| When Romulus Augustus was appointed emperor of | | | | Dalmatia to escape. |
| the western Roman Empire he was still just a child and | | | | Although Nepos lived in exile, the eastern empire still |
| things were not looking good for Rome. By some | | | | considered him to be the emperor of the west, further |
| considered to be the last true western emperor of | | | | reducing the power of Rome. The young leader |
| Rome, sources show that he was emperor for only 10 | | | | Romulus came to be known as |
| months and, due to his tender age, was a mere | | | | ‘Augustulus’ a joke name meaning "the |
| puppet of his father the patrician Orestes after he had | | | | little Augustus" and was simply a figurehead behind |
| led a coup against former ruler Julius Nepos. The | | | | whom his father ruled. |
| tumultuous and short history of Augustus is well known | | | | The biggest challenge the young emperor faced was |
| but little is to be found in the first hand sources of the | | | | managing the barbarian troops under the command of |
| time causing quite a range of speculation and possible | | | | Orestes. The only way the troops could be managed |
| fantastical story conjuring. | | | | was to pay them in gold. The administration set about |
| By the year 475AD, the Roman Empire had shrunk to | | | | minting coins in the name of the new emperor |
| encompass only Italy and areas of southern Gaul and | | | | Augustus but had an incredibly difficult time getting his |
| Dalmatia. The emperor of the time was Julius Nepos | | | | whole name "Romulus Augustus" on a single coin. |
| who had been appointed by the eastern emperors | | | | Despite payments made to the troops, they wanted |
| Leo and Zeno further emphasizing the loss of power | | | | more in the form of land. When their requests were |
| in the west. Orestes, a famed military commander, led | | | | refused the soldiers teamed up with Odovacar, a |
| a revolt against Nepos who had little support as ruler | | | | cheiftan from a Hunnish and Scirian background and |
| and was driven from Rome. Soon after, Augustus | | | | worked to overthrow Orestus' rule. |
| was named emperor by his father and Nepos fled to | | | | |