Was Romulus Augustulus the last emperor of Rome? He was exiled (476ish) and eventually faded from history. Were there any Roman loyalist movements to try and reestablish the empire with a new emperor?

 

Was Romulus Augustulus the last emperor of Rome? He was exiled (476ish) and eventually faded from history. Were there any Roman loyalist movements to try and reestablish the empire with a new emperor?

Yes, Romulus Augustulus was indeed the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire. His reign came to an end in 476 AD when he was deposed by Odoacer, a Germanic chieftain who led a revolt against the young emperor. This event marked the symbolic end of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe.

Following his deposition, Romulus Augustulus was exiled to Campania, where he lived out the remainder of his life in obscurity. While there were no significant loyalist movements specifically aimed at restoring the empire with a new emperor, it is important to understand the complex political landscape of the time.

After the fall of Romulus Augustulus, Italy and other regions previously under Roman control were divided among various Germanic tribes and kingdoms. These new rulers sought to establish their own dominion rather than revive the Roman Empire. However, some of them adopted certain elements of Roman administration and governance to maintain stability and control over their newly acquired territories.

One notable example is Theodoric the Great, who ruled the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy from 493 to 526 AD. Theodoric sought to create a stable and prosperous kingdom, and he implemented policies inspired by Roman traditions. He encouraged the use of Roman law, maintained a Roman-style administration, and even appointed Roman senators to assist in governing his realm. Despite these efforts, Theodoric’s rule did not aim to restore the Roman Empire as a whole, but rather to establish his own Gothic kingdom rooted in Roman principles.

there were occasional revolts and uprisings against the new Germanic rulers, but these were often driven by local grievances or power struggles rather than an explicit desire to resurrect the Roman Empire. Additionally, the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire), which still thrived in the East, remained a distinct political entity and continued to exert influence in the Mediterranean world.