Majorian (Latin: Flavius Julius Valerius Majorianus Augustus; ca.

420 – August 7, 461) is the Western Roman Emperor from 457 to 461.

A prominent general of the Late Roman army, Majorian deposes Emperor Avitus in 457 and succeedes him.

Majorian is one of the last emperors to make a concerted effort to restore the Western Roman Empire.

Possessing little more than Italy, Dalmatia, and some territory in northern Gaul, Majorian campaigns rigorously for three years against the Empire's enemies.

After defeating a Vandal attack on Italy, Majorian launches a campaign against the Visigothic Kingdom in southern Gaul.

Defeating king Theodoric II at the Battle of Arelate, Majorian forces the Goths to abandon their possessions in Septimania and Hispania and return to federate status immediately.

Majorian then attacks the Burgundian Kingdom, defeating them at the Siege of Lugdunum, expelling them from the Rhone valley and reducing them to federate status.

In 460, Majorian leaves Gaul to consolidate his hold on Hispania.

His generals launch a campaign against the Suebic Kingdom in northwest Hispania, defeating them at the battles of Lucus Augusti and Scallabis and reducing them to federate status as well.

His fleet for his campaign to restore Africa to the empire from the Vandals is destroyed due to treachery.

Majorian seeks to reform the imperial administration in order to make it more efficient and just.

The powerful general Ricimer deposes and killed Majorian, who had become unpopular with the senatorial aristocracy because of his reforms.

According to historian Edward Gibbon, Majorian "presents the welcome discovery of a great and heroic character, such as sometimes arise, in a degenerate age, to vindicate the honour of the human species".