Editing Majorian (section)

===The revolt against Avitus===
{{Main|Roman civil war of 456}}

Petronius ruled only for a few weeks, as he was killed during the [[Vandals|Vandal]] [[sack of Rome (455)|sack of Rome]] (May 455). He was succeeded, not by Majorian, but by the Gallic-Roman noble [[Avitus]], who had the support of the [[Visigoths]]. Both Majorian, ''comes domesticorum'', and Ricimer, ''comes rei militaris'' of Italy, initially supported Avitus, but when the Emperor lost the loyalty of the Italian aristocracy, the two generals revolted against him. First Majorian and Ricimer killed [[Remistus]], the ''magister militum'' entrusted by Avitus with the defence of the capital, [[Ravenna]]. Then Ricimer defeated Avitus' troops near [[Piacenza|Placentia]], taking the Emperor himself prisoner, and obliging him to abdicate. Finally, Majorian caused Avitus' death, possibly starving him, in early 457.<ref>John of Antioch, fragment 202.</ref>