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AVITUS (Marcus Maecilius). - A native of that part of Southern Gaul now called Aquitaine, descended from a noble family, and reckoning Patricians and Senators amongst his ancestors, he became, in consequence of his military exploits and high reputation, Praetorian Prefect in Gaul under Valentinian III (A.D.425), and afterwards Magister Equituum, under Petronius Maximus. He was proclaimed Augustus at Arles, and his election confirmed by the Senate and people of Rome in A.D.455. His title of Emperor of the West was at the same time recognised by Marcian, who became Emperor of the East, in marrying Pulcheria, sister of Theodosius II. After a reign of 14 months, in A.D.436, Avitus was taken prisoner by Ricimer, one of his own generals. He was compelled to abdicate and entered into ecclesiastical orders, receiving consecration as the Bishop of Placentia, but died soon afterwards. His coins are all very rare.

A gold coin of Avitus, in the British Museum, exhibits, on the obverse, the head of the Emperor wearing a diadem ornamented with pearls and surrounded by the legend D N AVITVS PERP AVG. The reverse has the legend VICTORIA AVGGG and depicts Avitus, in military dress, standing with his left foot planted on a prostrate captive, a cross in his right hand and Victory on a globe in his left. In the field A - R; in the exergue, COMOB. Mionet gives, from the cabinet of M. Gosselin, another solidus of this Emperor, which, as well as the one published by Banduri, has the reverse legend of VRBIS RONA (sic), the type being Roma Victrix seated. On other coins he is styled D N AVITHVS P F AVG and M MAECIL AVITVS (or AVITHVS) P F AVG.