And so began a cycle of coup and countercoup that saw nine emperors occupy the western throne in twenty years. Few of them died in their beds, and politics at the court in Ravenna was dominated by the struggles of strongmen—notably the Germanic-born Flavius Ricimer—clinging to power while dealing with barbarian incursions throughout the collapsing empire. With Vandals in Africa, the Visigoths and Suevi carving up Aquitaine, Iberia, and southern Gaul, and new powers including Franks (see chapter 5) and Burgundians also on the march, there was plenty for generals like Ricimer to do.
