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Romulus Augustus, who ruled only two years: 475 and 476. His name, in Latin, was Flavius Momilus Romulus Augustus, but he was better known by the diminutive Romulus Augustulus, which, in Latin, means “Romulus, the little Augustus”. When he took power it had been decades since the Roman Empire had been divided in two – since the year 395, more precisely. The Western Empire – commanded by Romulus without being recognized by the eastern emperor – suffered, then, successive invasions of barbarian peoples from northern Europe. It was in one of these that Romulo Augustulus ended up deposed by Odoacer, leader of one of these Germanic peoples. It was just what was needed for the western half of the empire to cease to exist, giving way to several small kingdoms created by the invaders. In the eastern part, however, the empire did not collapse. “It subsisted, giving rise to the Byzantine Empire. But Rômulo is usually considered by historians to be the last emperor”, says historian Maria Luiza Corassin, from USP.
He was forced into exile after his deposition, but Odoacer was even generous, granting him a cash pension. The last years of Romulus’ life are not well known – it is only known that he died shortly after the year 511.
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