The name Romulus Augustus references both the first king and the first emperor of Rome, who were beloved in the eyes of their subjects, and with a monumental name to live up to, it was unfeasible for Romulus Augustus to triumph in the Romans's eyes. Romulus Augustus's one year reign was extraordinarily underwhelming and lacking in any tremendous discoveries or conquests, and much of it was not recorded by historians. As one reflects back on the past Roman leaders, it is clear to see Romulus Augustus, although he indubitably affected Rome in its destruction, had no colossal achievement to put his family into a permanent place of nobility as his father had once outlined. Romulus was born in 463 AD and was the son of Orestes, a major general of the Roman army. Orestes was an assistant to Attila the Hun, but once he died Orestes joined the western army and climbed to a high position. In 474 AD Julius Nepos, the emperor of Rome at the time, …show more content…
He was often called Momyllus, meaning little disgrace, and Augustus was changed to Augustulus, meaning little emperor. Augustulus stuck around throughout history, even with many historians referring to him as Romulus Augustulus. Ten months after he assumed the title, a mutiny arose because of the western landowners being forced to give up some of their land to Germans within the Roman empire. Orestes, Augustulus's father, had first promised the Germans this land in return for aide in expelling Nepos from the Roman empire, but soon chose to forget this promise. The Germans, however, could not just forget this issue resulting in this mutiny led by Orestes's own senior officer, Flavius Odovacar. Odovacar, after executing Orestes, forced Augustulus to surrender his emperorship. After this traumatic event, not much is recorded of Augustulus's life after being emperor. Some historians believe he founded a successful monastery in