sure. After the removal of Avitus, ten
months were allowed to elapse before a successor was appointed; and then
the crown was bestowed upon MAJORIAN (457-461). SEVERUS followed him, a
man too weak to interfere with the plans of Ricimer.

After his death, Ricimer ruled under the title of PATRICIAN, until the
people demanded an Emperor, and he appointed ANTHEMIUS (467-472), who
attempted to strengthen his position by marrying a daughter of Ricimer;
but jealousy soon sprang up between them. Ricimer invited a horde of
barbarians from across the Alps, with whom he captured and sacked Rome,
and killed Anthemius. Shortly after, Ricimer himself died.

Names which appear only as names now follow each other in rapid
succession. Finally, in 476, ZENO, Emperor of the East, declared the
office of EMPEROR OF THE WEST abolished, and gave the government of the
DIOCESE OF ITALY to ODOACER, with the title of Patrician.

CHAPTER XLII. INVASIONS AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE BARBARIANS.

The sieges and captures of Rome by the Barbarians we present in a
separate chapter, instead of in the narrative of the Emperors,
because by this plan a better idea of the operations can be given; and
especially because we can thus obtain a clearer and more comprehensive
conception of the rise of the nations, which, tearing in pieces the
Roman Empire, have made up Modern Europe.

The HUNS, who originated the movement which overthrew the Western
Empire, came, it is supposed, from the eastern part of Asia. As they
moved westward, their march was irresistible. In 395 they met and
defeated the GOTHS, a powerful tribe that lived to the north of the
Danube, and who were ruled by a king named Hermanric.

The Gothic nation consisted of two branches, the OSTROGOTHS, Eastern
Goths, and the VISIGOTHS, Western Goths, Of these the Ostrogoths were
the more powerful, but on the approach of the Huns they were obliged to
submit. The Huns moved on, and found but little trouble in overrunning
the country of the Visigoths, who were so terrified by the hideous
appearance and wild shouts of the Huns that they fled to the Danube, and
besought the Romans to allow them to cross the river and take refuge in
their territory. The favor was granted, but the refugees were treated
with indignity, and compelled to undergo every privation.

Subsequently a remnant of the Ostrogoths arrived at the Danube, also
desiring to cross. To them permission was refused, but they seized
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