The Magnificence of Majorian, Conquests and Conspiracies
‘Majorian surpassed in every virtue all who have ever been emperors of the Romans’
- Procopius, De Bellis, III. vii. 1–7 (writing in the 6th century AD)
In conquest, he was a second Alexander. In virtue, he was second to none. Pulsating panegyrics, a cacophony of successors that rival even the Diadochi, the last true hero in the Western Empire’s turbulent finale. And yet, in spite of all this, Majorian is miles off most historians’ radars.
‘You fought with the authority of a Master but the destiny of an Emperor’
- Sidonius Apollinaris, Carmina, V.385
In the quote of Sidonius, Majorian is described fighting alongside the legendary Aetius who defeated Attila at the battle of the Catalaunian Plains in 451AD. Our hero was content with being just a cavalry officer at this stage, but destiny had other plans…
Quickly distinguishing himself as a fearless commander, he rose to prominence in Aetius’ command alongside two other men, the Roman Aegidius and the ‘Barbarian’ Ricimer. These men soon formed a pact of friendship and all of them helped each other gain influence. A trio of disastrously ambitious individuals, we all know how that turns out…
Great men find it difficult to avoid the limelight for long.
That doesn’t mean that pathetic men don’t step into it too. Avitus was simply a puppet in the Imperial office, serving Visigothic interests in the West, a useless Emperor in a list of many. Majorian could do naught but support him at this stage.
But all too soon his opportunity came knocking. The Western Emperor Avitus had lost favour in the courts, sparking a flurry of action, such as we will see Majorian using so effectively later on, that resulted in our hero claiming the title in April of 457AD. Sidonius Apollinaris speaks of the crowd’s utter panic when Majorian initially refused the title, but of course, how many men in history have truly refused such a diadem?
It seems that the Eastern Emperor Leo was even less willing to acknowledge the new Emperor than Majorian was himself, and it took at least until December to gain his blessing. The people of Gaul outdid even Leo and Majorian in their rejection, and so Majorian would have to start there in his conquests. But for now, Italy was in peril…
An army of Vandals had come to invade Italy again, their thirst for gold not quenched by the sacking of Rome only three years earlier in 455AD. Majorian utterly destroyed their army, instituting drastic reforms in response, such as the ability for citizens to bear arms again in order to defend their country. These reforms also targeted the more promiscuous members of society, and tried to bring about a resurgence of Roman virtue and dignity, even to the anger of the senatorial class boiling vigorously in the backdrop. Leaving Ricimer behind in Italy to stir the cauldron would be Majorian’s biggest mistake.
Gaul was a mess, some claiming allegiance to Aegidius, Majorian’s friend and companion on his campaign, others preferring to fight under Visigothic standards. It made little difference, for here too Majorian prevailed to such a degree in the battle of Arelate (Arles) that the Visigoths were forced to sign a treaty handing back all their conquests in Gaul and Hispania to the Romans, being allowed to keep the south-western corner of modern-day France alone. All insurgents conquered were spared, all towns reconciled, all bore witness to the mercy of Majorian.
The success of this rapid series of events, all still taking place in the first official year of Majorian’s reign (458AD), rippled through the Roman Empire. Soon Gaul and Hispania were brought back into the fold, and control over Sicily was re-established by the future ungovernable governor Marcellinus.
‘The successor of Avitus [Majorian] presents the welcome discovery of a great and heroic character, such as sometimes arise, in a degenerate age, to vindicate the honour of the human species.’
- Edward Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Chapter XXXVI
An unusually praising aside from the ever-disapproving Gibbon. Majorian must have been spectacular, for Gibbon rarely stoops to panegyric, or writes a whole chapter in it like he does for Majorian.
But as concerns heroes, only Disney grants them a fitting end. Heracles’ true demise could hardly be shown in their film without upsetting many of the younger viewers. Like Deianira’s robe, the fatal blow to Majorian would come from someone whom he least suspected.
Back in Rome, Ricimer stares on with disgust as news of more battles, more victories, more conquests pours into the streets of Rome, hurling the crowd into a frenzy of jubilation and ecstasy. For now, he sits idly in Rome, cooling his fury with dinner parties and women. The wolf learns to wait…
Majorian’s conquest of the Suebi in the North of Spain was going well. Legions were already setting out with detachments of supporting Huns to take back Sicily from the Vandals. Even the Vandal stronghold in Africa was scrambling to make peace with Majorian and his ever-growing army. Refusals were all they received.
460AD. A fleet 300 strong sat swaying in the ports of Spain, ready to retake Africa and vanquish the Vandals once and for all. This immense armada, one of the great ‘what if’s of history, is precisely where traitors struck. The Vandals used their large treasure stores, seized from their sacking of Rome, to pay for traitors to destroy the fleet as it rested in the port.
The Roman fleet was gone. Even still, the Vandals eagerly pushed for a mutually beneficial peace. Majorian accepted, but on his return to Rome peril struck…
Blinded by the trust he held in his companion Ricimer, he could not see through what seems to us to have been a rather thin façade. Forces had been gathering behind the scenes ever since his departure from Italy, and a plot at Tortona saw Majorian betrayed and beheaded in August 461AD. Ricimer would become Emperor in all but name and would exercise his power through several subsequent puppet Emperors.
There is a little Parish of St Matthew in the town of Tortona in Northern Italy that houses the ‘Mausoleum of Majorian’, a little relief decorates it. This tomb, his name on a few coins with a generic Late Roman portrait, and a few pages of Gibbon are all that appears to be left of Majorian’s legacy.
Or is there more?
Although this is an extremely condensed (and overly-laudatory) version of the life of Majorian aimed at sparking people’s interest in this remarkable character, I plan to eventually return to this topic and discuss his imperial actions in full.
(Two maps used from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5zYpWcz1-E)
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