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95-602: Gundobad seized the title of Patrician when his uncle Ricimer , who had been the power behind the throne for the Western Empire, died on 18 August 472. According to John of Antioch , Gundobad had previously executed the deposed emperor Anthemius on his uncle's orders. Once in power, Gundobad elevated the current Count of the Domestics, Glycerius , to the position of Western Roman Emperor . However, not long after this Gundobad left for Burgundy where his father, Gundioc, had died;

190-414: A marriage alliance between the ruling Suevic and Gothic houses and although Ricimer's father was identified as a Sueve, his identity is more frequently attested as Gothic by ancient writers. Such an alliance has been suggested as occurring in the year 431, but a more likely date is anterior to Wallia's death in 418. Wallia's Visigothic successors were not his close relatives and may have been hostile toward

285-727: A Western Emperor, Leo hoped to use Ricimer as his effective vice-regent in the West. Deposing Majorian on 3 August 461, Ricimer had the emperor tortured and finally beheaded. Ricimer's murder of Majorian did not sit well with some portions of the military establishment, especially the commanding general in Gaul , Aegidius , and the commanding general in Dalmatia , Marcellinus , who ruled their respective domains independent from imperial authority. These two generals entered into open hostilities with Ricimer and refused to recognize Ricimer's position. Ricimer ruled

380-631: A barbarian general who served the Roman Empire faithfully. With the throne of the Western Empire vacant, the Alamanni invaded Italy. They moved from Raetia and managed to reach Lake Maggiore on the south side of the Alps. Majorian led his field army north to fight the Alamanni, and defeated them. Reaching an agreement with Ricimer, Majorian was proclaimed emperor on 1 April 457. Realizing Majorian's potential as

475-411: A barbarian. If a barbarian was unacceptable on the imperial throne (and, from the time of Constantius III, the throne was becoming less attractive to the few Romans who were eligible as generalissimos), then there had to be a generalissimo to function as a middle-man between the emperor—the impotent figurehead—and the barbarian troops, who represented real power. One is tempted, at first view, to wonder why

570-540: A blow to Roman prestige and to Majorian's reputation, which Ricimer exploited. During his absence, Ricimer convinced the senate to turn against the emperor, who soon disbanded his army and returned to Italy. Learning that the emperor was in Tortona, Ricimer led a detachment there and arrested him. With the Western throne vacant, the new Eastern Emperor, Leo I , appointed Ricimer to replace Majorian in his Italian command. Without

665-427: A great religious tolerance , and may be the reason Gregory of Tours later thought he had secretly converted to Nicene Christianity . Cassiodorus' Variae includes a group of letters which discuss obtaining and sending a time piece to Gundobad as a diplomatic present. Ricimer Ricimer ( / ˈ r ɪ s ɪ m ər / RISS -im-ər , Latin: [ˈrɪkɪmɛr] ; c.  418 – 19 August 472)

760-469: A hemorrhage on 19 August 472—six weeks after deposing Anthemius. His title of patrician and position as supreme commander were assumed by his nephew Gundobad . Nonetheless, Ricimer had been a figure of major significance and historians Stephen Williams and Gerard Friell put this into context with the following: In his seventeen-year rule of Italy Ricimer worked through four emperors—Majorian, Severus, Anthemius, and Olybrius—in almost cavalier fashion. Each

855-517: A proven history of military success and had family ties to the Theodosian Dynasty . However, needing the support of the Eastern Empire, Ricimer was forced to accept him as the price for Leo's good will and for "eastern protection against the depredations of Geiseric". Soon after assuming the Western throne, Anthemius granted Marcellinus the rank of patrician in an effort to counterbalance

950-486: A puppet, Ricimer induced Leo to give his consent to this arrangement and on 28 December 457, Majorian's elevation to Emperor in the West was officially recognized by Constantinople. Leo may not have actually wanted to see Majorian on the throne, but he was in "no position to object" since Majorian had a coalition that included the palatinate at Ravenna, Ricimer's Italian army, the Gallo-Roman general Aegidius, and Theodoric

1045-402: A result of this earthquake. Avignon has a hot-summer mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification : Csa ), though the dry-summer effect is not as strong as coastal locations like Marseille due to its more sheltered inland location. The city experiences mild-cool winters and hot summers, with moderate rainfall year-round. The city is often subject to windy weather; the strongest wind

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1140-493: A stone round her neck and Chilperic's two daughters driven into exile. The older daughter, Chroma, became a nun. The other, Clotilde , had been seen by envoys of Clovis I , King of the Franks , who told their master of her beauty and intelligence. Clovis then asked Gundobad for Clotilde's hand in marriage. Gundobad was said to have been afraid to deny him. However, a letter written by Avitus , bishop of Vienne , consoling Gundobad on

1235-454: Is Gundobad's role concerning the Battle of Vouillé . He was one of several rulers to whom king Theoderic sent letters urging peace, and asking for mediation between Alaric II and Clovis. Despite Theoderic's best efforts, the two kings met at Vouillé, and Alaric was slain; according to Isidore of Seville , Gundobad supported Clovis in this battle. Isidore also provides a hint that Gundobad exploited

1330-560: Is a limestone elevation of Urgonian type, 35 metres high (and therefore safe from flooding of the Rhone which it overlooks) and is the original core of the city. Several limestone massifs are present around the commune (the Massif des Angles , Villeneuve-lès-Avignon , Alpilles ...) and they are partly the result of the oceanisation of the Ligurian-Provençal basin following the migration of

1425-502: Is contiguous and both have a little less than a hundred establishments. Finally, the areas of Castelette, Croix de Noves, Realpanier, and the airport each have fewer than 25 establishments spread between service activities and shops. The area of the Castelette alone represents more than 600 jobs—i.e. 100 more than Cristole. Four million visitors come annually to visit the city and the region and also for its Festival d'Avignon . In 2011

1520-613: Is for exceptional seismicity resulting in the destruction of buildings." The presence of faults in the limestone substrate shows that significant tectonic shift has caused earthquakes in different geological ages. The last major earthquake of significant magnitude was on 11 June 1909. It left a visible trace in the centre of the city since the bell tower of the Augustinians, which is surmounted by an ancient campanile of wrought iron, located in Rue Carreterie, remained slightly leaning as

1615-498: Is one of the largest in Europe. The tertiary sector is the most dynamic in the department by far on the basis of the significant production of early fruit and vegetables in Vaucluse, The MIN (Market of National Importance) has become the pivotal hub of commercial activity in the department, taking precedence over other local markets (including that of Carpentras ). A Sensitive urban zone

1710-427: Is the mistral for which the windspeed can be beyond 110 km/h. It blows between 120 and 160 days per year with an average speed of 90 km/h in gusts. The following table shows the different speeds of the mistral recorded by Orange and Carpentras Serres stations in the southern Rhone valley and its frequency in 2006. Normal corresponds to the average of the last 53 years from Orange weather reports and that of

1805-402: Is the mistral . A medieval Latin proverb said of the city: Avenie ventosa, sine vento venenosa, cum vento fastidiosa (Windy Avignon, pest-ridden when there is no wind, wind-pestered when there is). The record temperature record since the existence of the weather station at Orange is 42.8 °C on 28 June 2019 and the record lowest was −14.5 °C on 2 February 1956. The prevailing wind

1900-670: Is the prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône , the commune had a population of 93,671 as of the census results of 2017, with about 16,000 (estimate from Avignon's municipal services) living in the ancient town centre enclosed by its medieval walls . It is France's 35th-largest metropolitan area according to INSEE with 337,039 inhabitants (2020), and France's 13th-largest urban unit with 459,533 inhabitants (2020). Its urban area

1995-688: Is the seat of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Vaucluse which manages the Avignon–Caumont Airport and the Avignon-Le Pontet Docks. Avignon has 7,000 businesses, 1,550 associations, 1,764 shops, and 1,305 service providers. The urban area has one of the largest catchment areas in Europe with more than 300,000 square metres of retail space and 469 m per thousand population against 270 on average in France. The commercial area of Avignon Nord

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2090-619: Is the son of a king, he proclaims his mother's adultery. Especially he envies Ricimer because two kingdoms call him to kingship; for he is Suevian through his father and Gothic through his mother. And at the same time he [Gaiseric] remembers that in the Tartesian lands [i.e. Spain] his grandfather Vallia, cast down the Vandal armies and their allies in war the Alans ;... But why relate ancient flights and former defeats? He [Gaiseric] recalls his losses on

2185-462: The comes militaris (military count) of Egypt. Basiliscus was to land at a distance from Carthage with the main army (transported by an armada of over 1,000 ships) and then link up with Heraclius, advancing from Tripolitania . Marcellinus was to invade Africa from Sicily . Ricimer, under the overall command of Marcellinus, commanded a large portion of the Western forces in the expedition, but their fleet never sailed—due to Ricimer's veto—despite

2280-457: The Lex Burgundionum , Gundobad is stated to have published this code of law on 29 March of the second year of his reign (474 or 475). However, there are a number of inconsistencies in this ascription, and L. R. deSalis proposed a restored version of this passage which does not include a date—which would better fit the reign of his son, Sigismund. Although she accepts the strong likelihood that

2375-714: The Durançole . The Durançole fed the western moats of the city and was also used to irrigate crops at Montfavet. In the city, these streams are often hidden beneath the streets and houses and are currently used to collect sewerage. The Hospital Canal (joining the Durançole) and the Crillon Canal (1775) were dug to irrigate the territories of Montfavet, Pontet, and Vedène. They were divided into numerous "fioles" or "filioles" (in Provençal filhòlas or fiolo ). Similarly, to irrigate

2470-620: The French Revolution it became part of France. The city is now the capital of the Vaucluse department and one of the few French cities to have preserved its city walls. This is why Avignon is also known as ' La Cité des Papes ' (The City-State of Popes). The historic centre, which includes the Palais des Papes , the cathedral and the Pont d'Avignon , became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 because of its architecture and importance during

2565-547: The Grand Rhône , or "live arm", for the western channel which passes Villeneuve-lès-Avignon in the Gard department. The two branches are separated by an island, the Île de la Barthelasse. The southernmost tip of the Île de la Barthelasse once formed of a separated island, the L'Île de Piot. The banks of the Rhone and the Île de la Barthelasse are often subject to flooding during autumn and March. The publication Floods in France since

2660-460: The Lex Burgundionum as we have it was the product of Sigismund's reign, Katherine Fisher Drew still argues that a core of this law code is the product of Gundobad or his chancellery. The letters of bishop Avitus and Cassiodorus provide glimpses of Gundobad's intellectual side. Avitus, a Nicene bishop, answers questions posed by an Arian Christian about religion in several letters, showing

2755-555: The Sorgue or Sorguette . It is visible in the city in the Rue des teinturiers (street of dyers). It fed the moat around the first defensive walls then fed the moat on the newer eastern city walls (14th century). In the 13th century (under an Act signed in 1229) part of the waters of the Durance were diverted to increase the water available for the moats starting from Bonpas. This river was later called

2850-542: The magister militum Remistus, whom they defeated; Remistus was executed at Ravenna in September 456 under "obscure circumstances". Avitus fled to Gaul to gather support from his Visigothic and Gallic followers but was defeated in the Battle of Placentia on 17 October 456. Avitus was captured, deposed, and forced to assume the bishopric of Piacenza , and finally executed—allegedly starved to death by Majorian and Ricimer. As magister militum Ricimer gained influence over

2945-582: The 14th and 15th centuries. The medieval monuments and the annual Festival d'Avignon  – one of the world's largest festivals for performing arts  – have helped to make the town a major centre for tourism. The earliest forms of the name were reported by the Greeks: Аὐενιὼν Aueniṑn (Stephen of Byzantium, Strabo, IV, 1, 11) and Άουεννίων Aouenníōn (Ptolemy II, x). The Roman name Avennĭo Cavărum (Mela, II, 575, Pliny III, 36), i.e. "Avignon of Cavares", accurately shows that Avignon

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3040-651: The 1st century and is written Avinhon in classic Occitan spelling or Avignoun in Mistralian spelling . The inhabitants of the commune are called avinhonencs or avignounen in both standard Occitan and Provençal dialect . Avignon is on the left bank of the Rhône river, a few kilometres above its confluence with the Durance , about 580 km (360 mi) south-east of Paris, 229 km (142 mi) south of Lyon and 85 km (53 mi) north-north-west of Marseille . On

3135-443: The 6th century until today – research and documentation by Maurice Champion tells about a number of them (until 1862, the flood of 1856 was one of the largest, which destroyed part of the walls). They have never really stopped as shown by the floods in 1943–1944 and again on 23 January 1955 and remain important today—such as the floods of 2 December 2003. As a result, a new risk mapping has been developed. The Durance flows along

3230-553: The Burgundians seized the opportunity to invade northwestern Italy. They devastated Liguria , and carried away an unknown number of victims into captivity, if not slavery. Once Theodoric had killed Odoacer and was securely in control of Italy, he sent bishop Epiphanius of Pavia on a mission to ransom as many of these captives as possible. Accompanied by Bishop Victor of Turin, they crossed the Alps in March. Shanzer and Wood believe Epiphanius

3325-451: The Burgundians." Together they crushed Gundobad's force. Gundobad fled but King Clovis pursued him to Avignon . Gundobad feared the worst with Clovis's army at the gates. But Aridius went from Gundobad to Clovis and convinced him to spare Gundobad in return for a yearly tribute. The chronicler Marius of Avenches dates this conflict to 500. Gundobad later broke his promise of tribute as he regained his power and besieged Godegisel, trapped in

3420-567: The East to maintain order in the West. As such, Severus, despite his docile nature, represented an obstacle to Ricimer's power and a hindrance to any reconciliation efforts with Leo or Geiseric. On 14 November 465, Libius Severus died. According to Cassiodorus , he was poisoned by Ricimer, but this reconstruction is doubted on the basis of Sidonius Apollinaris . Ricimer proceeded to rule the West for eighteen months without an emperor as he waited for Leo to name Severus' successor. For nearly two years,

3515-670: The Emperor Anthemius". In 468, Leo organized a grand campaign against the Vandals in North Africa, to which the East and West would commit substantial forces. The commanding general of the Thracian army, Basiliscus , brother-in-law of Leo, assumed supreme command over the joint East-West assault, with Marcellinus commanding the Western forces. The plan called for a three-pronged attack led by Basiliscus, Marcellinus, and Heraclius of Edessa ,

3610-533: The Germanic peoples occupying Gaul, Hispania, and Northern Africa , the sources suggest he and Majorian were operating in concert to seize power; the latter would become the future emperor, while Ricimer would command the military. Since Ricimer was a Germanic tribesman of Arian religious disposition, he was ineligible for the imperial throne himself. Whether or not he wished to be emperor is unknown, but in many respects, Ricimer can be viewed as an "heir of Stilicho ",

3705-660: The Great. Leo also granted Ricimer the rank of magister militum . Majorian proved to be quite a capable ruler, to such a degree that historian Michael Grant claims he was "the last competent emperor the west ever produced". The new emperor demonstrated his military skill via campaigns in Gaul and Hispania against the Vandals and the Visigoths—atop instituting diplomatic and economic reforms—which greatly increased Majorian's standing among

3800-594: The Po Valley. In the interim, Avitus had named the Visigoth Remistus as magister militum . Following the arrival of Avitus in Rome, Majorian gave his support, albeit reluctantly, to the new emperor. Avitus is subsequently thought to have appointed Ricimer as comes , a prominent military position, but this remains unclear and it is possible that Ricimer was comes before the elevation of Avitus. At this point, however,

3895-526: The Sardo-Corsican block. The other significant elevation in the commune is the Montfavet Hill—a wooded hill in the east of the commune. The Rhone Valley is an old alluvial zone: loose deposits cover much of the ground. It consists of sandy alluvium more or less coloured with pebbles consisting mainly of siliceous rocks. The islands in the Rhone, such as the Île de la Barthelasse , were created by

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3990-576: The Vandal hosts and their relatives the Alans plundered me [Italy] bare, he himself then took vengeance by his own arms. But, for all that, he is only one man; who can only accept so many risks alone. Leo sent Anthemius to Italy with an army led by the commanding general of the Dalmatian Army, Marcellinus , a former rival of Ricimer. Ricimer must have initially viewed Anthemius' appointment as undermining his position, for unlike Libius Severus , Anthemius had

4085-576: The Vandal sacking of Rome in 455, he too was murdered. After Rome's sack, the Visigothic King Theodoric II proclaimed Avitus as Emperor, the Roman military commander in Gaul . In return for Theodoric II's support, Avitus agreed to allow the Visigoths to enter Suevi-controlled Hispania . After being proclaimed the new emperor in 456, Avitus mounted a campaign into Italy but was defeated in

4180-631: The Vandals in the Battle of Agrigentum and the Battle of Corsica . Although Priscus writes that Avitus had sent him to Sicily to engage the Vandals, Hydatius states Ricimer defeated the Vandals near Corsica. Vandal raids and civil disaffection—due in part to famine—proved problematic for Avitus. Not only was he never recognized as Emperor of the West by the eastern Emperor Marcian , Avitus found himself in an especially precarious position since disruptive events had hardly settled when Ricimer and Majorian rebelled against their former patron. The two led an army against Avitus's imperial forces commanded by

4275-437: The Vandals was a "shock to Roman prestige". This combined military venture—known otherwise as the Battle of Cape Bon (468) —was an unequivocal disaster that reduced Roman military might and also nearly bankrupted the Western and Eastern Empires alike, certainly dooming the Western half "to extinction" according to historian Peter Heather. Upon hearing of the disastrous defeat, the Visigoths resumed their wars of expansion against

4370-833: The Visigothic defeat by plundering Narbonne . Delayed by the threat of the Byzantine navy , which had been hovering off the Italian shore around the time of the battle, the Ostrogothic army arrived to relieve the Burgundian siege of Arles . According to Herwig Wolfram, the Burgundians were "the real victims of the Ostrogothic counteroffensive" following the defeat of their cousins at Vouillé. "Not only had they lost all their conquered territories and hope of acquiring Arles and Avignon but all their territory as far as Orange had been devastated." Following

4465-682: The Visigothic king Wallia". Like many Germanic figures of note, Ricimer had relational ties to other tribes, like the Burgundians. For instance, Gundobad, Ricimer's "subordinate and successor", was his nephew since his sister had married the Burgundian king Gondioc . According to Sidonius Apollinaris , Ricimer served under the magister militum Flavius Aetius alongside the comes domesticorum Majorian , whom he befriended. Historian Penny MacGeorge writes, "Majorian certainly, and Ricimer probably, had served under Aetius, and there may have been other elements to this connection, political, personal, and social, that would have brought them both close to

4560-539: The West and the Burgundians expanded their kingdom towards Arles . With Marcellinus dead, Geiseric recommenced his attacks upon Italy in 470, which forced Ricimer—as the sole commander in the West—to assume command of Italy's defense against the Vandals. Marcellinus had been Anthemius' favorite of the two generals, and his death served to widen the divide between the emperor and Ricimer. The tipping point of their relationship

4655-509: The West having agreed to contribute one-fourth of the total expedition's costs. Despite the other prongs of the attack making good progress at the onset, at least half of the joint armada was destroyed by Geiseric's fireships, causing Basilicus to abandon the attack against Carthage and withdraw back to Sicily. At this stage, Marcellinus was suddenly murdered while in Sicily, perhaps at the instigation of Ricimer. The failed joint expedition against

4750-511: The West without an emperor for three months. Facing pressure from the Senate and Italian aristocracy, Ricimer named the undistinguished Senator Libius Severus as Emperor on 19 November 461; Severus was recognized by the Senate in Rome, but the Eastern Emperor Leo I refused to acknowledge him as his Western counterpart. Although he faced open military opposition from Western generals, with

4845-532: The Western Empire encompassed only the Italian Peninsula and portions of southern Gaul , a mere fraction of the territory held by imperial Rome in previous centuries. Ricimer, nonetheless, raised an army and navy from the Germanic mercenaries available to him and commenced campaigns directed against "barbarian" tribes in conflict with the empire. Ricimer achieved his first important victory in 456, when he defeated

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4940-460: The accumulation of alluvial deposits and also by the work of man. The relief is quite low despite the creation of mounds allowing local protection from flooding. In the land around the city there are clay, silt, sand, and limestone present. The Rhone passes the western edge of the city, but is divided into two branches: the Petit Rhône , or "dead arm", for the part that passes next to Avignon and

5035-418: The authority of Ricimer. Both Leo and Anthemius had seen the difficulty Western Emperors had in maintaining control over the Western military with the existence of a single unchallenged supreme commander. Despite these potential machinations, sources such as Ennodius attest to the power and influence of Ricimer, who once wrote that Ricimer was directing governmental affairs at this time and was "second only to

5130-452: The battle with Gundobad's third brother, Godegisel, raged long. Unaware of the other's actions, each called upon Clovis trying to persuade him to join forces against the other. Clovis sided with Godegisel, who had offered him his pleasure of tribute; Wood observes that Clovis' wife, Clotilde, whose father had been killed by Gundobad, "was not likely to encourage good relations between the Franks and

5225-420: The bishop's efforts, the two were irreconcilable and began insulting one another; Anthemius called Ricimer a "skin-clad Goth", while Ricimer referred to the emperor as "an excitable Galatian". By 472, open warfare broke out between them, during which Ricimer marched on Rome itself , a siege that lasted many months. Four months into the assault on Rome, Ricimer named Olybrius (the brother-in-law of Geiseric) to

5320-604: The centers of political power." Nonetheless, a power vacuum was created in the Western Empire after the events of 454 and 455, which saw the consecutive murders of Aetius and of the Western Emperor Valentinian III , who had been responsible for the magister militum 's assassination. After the assassinations, the Roman Senator Petronius Maximus proclaimed himself emperor. Petronius's reign lasted less than three months, as shortly before

5415-407: The city of Vienne. As famine devoured Vienne, Godegisel expelled the common people from the city for fear of his own survival. An outraged expelled artisan seeking vengeance on Godegisel went to Gundobad, and with his help he navigated the aqueduct and broke into the city. Gundobad murdered Godegisel in 501 in an Arian church along with the bishop. The next event about which information has survived

5510-533: The commune such as the Lake of Saint-Chamand east of the city. There have been many diversions throughout the course of history, such as feeding the moat surrounding Avignon or irrigating crops. In the 10th century part of the waters from the Sorgue d'Entraigues were diverted and today pass under the walls to enter the city. (See Sorgue ). This watercourse is called the Vaucluse Canal but Avignon people still call it

5605-407: The death of King Clovis of the Franks in 511, the Burgundians became the most prestigious people in Gaul. Gundobad was favored by the court of Constantinople, which awarded him the title of magister militum . Gundobad died peacefully, succeeded by his son Sigismund in 516. He also had another son, Godomar , who would succeed his brother after his execution in 524. In some of the manuscripts of

5700-432: The death of a daughter whose name is not mentioned, gives details that suggest there was more to the story. According to the explication of Danuta Shanzer and Ian Wood of Avitus' notoriously difficult Latin, the bishop writes, "In the past, with ineffable tender-heartedness, you mourned the deaths of your brothers." Further, Avitus alludes to Gundobad's intent to marry his deceased daughter to a foreign ruler, whom they suggest

5795-467: The delimitation of the seismicity of the French territory and which entered into force on 1 May 2011, Avignon is located in an area of moderate seismicity. The previous zoning is shown below for reference. "The cantons of Bonnieux, Apt, Cadenet, Cavaillon, and Pertuis are classified in zone Ib (low risk). All other cantons the Vaucluse department, including Avignon, are classified Ia (very low risk). This zoning

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5890-424: The destiny of the state looks anxiously, his own efforts alone hardly repulse the pirate who roves across the countryside, who avoids battle, who becomes the victor by flight. Who could endure such an enemy who refuses both peace and war? For he will never make a treaty with Ricimer. Harken to why he hates him so much. He is born of an uncertain father, while a slavewoman was certainly his mother. Now, [to show] that he

5985-511: The docile Severus as emperor, Ricimer was master of Rome and Italy. The principal problem facing Ricimer during Severus' reign was the lengthy war against the Vandals —who controlled Corsica, Sardinia, Malta, the Balearics, and Sicily, while also making incursions into mainland Greece and Italy—and political opposition from the Eastern Empire. In 461, Ricimer suborned the Huns under Marcellinus , who

6080-465: The east and north are the communes of Caumont-sur-Durance , Morières-lès-Avignon , Le Pontet , and Sorgues . The region around Avignon is very rich in limestone which is used for building material. For example, the current city walls , measuring 4,330 metres long, were built with the soft limestone abundant in the region called mollasse burdigalienne . Enclosed by the city walls, the Rocher des Doms

6175-644: The eastern emperors, in addition to fostering western colleagues, did not occasionally try to cultivate some well-disposed candidate for the post of generalissimo. Had Leo attempted this, perhaps the western throne might have been saved. Without a powerful figure to guide it, the Western Roman Empire experienced an even more rapid succession of emperors, none of whom was able to effectively consolidate power. The line of Western Roman Emperors ended arguably in either 476 (with Odoacer's deposition of Romulus Augustus ) or 480 (with Julius Nepos 's death), concentrating

6270-413: The establishment of a Germanic kingdom on the Italian Peninsula. The date of Ricimer's birth is unknown. Some scholars have dated it as late as the early 430s, which would have made him unusually young when he rose to power. A birthdate of around 418 is more likely. The names of his parents are also unknown. In his panegyric to Anthemius , given in 468, the poet Sidonius Apollinaris claimed that Ricimer

6365-704: The exact date is unclear, with authorities stating it was in either 473 or 474. Once in Burgundy, his three brothers presumably challenged his rule: Godegisel , Chilperic II and Gundomar. Ian Wood speculates that Gundobad's departure may have been connected with the arrival of a new emperor, Julius Nepos , who had the support of the Roman Emperor in Constantinople. Once Julius Nepos landed in Portus (June 474), he deposed Glycerius, whom he made Bishop of Salona . The events of

6460-422: The family members of the former king. As entry into the Western Empire's military was a frequent option for "losers of struggles for leadership among the barbarians", Ricimer's family may have entered the service of Rome. Historian Peter Heather suggests that the lack of stability among the Visigoths themselves may have incentivized Ricimer's pursuit of an "entirely Roman career", despite being "the grandson of

6555-407: The first decades of Gundobad's reign are not well known. The only available source that covers this part of his reign is Gregory of Tours , who wrote almost a century later. According to Gregory, Gundobad set about ridding himself of his brothers. First slain was Gundomar, though little is known of this encounter. Next killed was Chilperic. According to Gregory, Gundobad had his wife drowned by tying

6650-409: The gardens of the wealthy south of Avignon, the Puy Canal was dug (1808). All of these canals took their water from the Durance. These canals were initially used to flood the land, which was very stony, to fertilize them by deposition of silt. All of these canals have been used to operate many mills. Under the new seismic zoning of France defined in Decree No. 2010-1255 of 22 October 2010 concerning

6745-709: The installation of Anthemius in Rome and the promise of marriage to his daughter Domizia. A better-known setting was Apostolo Zeno and Pietro Pariati 's libretto Flavio Anicio Olibrio , set by Francesco Gasparini (1708), Nicola Porpora (1711), Leonardo Vinci (1728), and Niccolò Jommelli (1740). This libretto is based on Ricimer's siege of Rome and his relationship with Olybrius and their loves. Avignon Avignon ( / ˈ æ v ɪ n j ɒ̃ / , US also / ˌ æ v ɪ n ˈ j oʊ n / , French: [aviɲɔ̃] ; Provençal : Avinhon (Classical norm) or Avignoun ( Mistralian norm ) , IPA: [aviˈɲun] ; Latin : Avenio )

6840-525: The last 42 at Carpentras. Legend: "=" same as normal; "+" higher than normal; "-" lower than normal In 2017, the commune had 91,921 inhabitants. Avignon is the prefecture (capital) of Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region. It forms the core of the Grand Avignon metropolitan area ( communauté d'agglomération ), which comprises 15 communes on both sides of

6935-451: The most visited tourist attraction was the Palais des Papes with 572,972 paying visitors. The annual Festival d'Avignon is the most important cultural event in the city. The official festival attracted 135,800 people in 2012. River tourism began in 1994 with three river boat-hotels. In 2011 there is a fleet of 21 river boat-hotel vessels, including six sight-seeing boats which are anchored on

7030-430: The name of the emperor at Constantinople. Further contextualization that led to a barbarian generalissimo like Ricimer having so much influence on the Western Roman Empire is captured by historian James M. O'Flynn, who writes: Circumstances in the West demanded the existence of a supreme military commander who had a long record of intimate contact with barbarian troops; by the 470s, this virtually meant that he should be

7125-516: The plain of Agrigentum. Ever since then he rages, because he knows that he [Ricimer] is the true grandson of the hero at whose sight the Vandals always turned in flight [Vallia]. Certainly you Marcellus were no more glorious when you returned from the lands of Sicily ... Noricum holds back the Ostrogoth because he [Ricimer] is feared; Gaul ties down the might of the Rhine because he inspires terror; because

7220-764: The quay along the Oulle walkways. In addition, a free shuttle boat connects Avignon to the Île de la Barthelasse and, as of 1987, a harbor master has managed all river traffic. The commune has been awarded one flower by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom . The city is the headquarters of the International Association of the Mediterranean Tomato ,

7315-429: The remaining imperial power in far-off Constantinople. Historian J. B. Bury claims that Odoacer was more or less a constitutional successor to Ricimer. Ricimer's life was used as a subject of opera libretti in the 17th and 18th centuries, embellishing his biography with romantic and political intrigues. The earliest setting was Matteo Noris 's Ricimero re de' Vandali (set by Carlo Pallavicino , 1684), which focuses on

7410-623: The rest related to industry) and more than 3,600 jobs. The site covers an area of 300 hectares and is located south-west of the city at the TGV railway station. Then comes the Fontcouverte area with a hundred establishments representing a thousand jobs. It is, however, more oriented towards shops than the Courtine area. The MIN area of Avignon is the Agroparc area (or "Technopole Agroparc"). The Cristole area

7505-413: The river: List of successive mayors Avignon is twinned with: Avignon absorbed Montfavet between 1790 and 1794 then ceded Morières-lès-Avignon in 1870 and Le Pontet in 1925. On 16 May 2007 the commune of Les Angles in Gard ceded 13 hectares to Avignon. The city of Avignon has an area of 64.78 km and a population of 92,078 inhabitants in 2010 and is ranked as follows: Avignon

7600-410: The senate and army, prompting Sidonius to produce a panegyric. Sometime in 458, Majorian staved off an Alamanni attack on Raetia and a Vandal assault on Campania . In 460, Majorian then prepared to lead a campaign by embarking from Spain against the Vandals of King Gaiseric . However, before the invasion was launched, the bulk of Majorian's fleet was sunk in the harbor at Cartagena , resulting in

7695-401: The southern boundary of the commune into the Rhone and marks the departmental boundary with Bouches-du-Rhône . It is a river that is considered "capricious" and once feared for its floods (it was once called the "3rd scourge of Provence" as well as for its low water: the Durance has both Alpine and Mediterranean morphology which is unusual. There are many natural and artificial water lakes in

7790-581: The throne in a move of conciliation, since the Vandal king had been pressing for his elevation. After months of siege and suffering from starvation, Rome surrendered and Ricimer finally entered the city. Anthemius tried to escape by disguising himself as a beggar, but the emperor was caught attempting to flee the city at the Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere , where he was beheaded on 11 July 472. Ricimer's rule lasted until his death of natural causes—apparently

7885-464: The throne in the West remained vacant, until 14 April 467, when Leo named the Greek aristocrat and son-in-law of Marcian, Anthemius , to the position. Leo's motivation included pressure from the Vandals, and perhaps the removal of a potential rival at Constantinople. Meanwhile, Ricimer married Anthemius's daughter Alypia, solidifying his connection to the emperor and providing the appearance of unity between

7980-500: The two-halves of the Empire. The marriage was an extravagant affair with much pomp and show, and the union appears to have garnered support from the Roman population. On this occasion, Sidonius composed a lengthy panegyric to Anthemius and within it praises Ricimer; he claims that a goddess representing Italy speaks to the river god of the Tiber thus: Furthermore, unconquerable Ricimer, to whom

8075-446: The west it shares a border with the department of Gard and the communes of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon and Les Angles and to the south it borders the department of Bouches-du-Rhône and the communes of Barbentane , Rognonas , Châteaurenard , and Noves . The city is in the vicinity of Orange (north), Nîmes , Montpellier (south-west), Arles (to the south), Salon-de-Provence , and Marseille (south-east). Directly contiguous to

8170-453: Was Suevic on his father's side and Visigothic on his mother's, specifying that his maternal grandfather was Wallia , King of the Visigoths, who died in 418. It has been suggested that his Suevic father may have been a son of Hermeric , the king of the Suevi around 418, or else possibly Hermegarius , a Suevic war leader who died in 429. It has been surmised that Ricimer was the offspring of

8265-498: Was Clovis: "Indeed," they write, "Clovis is really the only likely candidate as a prospective son-in-law for Gundobad shortly after 501." If their reading is correct, then it is likely that Clotilde was offered to Clovis as an act of diplomacy, not subservience. At this point occurs the earliest firm date in Gundobad's reign: in the early months of 490, while Odoacer and Theodoric the Great were locked in battle over control of Pavia ,

8360-508: Was a Romanized Germanic general, who ruled the remaining territory of the Western Roman Empire from 456 after defeating Avitus , until his death in 472, with a brief interlude in which he contested power with Procopius Anthemius . Deriving his power from his position as magister militum of the Western Empire, Ricimer exercised political control through a series of puppet emperors . Ricimer's death led to unrest across Italy and

8455-426: Was compelled to abandon Sicily. Sometime in 463, Ricimer defeated a contingent of Visigoths at Orleans, formerly an Alan stronghold. Then in 464, Ricimer commanded an army that met an invading Alan host at the Battle of Bergamo , where he defeated the invaders and killed their king, Beorgor. Due to diminished tax revenues and with the key armies of the West under opposition control, Ricimer needed assistance from

8550-491: Was created for companies wanting to relocate with exemptions from tax and social issues. It is located south of Avignon between the city walls and the Durance located in the districts of Croix Rouge, Monclar, Saint-Chamand, and La Rocade. There are nine main areas of economic activity in Avignon. The Courtine area is the largest with nearly 300 businesses (of which roughly half are service establishments, one third are shops, and

8645-500: Was one of the three cities of the Celtic-Ligurian tribe of Cavares , along with Cavaillon and Orange . The current name dates to a pre-Indo-European or pre-Latin theme ab-ên with the suffix -i-ōn(e) . This theme would be a hydronym —i.e. a name linked to the river (Rhône), but perhaps also an oronym of terrain (the Rocher des Doms ). The Auenion of the 1st century BC was Latinized to Avennĭo (or Avēnĭo ), -ōnis in

8740-509: Was possibly also entrusted with a mission in connection with the marriage of Gundobad's son Sigismund to Theodoric's daughter Ostrogotho . In his account of this visit, Magnus Felix Ennodius , who accompanied Epiphanius on this journey, describes Godegisel as germanus regis , the "king's brother", and not king—again contradicting Gregory of Tours' later account. Ennodius notes that "more than six thousand souls" were so ransomed; from Lyons alone 400 men were thus freed. Gregory of Tours states

8835-416: Was simply cast aside when they no longer served his purpose. Indeed Majorian, the last competent military emperor who took his position seriously, was deposed precisely because of this. There were three periods in which no Western emperor reigned at all. All Ricimer's public actions suggest that he found the Western emperor an irrelevant encumbrance, and he would probably have preferred to rule Italy directly in

8930-526: Was the fastest-growing in France from 1999 until 2010 with an increase of 76% of its population and an area increase of 136%. The Communauté d'agglomération du Grand Avignon , a cooperation structure of 16 communes, had 197,102 inhabitants in 2022. Between 1309 and 1377, during the Avignon Papacy , seven successive popes resided in Avignon and in 1348 Pope Clement VI bought the town from Joanna I of Naples . Papal control persisted until 1791 when during

9025-447: Was the trial of Romanus , the imperial chancellor ( magister officiorum ) and supporter of Ricimer, whom Anthemius accused of treason and condemned to death in 470. Following the execution of Romanus by Anthemius, Ricimer moved north to Milan with a force of six thousand soldiers. Relations between the two deteriorated to the point that Epiphanius of Pavia , bishop of Milan , was asked to negotiate peace between them. Despite

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