Battle of Agrigentum (456)
An army of the Western Roman Empire, led by the general Ricimer, drove off an invading force, a fleet of sixty ships, sent by the Vandal king Gaiseric to raid Sicily.[1] Ricimer then led the Roman fleet against the Vandals and defeated them in a naval battle off the coast of Corsica.The Vandals led by their king Gaiseric (sometimes spelled Genseric) had earlier conquered North Africa after passing through Spain, frequently raided prosperous cities or areas of the European coast and sacked Rome in 455 AD.In spring or early summer of 456 AD, Ricimer led an army and navy of Romans, auxiliaries, and Germanic foederati to Sicily with the intention of repelling a known or suspected forthcoming Vandal attack.Ricimer returned home to Italy where he and the generals Majorian and Aegidius, seized power from the Western Roman emperor, Avitus.