Julius Nepos was the last Western Roman Emperor who ruled from 474 to 480. Born in around 430, he was a nephew of Marcellinus, a prominent figure in the Western Roman Empire, and possibly related to the Eastern Roman Empire through his mother.
Originally from Dalmatia, Nepos was appointed as magister militum per Illyricum by the Eastern Emperor Leo I. His rise to power was facilitated by the political instability in the Western Empire, particularly following the death of Emperor Anthemius in 472. After a brief reign by Olybrius and the subsequent interregnum, Nepos was sent by Leo I to claim the Western throne.
Nepos assumed the imperial title in Ravenna in 474. However, his rule was immediately challenged by the patrician Glycerius, who had been proclaimed emperor in Rome by the Burgundian king Gundobad. Nepos managed to capture Glycerius and exiled him to a bishopric in Salona, thus securing his position.
Despite his initial success, Nepos' reign was marked by ongoing challenges:
In 475, Orestes, a Roman general of Pannonian descent, instigated a revolt among the barbarian mercenaries, leading to the deposition of Nepos. Orestes then placed his son Romulus Augustulus on the throne, marking the end of Nepos' effective rule in Italy. However, Nepos was not officially deposed by the Eastern Emperor, retaining his imperial title and continuing to rule from Dalmatia.
After his deposition, Nepos lived in Salona, where he was assassinated in 480 by his own soldiers, possibly at the instigation of Glycerius, who had been exiled there earlier. Following his death, the Western Roman Empire was effectively dissolved, with Odoacer taking control as King of Italy under the suzerainty of the Eastern Roman Emperor.
Julius Nepos remains an important figure as the last recognized Western Roman Emperor by the Eastern Roman Empire. His reign symbolizes the final stages of the Western Empire's disintegration. Although his time in power was short and fraught with difficulties, he is noted for his attempts to maintain some semblance of imperial authority in the face of overwhelming odds.