Remistus
Encyclopedia
Remistus was a general of the Western Roman Empire
, commander-in-chief of the army under Emperor Avitus
.
, as shown by his Germanic name. In 456 Remistus reached a high military rank under Emperor Avitus
, who probably appointed him magister militum
, and received the rank of patricius: he was the first magister militum since the death of Aetius
in 454 and the first barbarian magister militum.
The newly-appointed general took place in Ravenna
, the capital, with a group of Goths. That same year Avitus, who was opposed by the Roman Senate, decided to leave Italy and go to his native Gaul to gather reinforcements; Remistus remained back to control Italy. He clashed against the Senate army, led by the Italian magister militum Ricimer
and was forced to return to Ravenna; besieged, he was captured and put to death in the Palace in Classis, just outside the city, on September 17.
The following month, Avitus was deposed and killed.
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
, commander-in-chief of the army under Emperor Avitus
Avitus
Eparchius Avitus was Western Roman Emperor from July 8 or July 9, 455 to October 17, 456. A Gallic-Roman aristocrat, he was a senator and a high-ranking officer both in the civil and military administration, as well as Bishop of Piacenza.A representative of the Gallic-Roman aristocracy, he...
.
Life
Remistus was a VisigothVisigoth
The Visigoths were one of two main branches of the Goths, the Ostrogoths being the other. These tribes were among the Germans who spread through the late Roman Empire during the Migration Period...
, as shown by his Germanic name. In 456 Remistus reached a high military rank under Emperor Avitus
Avitus
Eparchius Avitus was Western Roman Emperor from July 8 or July 9, 455 to October 17, 456. A Gallic-Roman aristocrat, he was a senator and a high-ranking officer both in the civil and military administration, as well as Bishop of Piacenza.A representative of the Gallic-Roman aristocracy, he...
, who probably appointed him magister militum
Magister militum
Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire...
, and received the rank of patricius: he was the first magister militum since the death of Aetius
Flavius Aëtius
Flavius Aëtius , dux et patricius, was a Roman general of the closing period of the Western Roman Empire. He was an able military commander and the most influential man in the Western Roman Empire for two decades . He managed policy in regard to the attacks of barbarian peoples pressing on the Empire...
in 454 and the first barbarian magister militum.
The newly-appointed general took place in Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
, the capital, with a group of Goths. That same year Avitus, who was opposed by the Roman Senate, decided to leave Italy and go to his native Gaul to gather reinforcements; Remistus remained back to control Italy. He clashed against the Senate army, led by the Italian magister militum Ricimer
Ricimer
Flavius Ricimer was a Germanic general who achieved effective control of the remaining parts of the Western Roman Empire, during the middle of the 5th century...
and was forced to return to Ravenna; besieged, he was captured and put to death in the Palace in Classis, just outside the city, on September 17.
The following month, Avitus was deposed and killed.