▁as ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁army ▁and ▁its ▁command ers ▁( the ▁gener als ▁Major ian ▁and ▁Ric imer ) ▁and ▁the ▁V and als ▁of ▁G ais er ic . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 ▁January ▁ 4 5 6 , ▁Av it us ▁took ▁the ▁cons ulate , ▁as ▁tradition ally ▁the ▁Em per ors ▁held ▁the ▁cons ulate ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁year ▁upon ▁assuming ▁the ▁pur ple . ▁However , ▁his ▁cons ulate ▁s ine ▁colleg a ▁( without ▁a ▁second ▁Cons ul ) ▁was ▁not ▁recogn ised ▁by ▁the ▁Eastern ▁court , ▁which ▁nominated ▁two ▁cons uls , ▁I oh annes ▁and ▁Var anes . ▁ ▁The ▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁two ▁courts ▁did ▁not ▁agree ▁on ▁a ▁couple ▁of ▁cons uls ▁but ▁each ▁nominated ▁its ▁own ▁means ▁that ▁despite ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁Av it us ▁to ▁receive ▁the ▁recognition ▁of ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Emperor , ▁the ▁relationship ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁hal ves ▁of ▁the ▁Empire ▁was ▁not ▁optimal . ▁ ▁Foreign ▁policy ▁▁ ▁Tre aties ▁under ▁Mar cian ▁and ▁a ▁treat y ▁of ▁ 4 4 2 ▁between ▁em peror ▁Val entin ian ▁III ▁and ▁the ▁V andal ▁king ▁G ais er ic ▁had ▁failed ▁to ▁reduce ▁V andal ▁inc urs ions ▁and ▁ra ids ▁along ▁the ▁Italian ▁coast . ▁Av it us ' ▁own ▁efforts ▁secured ▁a ▁temporary ▁winter ▁tr uce ▁with ▁them ; ▁but ▁in ▁March ▁ 4 5 6 , ▁V and als ▁destroyed ▁Cap ua . ▁Av it us ▁sent ▁Ric imer ▁to ▁defend ▁Sic ily , ▁and