12 Facts About Glycerius

Glycerius was Roman emperor of the West from 473 to 474.

Glycerius prevented an invasion by the Ostrogoths through diplomacy, including a gift of 2,000.

Glycerius was not recognized by the Eastern Roman emperor Leo I, who instead nominated Julius Nepos as Western Emperor and sent him with an army to invade the Western Empire.

Glycerius was appointed Bishop of Salona, which position he held until his death.

Glycerius died, possibly in 480, and a nearly contemporaneous source blames him for the assassination of Nepos, but the records for this event are muddled.

Glycerius rose to the office of, and likely served as such during the reign of Western Roman Emperor Olybrius.

The Ostrogothic king Videmir proposed to invade Italy, but Glycerius was able to dissuade Videmir through the gift of 2,000, and diverted them from Italy to Gaul, where surrounding groups, described by Jordanes as "various peoples", later attacked them.

Glycerius seems to have primarily reigned in northern Italy, as all the coins found from his reign but one were minted in either Ravenna or Milan.

The 7th-century historian John of Antioch states that Leo made the decision to remove Glycerius after hearing that he had assumed the throne of the Western Roman Empire, but Mathisen comments that Leo must have hesitated for some time, as the actual invasion was delayed by the onset of winter, and Julius Nepos was forced to wait until the beginning of spring to launch his invasion.

Glycerius was without allies, as Gundobad seemingly abandoned him, leaving him with no option but to surrender.

Additionally, Glycerius seems to never have attracted the favor of the Roman Senate or the Gallo-Roman aristocracy, which would make the decision to back him, and therefore alienate both, far less palatable for Gundobad.

Glycerius has sometimes been identified with a Glycerius who was Archbishop of Milan by King Odoacer, but this is likely incorrect.