Flavius Romulus Augustus was born in 463 and was the son of Orestes who was the commanding general of the Roman army.

After turning on Emperor Nepos, Orestes elevated his son Romulus to the throne in 475 as he himself was unable to rule due to being a Germanic tribesman. As Romulus was little more than a child it was his father who ruled through him. He made no decisions and though coins were issued in his name, no monument was erected to honour him.

No emperor in the East accepted his rule and he was largely shunned. Mercenaries approached his father demanding land and when he refused they had him executed. One mercenary captured the city of Ravenna and forced the young emperor to leave the throne and from that point in time it would be Germans who would dominate the Roman armies.

Records state that Romulus lived but cannot agree with what became of him following his abdication.