[Ricimer]] at the [[Battle of Placentia (456)|Battle of Placentia]]. Possessing little more than [[Roman Italy|Italy]] and [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Dalmatia]], as well as some territory in [[Hispania Tarraconensis|Hispania]] and northern [[Roman Gaul|Gaul]], Majorian campaigned rigorously for three years against the Empire's enemies. In 461, he was murdered at [[Dertona]] in a conspiracy, and his successors until the [[Fall of the Western Roman Empire|fall of the Empire]] in 476 were puppets either of [[barbarian]] generals or the [[Byzantine Empire|Eastern Roman]] court.

After [[Battle of Garigliano (457)|defeating a Vandal attack on Italy]] in 457, Majorian intercepted the [[Visigoths]] in the [[Battle of Arelate]], defeating them and saving the city. Securing [[Septimania]], he reduced the Goths to [[Foederati|federate status]], returning Hispania to the empire. Meanwhile, [[Marcellinus (magister militum)|Marcellinus]] was convinced to recognise Majorian, reconquering [[Sicily]] in the emperor's name. Majorian then attacked the [[Burgundians]], reconquering [[Lugdunum]] and expelling them from the [[Rhône]] valley. Marching into Gaul, he reintegrated the [[Gallo-Romans]] and appointed [[Aegidius]] commander of the region, whilst [[Nepotianus (magister militiae)|Nepotianus]] invaded the [[Kingdom of the Suebi]] and reconquered [[Scalabis]]. In 460, Majorian entered Hispania and readied a fleet for an invasion of [[Africa (Roman province)|Africa]]. However, the [[Vandals]] bribed traitors into defection and destroyed the fleet in the [[Battle of Cartagena (461)|Battle of Cartagena]], forcing Majorian to return to Italy.

During his reign, Majorian instituted reforms to reduce corruption, rebuild the state's institutions and preserve ancient monuments. This led to an antagonistic relationship with the [[Roman Senate]], which was exploited by Ricimer to behead Majorian upon his arrival in Italy in 461. The 6th-century writer [[Procopius]] asserted that Majorian "surpassed in every virtue all who have ever been emperors of the Romans", whilst [[Sidonius Apollinaris]], a contemporary of the emperor, stated, "That he was gentle to his subjects; that he was terrible to his enemies; and that he excelled in every virtue, all his predecessors who had reigned over the Romans."