Olybrius was in reality a puppet ruler raised to power by Ricimer, the magister militum of Germanic descent, and was mainly interested in religion, while the actual power was held by Ricimer and his nephew Gundobad.
11 Facts About Olybrius
2.
Olybrius was born in Rome, in the ancient and powerful gens Anicia, of Italian descent.
3.
Olybrius elevated his own son Palladius to the rank of caesar and had him marry Eudocia, elder daughter of Valentinian.
4.
Olybrius met Daniel the Stylite, who, according to Christian tradition, prophesied the liberation of Licinia Eudoxia.
5.
Olybrius's project failed as Ricimer, who had become the Magister militum of the West, chose Libius Severus as new Emperor.
6.
Olybrius was nearly chosen for the Western throne again in 465, after Libius Severus died.
7.
Sources agree that Olybrius rose to the western throne thanks to the western magister militum Ricimer.
8.
Leo suspected that Olybrius favored the Vandal king and would secretly take his side and betray the suspicious Emperor.
9.
Leo had Olybrius followed by another envoy bearing a letter for Anthemius stating:.
10.
Ricimer showed the document to Olybrius, which convinced Olybrius to accept the purple.
11.
Olybrius had a palace in the Tenth region of Constantinople at one end of the Mese, the main street, along the Constantinianae.