Reign of Julius Nepos (1 juin 474 – 28 août 475)

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Julius Nepos (c. AD 430 – 480) was de jure and de facto Western Roman Emperor from AD 474 to 475 and then only de jure until his death in AD 480. He was also the ruler of Roman Dalmatia from AD 468 to 480.

Nepos overthrew his predecessor Glycerius without a fight and proclaimed himself western emperor on 19 or 24 June 474. Orestes, the Magister Militum, turned his forces on Nepos on August 28, 475, forcing him to flee by ship to Dalmatia. Orestes crowned his son Romulus as Emperor in Nepos's absence, but neither the Eastern Emperor Zeno nor many Western provinces recognized Romulus, regarding him as a usurper. Nepos never relinquished his imperial title and sought a compromise with the barbarian king Odoacer who deposed Romulus. Odoacer ambiguously recognized his claim but refused him any role in government outside of Dalmatia. Nepos was assassinated in 480 while plotting his own restoration, and Zeno formally abolished the Western division of the Empire.