Libius Severus
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| Libius Severus | |
| Emperor of the Western Roman Empire |
|
 Libius Severus on an as. The reverse spells the name of Severus using a combination of greek and latin letters. |
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| Reign | November 461-August 465 |
|---|---|
| Born | Lucania |
| Died | August 15, 465 |
| Predecessor | Majorian |
| Successor | Anthemius |
Libius Severus was a Western Roman Emperor, 461–465.
Ricimer elevated Libius Severus, of Lucanian origin, to the rank of emperor after the death of Majorian in November 461; the Eastern Roman Emperor Leo I refused to acknowledge him.
Historians of an earlier age were content to label Severus a puppet of Ricimer, but as records of his activities and his personality are sparse, there is hardly a basis for such judgements.
It is a common misconception that the reverse of his bronze coins depict Ricimer's monogram. The apparent Latin C is a Greek sigma, so the reverse spells the name of Severus using a combination of Latin and Greek letters.
Libius Severus died on August 15, 465; contemporary historians believed Ricimer had him poisoned, but death for natural causes is also possible.
[edit] Bibliography
- D. Woods, "A Misunderstood Monogram: Ricimer or Severus?," Hermathena 172 (2002), 5-21.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Majorian |
Western Roman Emperor 461-465 |
Succeeded by Anthemius |
| Preceded by Flavius Severinus, Flavius Dagalaifus |
Consul of the Roman Empire 462 with Imp. Caesar Flavius Valerius Leo Augustus II |
Succeeded by Flavius Caecina Decius Basilius, Flavius Vivianus |
