What Happened to the Last Emperor of Rome? | The Fate of Romulus Augustulus
Vložit
- čas přidán 29. 01. 2024
- The deposition of Romulus Augustulus at the hands of Odovacer famously, or perhaps infamously, is seen as the end of the Western Roman Empire (usually). But, Romulus Augustulus was allowed to live, so what became of the Last Emperor of the Roman Empire?
We all know Romulus went to Britannia where he became the leader of the Romano-British resistance and father of King Arthur.
The Last Legion, I have to watch the movie at some point.
@@samrevlej9331 I did. It was interesting to say the least.
Lmao, was just gonna comment this
As far as King Arthur legends go, connecting men that lived at least a century apart is nothing. The Cambrian Chronicles very effectively argued there was no Arthur at all, he was the product of Welsh war propaganda crediting one man for all the fights against the Saxons.
That sounds a good story though the chances of it being true are almost nothing.
Fascinating video! I had always assumed that Odoacer killed him. His case reminds me of the last Chinese Emperor Puyi, although it is not known if Romulus Augustulus also took up gardening
Puyi came to my mind as well when I was doing this
Most likely Romulus just got brainwashed to support whatever Goths Party Politics at that time
Although Puyi, like Romulus Augustulus, was deposed as a child (in the Republican revolution), he spent several years of his adult life as the puppet ruler of Japanese Manchuria as an adult, which is the reason he was imprisoned for 10 years by the Communists. Whereas Augustulus seems to have spent the entirety of his adult life in quiet but comfortable exile. The main parallels I see between Puyi and Romulus Augustulus are that they both had reportedly weak personalities, were raised as secluded Palace Emperors, and were the puppets of more powerful political entities (Romulus the puppet of his father Orestes).
I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought this too.
Did Mikail Gorbachev take up gardening? The best modern comparison.
Rip my boy Constantine XI
The Marble Emperor will return!
He's the Last ROMAN Emperor, not the last emperor of Rome.
@@BlaBla-pf8mf Thartheis san astrapi.
@@somerandofilipino6957Romulus was emperor of Ravenna then
@@somerandofilipino6957If your definition of Emperor of Rome, rather than being "Emperor of that political entity which is called Rome or the Roman Empire", is "Man with the title emperor ruling over the city of Rome in Italy", then the last Emperor of Rome isn't Romulus Augustulus, it's Napoleon Bonaparte.
..well, i hope he got to live happily....ironic his name is Romulus eh?!....:)
That “eh” was loud
There is a peculiar kind of feeling, I suppose, when one realises the last ruler of the West, was named for its first rulers - Romulus the founder, and Augustus the first Emperor.
And the last ruler of the Eastern portion of the Empire was a Constantine.
Julius Nepos and Syagrius: "Hold up a minute...!" 😅
For those who think Rome ended in 475 or 502, I'd recommend a brand new book, The New Roman Empire by Anothony Kaldellis. It's a walkthrough of the history of Novo Roma, or Romania (land of the Romans), and its gradual evolution into a medieval state. It eschews terms like Byzantium (which they never used themselves) and tries to see it from their perspective - including the sudden loss of the western half. They didn't call it an empire, it was Romania, or the res publica. Anyone who thinks the history of Rome ended with magister militum Odoacer's coup or Theoderic of Amal (sent by Constantinople to restore order and rid themselves of a problem) will be pleasantly surprised to find there's nearly 1000 more years of history to catch up on...
It is interesting to consider that the last vestige of the Roman State only fell a couple of years after Christopher Columbus' birth. Surprisingly closer in time to the modern world than what the words "Roman Empire" usually conjures in one's mind.
They may not have called it an empire but the emperors certainly were refers to as such, or at least the equivalent Basileus, which iirc was also the title used by Alexander the Great.
Rome didn't end because its society, language and traditions continued. Rome didn't "lose its Western half" because that part, its people and ways lived on (and not in an Eastern state).
The Eastern Romans didn’t even permanently lose the city of Rome until 756, when the Carolingians donated it to the Pope. Odoacer and the Ostrogoths were a 60 year interruption in direct Roman control of Rome, followed by more than 200 years of Roman occupation.
@@Adsper2000 1003 years... incredible.
Excellent. Thank you for this - I had always wondered what happened to him.
You’re welcome!
I mean, exiling Romulus does make some sense. As long as Odoacer is confident about his control of the Roman Senate, killing him will be risky since its simultaneously give cause to a "Roman" uprising and immediate intervention from the Eastern empire. By exiling him, Odoacer can maintain his legitimacy by saying "Look guys, the former emperor, your potential pretender to me, is living a fine live and wants to stay that way".
Everybody knows Roman Mauretania lasted until the 7th Century, making it the last rump state of the Western Roman Empire.
@@johnbarkl1700 I'd love to know more on Macsen Wledig and Cymru post Roman retreat.
great vid as usual, really appreciate the more frequent posts! thanks!
After studying Roman military history for 60 plus years I really enjoy your documentaries on the subject.
60 years of studying Roman military history is extremely impressive and I commend you. Hopefully in 52 years I’ll still be studying it too
Every upload from this channel always covers a cool topic. Appreciate the channel
A king and local power groups ruled over Italy at that point, so the only thing melting away was Italy's people dominating other provinces next to them, which was the foundation of what we consider to be the Roman Empire. The people of Italy continued on, just under nobles and kings afterwards.
Thank you. Very good work and very interesting.
To be clear, the last Emperor of ROME was Constantine XI. A hero who died in defense of his City and Christianity.
💯⚔️
Collapse of Rome is very interesting story
"Collapse of Rome was neither Collapse, nor of , nor Rome" Voltaire
@@LuDux but it certainly was GERMAN
@@gungnir3926quiet, kid.
@@VinnyUnion yes my prince
He obviously became King Arthur after being saved by Merlin and defeating Vortigern at Hadrians wall.
Very intressting topic! Appreciated!
Apologies, but I have to.
We know what happened to the last Emperor of the Roman Empire. He died defending his city against the Ottoman onslaught.
Look forward to more insights…..id like to see some polish Lithuanian empire videos, more steppe nomads, Balkan history, central asian non nomad history, Indian history, technology and economic history et cetera, love your work, god bless
Romulus Augustulus being dethroned wasn't seen as the end of the Western Empire. Odoacer and later Theoderic ruled from Ravenna as subjects of Constantinople.
I’m glad to see the video is only 5 minutes since that tells me that this will be an accurate telling of RA’s fate that we know very little of
I thought we knew: Julius Nepos was betrayed in Dalmatia and murdered.
Oh the *other* last Western Roman Emperor.
As a claimant to a theoretical/restored throne various factions would want you controlled, dead, or if left without security; robbed or kidnapped for ransom. He might have lived a very stressed out life if he wasn't able to slip away and live a life under a new identity. Maybe he died as a victim of some highwaymen on some lonely stretch of road as he tried to make his way back to the east or maybe he made it and lived a mundane life with a woman and kids that never knew his past.
The question is: legally was Romulus August(ul)us a legal emperaror or an usurper? His "colleague" Julius Nepos (remaining in Dalmatia) was the real Western emperor, recognized by his colleague in Constantinople. Romulus August(ul)us was an usurper, often considered an emperor by the modern historiography only because his father (Orestes, a Roman general of barbarian origin) had seized the power in Italy and put his young son on the throne, taking on the appearance of legal emperor only because ruling Italy (the core of Western empire). But he was not.
---- Therefore, we should say that when Julius Nepos was killed by his bodyguards a few years after the downfall of Romulus August(ul)us, THAT was the real moment of the end of the existence of an emperor in the west.
---- However, emperors (and the Roman State) went on existing for many centuries (a millennium more), in Constantinople, so the last WESTERN Roman emperor was NOT "the last Roman emperor" (Roman "tout court"). The real last one was Constantine XI, who died on the battlefield on May 29th, 1453, when Constantinople fell into the hands of the Ottomans.
It makes more sense that he lived if you consider Odoacer never had any legitimacy to become western emperor. What could have happened is he kept Romulus as a puppet to rule in name acting as shield to Zeno. I think his annexation of Nepos territory after his death could be proof Romulus was still alive since it should have went to Zeno without a co-emperor.
Emperors son might have been named after him. good video
Constantine XI would like a word.
The last emperor of Rome is either Julius Nepos or Constantine XI. Who cares what happened to the illegitimate puppet Romulus? Clickbait title!!
Despite that, your video is great as always.
I am convinced Romulus Augustulus was is greatly remembered because he has a memorable name
Okay, interesting. I can believe that Romulus was exiled and not killed, which showed great confidence
on the part of Odovacer, because in the Mediterranean world (and even up in NW Europe), children
often ascended the throne, or were kept secure by overseers until they were of-age, and then a bloody
massacre would take place reinstating him, but it seemed Odovacer was unconcerned about that.
Nevertheless, my question is, are there any modern-day descendants of Romulus Augustulus?
Let's find them...
He was just replaced by some king... Or a king-wanna-be...
Beaten by a dude who thought the height of class was being buried in a bathtub
Beaten by a dude who thought the height of class was being buried in a bathtub
Beaten by a dude who thought the height of class was being buried in a bathtub
Beaten by a dude who thought the height of class was being buried in a bathtub
Beaten by a dude who thought the height of class was being buried in a bathtub
I wonder if he lived to see belisarius retake rome in 536
The last emperor of the Roman Empire was Constantine XI Palaiologos
A shame that we don’t know if he had any children. Perhaps there’s a descendant with claim to the purple
But was it around tea time?
Why was it the Son not the Father proclaimed Emperor? No one ever seems to ask this question. The only answer that makes to me is if Romulus Augustus through his mother descended from Emperors.
0:38 It’s kinda hilarious that the last Western Roman Emperor’s dad might’ve worked for the fricking Huns🤭!
And he lived happy ever after.
Not the last roman emperor,Constantine XI was.
Not the last roman emperor to control Rome,they reconquered the city and hold on from 530 to 771.
Not the last reign roman emperor over Rome to visit the city,that would be Phocas in the early 600s.
Not even the last true western Roman emperor,Julius Nepus was.
Some pope said the man who had the real power should be king, so he was shorn and sent to a monastery ;)
Shall we ever know how much of Frank history was pilfered and adapted from Roman texts?
Oh great one of those guys…
Anyone who watched The Last Legion would know he escaped to Britannia, obtained Caesar's Sword and became King Arthur
Interesting this video is 5 mins 11 sec- as it that is the year-511- that any mention Romulus 'disappears' from history......
my new band name: Attilla & the Huns
He retired and lived in peace
His name is so ironic
Constantine XI was the last Roman emperor, not Romanus.
Ironic that romulus augustulus and Constantine XI had the names that they did
I don't care what historians say, Romulus as depicted by Friedrich Dürrenmatt is real Romulus to me
Isn't this the Era of warlords where "emperor" Title was token value?
Yes but for european history especially there is a lot of symbolic importance to the dissolution of the office of the emperor.
Short answer: Nobody knows.
Last emperor of the Romans...
Is it not odd that the Last Emperor of China was also a young boy and figurehead?
He died. All of them died.
Did he become a gardener like the last emperor of China?
Francis II was the last Roman emporer until 1806...
over which Romans exactly?
@Agripapost exactly, which Rome? Francis was the last Holy Roman emporer. To be fair, many nation states have titled themselves Roman to include the Ottomans.
@@anthonyoer4778 Lol
It was neither holy nor roman nor an empire. It's a loose confederation of princedoms, duchies, free cities and bishoprics
Lol
@l.a.covers8400 yes, was hoping for this response. Thank you.
Odoaker, not Odowaker 😅. Alarik, Geiserik,..... 😂
The last emperor of Western roman Empire...
The virgin Romulus Augustulus: deposed easily
The chad Constantine XII: Died like a man, fighting for Constantinople to the very end.
He was literally a child
@@Bradley2806AND?
@@pinchevulpes what do you expect a 10 year old to do to defend his throne? Die? I get it's supposed to be a joke but come on.
@@Bradley2806In other words, a literal virgin.
327th!