Editing Majorian (section)

==Early life==
The life of Majorian and his reign are better known than those of the other Western Emperors of the same period. The most important sources are the chronicles that cover the second half of the 5th century—those of [[Hydatius]] and [[Marcellinus Comes]], as well as the fragments of [[Priscus]] and [[John of Antioch (chronicler)|John of Antioch]].

Besides these sources, which are useful also for the biographies of the other emperors, some peculiar sources are available that make Majorian's life known in some detail, both before and after his rise to the throne. The Gallo-Roman aristocrat and poet [[Sidonius Apollinaris]] was an acquaintance of the Emperor and composed a [[panegyric]] that is the major source for Majorian's life up to 459. As regards his policy, twelve of his laws have been preserved: the so-called ''{{lang|la|Novellae Maioriani}}'' were included in the Breviary of Alaric, compiled for [[Alaric II]] in 506, which helps to understand the problems that pressed Majorian's government.<ref name="mathisen">Mathisen.</ref>

Majorian was probably born after 420, as in 458 he was described as a {{lang|la|iuvenis}} ('young man'). He belonged to the military aristocracy of the Roman Empire. His [[Maggiorano|grandfather]] of the same name reached the rank of {{lang|la|[[magister militum]]}} under Emperor [[Theodosius I]] and, as commander-in-chief of the Illyrian army, was present at his coronation at [[Sirmium]] in 379. The {{lang|la|magister militum}}'s daughter then married an officer, probably called Domninus,<ref>This identification, based on a passage in the work of [[Priscus]], is not universally accepted by the historians. See MacGeorge, p. 188, for a summary of the arguments in favour of the identification, and Arnold Hugh Martin Jones, John Robert Martindale, John Morris, "Domninus 3", ''[[Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire]]'', Volume 2, Cambridge University Press, 1992, {{ISBN|0-521-20159-4}}, p. 373, for the arguments against it.</ref> who administered the finances of [[Aetius (general)|Aetius]], the most powerful general of the West. The couple gave the name ''Maiorianus'' to their child in honour of his influential grandfather, as was the custom for the firstborn son.<ref name="mathisen" />

It was under the same Aetius that Majorian started his military career.<ref>Sidonius Apollinaris, ''Carmina'', V.198–200.</ref> He followed Aetius to Gallia, where he met two officers also under Aetius's command who were to play an important role in Majorian's life: the Suebic-Visigoth Ricimer<ref>Sidonius Apollinaris, ''Carmina'', V.266–268.</ref> and the Gallo-Roman Aegidius.<ref>[[Priscus]], fragment 50.</ref> Majorian distinguished himself in the defence of the city of Turonensis (modern [[Tours]]) and in a [[Battle of Vicus Helena|battle near ''Vicus Helena'']]<ref>The exact location of ''Vicus Helena'' is unknown, but it was in Northern France, probably near modern [[Arras]] (Jan Willem Drijvers, ''Helena Augusta'', Brill, {{ISBN|90-04-09435-0}}, p. 12).</ref> (447 or 448) against the [[Franks]] under [[Chlodio]]. In the latter, Majorian fought at the head of his cavalry on a bridge, while Aetius controlled the roads leading to the battlefield:<ref>Sidonius Apollinaris, ''Carmina'', V.207–227.</ref>
{{blockquote|text=There was a narrow passage at the junction of two ways, and a road crossed both the village of Helena... and the river. [Aëtius] was posted at the cross-roads while Majorian warred as a mounted man close to the bridge itself...|sign=Sidonius Apollinaris|source=''Carmina'', V.207–227. Anderson tr.}}

[[File:(Toulouse) théodosienne de la villa romaine de Chiragan - Musée Saint-Raymond Ra 82.jpg |thumb|left|[[Placidia]] was the younger daughter of Emperor [[Valentinian III]], who planned to marry her to Majorian (450 ''ca''.). As the powerful ''[[magister militum]]'' [[Flavius Aetius|Aetius]] realised that this marriage would weaken his position, he sent Majorian away from his staff to private life, thus hindering the marriage.]]

Around 450, the Western Roman Emperor [[Valentinian III]] considered the possibility of marrying his daughter [[Placidia]] to Majorian. Valentinian had two daughters but no sons, and therefore no heir to the throne. Having Majorian as son-in-law would have strengthened Valentinian in the face of other powerful generals and would have solved the problem of the succession. Furthermore, as Emperor, Majorian could have led the army himself, freed from the dangerous bond with a powerful general, such as Valentinian had been obliged to contract with Aetius.<ref name="O'Flynn, pp. 94–95">O'Flynn, pp. 94–95.</ref>

The intention of this plan was to avoid the possibility that barbarian generals like [[Huneric]] or [[Attila]] should succeed to Aetius, but clashed with the plans of Aetius himself. The Roman general, in fact, planned to marry his own son [[Gaudentius (son of Aëtius)|Gaudentius]] to Placidia. He therefore opposed Valentinian's plan, and put an end to Majorian's military career, expelling him from his staff and sending him to his country estate.<ref name="O'Flynn, pp. 94–95"/> According to the poet Sidonius Apollinaris, the cause of the fall of Majorian was the jealousy of Aetius's wife, who feared that Majorian could overshadow Aetius's prestige.<ref>Sidonius Apollinaris, ''Carmina'', V.290–300.</ref>

It was only in 454 that Majorian was able to return to public life. In that year, Valentinian III killed Aetius with his own hands. Fearing that Aetius's troops might revolt, he called Majorian back to office to quell any dissent.<ref>Sidonius Apollinaris, ''Carmina'', V.305–308.</ref> In the following year, Valentinian III was killed by two former officers of Aetius's staff. There was then a fight for the succession, as no heir existed. Majorian played the role of the candidate for the throne of [[Licinia Eudoxia]], Valentinian's widow, and of Ricimer, who reserved for himself a role similar to Aetius's.<ref>Sidonius Apollinaris, ''Carmina'', V.312–314; John of Antioch, fragment 201.6.</ref>

In the end, the new emperor was [[Petronius Maximus]], a senator involved in Valentinian's murder, who outmanoeuvred the other candidates. To strengthen his position, he obliged Licinia to marry him and promoted Majorian to the rank of {{lang|la|[[comes domesticorum]]}} (commander-in-chief of the imperial guard).<ref>It is however possible that Majorian was appointed {{lang|la|comes domesticorum}} by Valentinian when he was recalled back in service after Aetius's murder (Mathisen).</ref>