The Gothic War of 457–458 was a military conflict between the Visigoths of Theoderic II against the Western Roman Empire of Emperor Majorian.

The war began in 457 with a revolt of the Goths in Aquitania that pushed aside Roman authority, followed by an aggressive conquest in the adjacent Septimania aimed at area expansion.

[1] The most important contemporary sources in which this war is reported are the Gallo-Roman writer Sidonius Apollinaris (431-489) and the bishop of Chaves Hydatius (400-469).

In the end, the extremely unstable situation in the west asked for a solution that made him dwell on the two generals who served in Italy.

When Leo hesitated to acknowledge him, Majorian proclaimed himself emperor of the west on December 28, 457, with the support of the Senate and the army.

The Gallic aristocracy considered Majorian elevation to emperor by the Senate as usurpation and put forward their own candidate Marcellinus as successor to Avitus.

An invasion of northern Italy by the Alemanni and the southern Vandals caused Ricimer and Majorian to focus their attention on other matters than the Visigoths in Gaul.

This port city fell into his hands without gun violence thanks to the betrayal of the Roman general Agrippinus who, unlike Aegidius, had turned away from Majorian.

[9] A group of Vandals landed in Campania in the summer of 457, at the mouth of the Garigliano River, and began to destroy and plunder the region.

[11] Others were Rugi, Gepids, Heruli and Goths from Noricum and Pannonia, and it is likely that Majorianus agreed to formally recognize the territory and income they controlled in exchange for their military services.

He may also have withdrawn some of the remaining Pannonian Limitanei[12] Be that as it may, from the military commander of Dalmatia Marcellinus he received support consisting of supplying troops and fleet units.

[13] With the bulk of his army, supplemented by loyal foederati [14] and accompanied by his generals Aegidius and Nepotianus, Majorian marched in 458 against the Gallic insurgents who had united with the Burgundians of Gundioc.