this
disaster, to procure the dethronement of his former friend. Majo'rian
died five years after his deposition, and the humble tomb which
covered his remains was consecrated by the respect and gratitude of
succeeding generations.

25. Ri'cimer's next choice was more prudent; at his instigation the
obsequious senate raised to the throne Lib'ius Sev'erus, of whom
history records little more than his elevation, and his death, which
occurred in the fifth year after his election. During the nominal
reign of Sev'erus and the interregnum that followed, the entire power
of the state was possessed by Ri'cimer, whom barbarian descent alone
prevented from being acknowledged emperor. He was unable, however, to
protect Italy from the devastations of the Vandals; and to obtain the
aid of Le'o, the Eastern emperor, he was forced to acknowledge
Anthe'mius, who was nominated to the throne of the West by the court
of Constantinople.

[Illustration: Fall of Constantinople.]

26. The perfidious Ricimer soon became dissatisfied with Anthe'mius,
and raised the standard of revolt. Marching to Rome he easily became
master of the city, and Anthe'mius was slain in the tumult. The
unhappy Romans were again subjected to all the miseries that military
licentiousness could inflict; for forty days Ricimer exulted in the
havoc and ruin of the imperial city; but a disease, occasioned by
excessive intemperance, seized on his vitals, and death freed Rome
from the tyrant.

27. Olyb'ius, the successor of Anthe'mius, dying after a short reign
of three months, Glyce'rius, an obscure soldier, assumed the purple at
Raven'na, but was soon dethroned by Ju'lius Ne'pos, whom the court of
Constantinople supported. A treaty by which the most faithful
provinces of Gaul were yielded to the Visigoths, produced so much
popular discontent, that Ores'tes, a general of barbarian auxiliaries,
was encouraged to revolt, and Ne'pos, unable to defend the throne,
abdicated, and spent the remainder of his unhonoured life in
obscurity.

[Sidenote: A.D. 476.]

28. Ores'tes placed the crown on the head of his son Rom'ulus
Momyl'lus, better known in history by the name of Augus'tulus. He was
the last of the emperors; before he had enjoyed his elevation many
months, he was dethroned by Odoa'cer, a leader, of the barbarian
troops, and banished to a villa that once belonged to the wealthy
Lucul'lus, where he was supported by a pension allowed him by the
conqueror[4]. 29. Odoa