to Lake Maggiore. There they were intercepted and defeated by the troops of comes Burco, sent by Majorian to stop them: This victory was celebrated as Majorian's own, and the magister militum was acclaimed Emperor by the army on 1 April, six miles outside Ravenna, at a place called ad Columellas, "at the Little Columns". There were actually two magistri militum to choose between, Majorian and Ricimer, but the barbarian origin of the latter barred him from the throne. Ricimer could, however, expect to exert a great influence on the new Western Emperor, because of their relationship dating back to the time of their service under Aetius and because of his control of the army as magister militum. In his panegyric to Majorian, the poet Sidonius Apollinaris tells that Majorian initially refused the election: Modern historians think that it was Leo I who initially refused to recognize Majorian as his colleague, although the general chosen by the army must have seemed the only viable candidate to the throne. The Eastern court was not displeased with the deposition of Avitus, an Emperor chosen by the Visigoths, whereas the only other candidate, Olybrius, had a politically difficult relationship with the Vandal king Genseric and no influence on the army. Majorian was formally declared emperor on 28 December, but apparently never obtained recognition from the eastern court. Leo I and Majorian jointly assumed the consulate for the year 458; it was customary that a new Emperor took this magistracy on the first year started as Emperor. Foreign affairs Defence of Italy The first problems Majorian had to handle were the consolidation of his rule over Italy and the recovery of Gaul, since this province had rebelled after the deposition of the Gallo-Roman emperor Avitus. The recovery of the lost provinces of Hispania and Africa was a project that Majorian had to leave for later. In summer 457, a group of Vandals, led by the brother-in-law of Genseric, landed in Campania, at the mouth of the Liri or the Garigliano river, and started devastating and sacking the region. Majorian personally led the Roman army to a victory over the invaders near Sinuessa and followed the defeated Vandals, loaded with their booty, as far as their own ships, killing many of them including their commander. After this event, Majorian understood that he had to take the initiative if he wanted to defend the heart of