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Roman cognomen, which originally designated bodily size or birth order (‘the Elder’), as in the Republican period in the case of Sp. Postumius Albinus M. ( cos. 148 BC) and T. Roscius M. (Cic. Rosc. Am. 17) [1. 275; 3. 47]. As an assumption of the epithet of Alexander [4] ‘the Great’ (ὁ μέγας/ ho mégas, in the sense of great historical importance), first taken by Cn. Pompeius ( cos. 70 and 55) in the 1st cent. BC, then inherited by his sons Cn. and Sex. Pompeius and their descendants. Sex. Pompeius used M. also as a praenomen resp. nomen gentile [4. 364f.]. In the Imperial period, more frequen…

[German version] Friend of Libanius (Lib. Ep. 409; 441 and passim). Initially, he was notarius (Lib. Or. 42,24f.), served under Constantine [1] the Great, was later an adviser of Constantius II (Lib. Ep. 114; 490). He became patricius and in AD 358 consul. As comes, in 346, he attempted to persuade Athanasius to return to Alexandria (Athan. Hist. Ar. 22). In 351, he was on the committee which had to decide on Photinus' heresy (Epiphany, adv. haer. 71). In 364, he was part of emperor Jovian's entourage (Philostorgius Hist. eccl. 8,8). He r…

[German version] [1] M. Aurelius N. Author of bucolic writings, before AD 284? As the name Carthagin(i)ensis appended in some MSS indicates, N. came from Africa. He wrote four bucolic poems ( Bucolica, Buc.) and a didactic poem about hunting ( Cynegetica, Cyn.), of which verses 1-325 are extant. The dedication of the Cyn. to the emperors Carinus and Numerianus [2] enables dating to shortly before AD 284. Whether N. also wrote Halieutica and Nautica, as maintained by SHA Car. 11,2, is doubtful, as is the authenticity of two fragments of a didactic poem on catching birds ( De aucipio) [11. 313f…

Roman cognomen (‘The Fortunate One’), in the Republican period initially an epithet of the dictator L. Cornelius [I 90] Sulla and his descendants (Cornelius [II 59-61]); in the Imperial period, as a name invoking luck, one of the most common cognomina and the most common slave name. Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) [German version] [1] Gem-cutter of the Roman Republican period Gem-cutter of the Roman Republican period, probably a contemporary of  Dioscurides [8], named together with  Anteros in an inscription as a gemari de sacra via [1. 44 and note 40]. He signed the famous sard…

Epithet of many gentilicia [1]. Famous persons: the jurist Salvius I. [1]; the doctor I. [2]; the emperor I. [11], called ‘Apostata’; the bishops I. [16] of Aeclanum and I. [21] of Toledo. [German version] [1] L. Octavius Cornelius P. Salvius I. Aemilianus Roman jurist, 2nd cent. AD Jurist, born about AD 100 in North Africa, died about AD 170; he was a student of  Iavolenus [2] Priscus (Dig. 40,2,5) and the last head of the Sabinian law school (Dig. 1,2,2,53). I., whose succession of offices is preserved in the inscription from Pupput, provi…

(Βασιλεῖος; Basileîos). [German version] [1] Basil the Great Theologian and bishop of Caesarea/Cappadocia. Markschies, Christoph (Berlin) [German version] A. Biography B. (born around 329/330 as the son of a Christian senatorial family who owned large estates) together with his younger brother  Gregorius of Nyssa and his friend  Gregorius of Nazianze were called the three great Cappadocians. His grandmother gave him his first introduction to the Bible and theology along the lines of Origenism. His education contin…

[German version] Comes sacrarum largitionum 355-361, an important aide to the emperor Julianus [11] in his financial distress (Amm. 22,3,7). With Constantius [2] II he visited the ruins of  Amida in 360 AD and levelled criticism at the soldiers' lack of courage (Amm. 20,11,5). Perhaps because of that he was condemned to death by military officers in the court of Chalcedon which Julianus had commissioned after the death of Constantius. Julianus later distanced himself from the verdict (Amm. 22,3,8;  cf.  Lib. Or. 18,152; PLRE 1,988 no. 1). Portmann, Werner (Berlin)

[German version] Son of the praefectus praetorio Galliarum Maximinus [3], through whose influence he was appointed dux Valeriae c. AD 373. He promoted the construction of a fortification ordered by Valentinianus I on the territory of the Quadi. He had their king Gabinius [II 5] treacherously murdered in 374 AD (Amm. Marc. 29,6,3-5; in Zos. 4,16,4 he is called Celestius). PLRE 1, 543f. no. 2 and 190 (Celestius). Portmann, Werner (Berlin)

[German version] [1] Senator in the time of Vespasian Senator attested in a fragmentary inscription from Arretium, CIL XI 1834 = ILS 1000. According to [1] based on AE 1967, 355, the name should be C. Petillius Q. f. Pom. Firmus. As tribunus of legio IV Flavia he took part in a campaign and then received dona militaria. He was quaestor Vespasiani and was honoured by the Senate with ornamenta praetoria. Perhaps a son of  Petillius Cerialis [2. 81ff.]. Eck, Werner (Cologne) Bibliography 1 Bosworth, in: ZPE 39, 1980, 267ff. 2 T. Franke, Die Legionslegaten der röm. Armee ..., 1991. PIR2 F 159. …

('winner, victor(ious)'). [German version] [1] Roman cognomen Roman cognomen, only attested from the mid-1st cent. BC (Cic. Att. 14,14,2), but from then one of the commonest bynames, and a name of choice. Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) Bibliography Kajanto, Cognomina, 57; 72; 89; 96; 98; 278 H. Solin, Die stadtrömische Sklavennamen, 1996, 100 f. [German version] [2] Roman epithet for gods (Roman epithet for gods), see Hercules; Iuppiter; Mars; Tibur. Groß-Albenhausen, Kirsten (Frankfurt/Main) [German version] [3] Imperial title Roman Imperial title from the early 4th c…

[German version] [1] Praef. urbi 304-5, 312-13 AD Q. (?). Member of the African family of the Aradii Rufini, which had arisen to Senate membership early in the 3rd cent. AD. Presumably praef. urbi. already from 4.1.304 - 12.2.305 A. R. held this office again under Maxentius (9.2. - 27.10.312), after he had been consul together with  Ceionius in the last months of 311. After the victory of Constantine over Maxentius, A. was again praefectus urbi from 29.11.312 to 8.12.313. His proving himself under the various emperors was praised by Avianius Symmachus (Symmachus, Ep. 1; 2; 3). Bleckmann, Br…

[German version] [1] Student of Libanius, consularis Palaestinae primae 360/1 AD Student of  Libanius, from whom he received letters (Lib. Ep. 137; 157; 158). In AD 360/361 he was consularis Palaestinae primae (Lib. Ep. 156; 159). PLRE 1, 447 (H.us 1). Portmann, Werner (Berlin) [German version] [2] Flavius H. Brother of empress Eusebia, consul 359 AD Brother of empress  Eusebia. Together with his brother Fl. Eusebius he was consul in AD 359 (Amm. Marc. 18,1,1). In 363 he was possibly vicarius urbis Romae (Cod. Theod. 3,5,8). He was sentenced along with his brother in a trial …

[German version] [1] see Marcius Festus see  Marcius Festus Portmann, Werner (Berlin) [German version] [2] Iulius F. Hymetius Rom. official, proconsul Africae AD 366-368 served around AD 350 as corrector Tusciae et Umbriae, later as praetor urbanus and consularis Campaniae cum Samnio (before 355). In 362, he became vicarius urbis Romae (Cod. Theod. 11,30,29), and from 366 to 368 proconsul Africae (Cod. Theod. 9,19,3; his entire career: ILS 1256). As proconsul, he helped to alleviate a famine in Carthage, and in this context was sentenced to a fine as a result of b…

[German version] Flavius Arintheus, possibly a Goth, was a high-ranking soldier of the Christian faith. He distinguished himself in AD 355 as vice-commander of a Palatine schola in the Alemanni War of Constantius II (Amm. Marc. 15,4,10). In the Persian War of 363 he led the left wing of the cavalry as comes rei militaris (Amm. Marc. 24,1,2). After the death of Julian he supported the election of a Christian emperor (Amm. Marc. 25,5,2). He spoke for the election of Valentinian I (Philostorg. Hist. eccl. 8,8). As magister peditum praesentalis (366-378) he played a significant role in …

(Ὀλυμπιόδωρος; Olympiódōros). [German version] [1] Athenian politician (end of the 4th cent. BC) Athenian, managed between 307 and 301 BC to induce Aetolia to enter into an alliance against Cassander and to relieve Elatea (Paus. 1,26,3; 10,18,7; 34,3). Although Demetrius [2] Poliorketes twice illegally appointed him (in 294/3 and 293/2) as eponymous árchōn (Dion. Hal. De Dinarcho 9; IG II2 378 = [1. D 70]; IG II2 389 and SEG 21,354; IG II2 649 = [2. 7f.]; Agora 16, 167; [3. 124 No. 9]; cf. in general Plut. Demetrius 34), O., when Athens seceded from Demetrius in 2…

Roman family name, probably related to Gabii (Schulze 532f.), widespread in Latium, and documented from the 3rd cent. BC; during the 2nd cent. BC, the family gained senatorial rank. I. Republican Period [German version] [I 1] G., A. People's tribune 139 BC Allegedly the grandson of a slave (Liv. Per. Oxyrhynch. 54; cf. Cic. Leg. 3,35), in 146 BC envoy to the Achaeans; as people's tribune he introduced the secret ballot with voting tablets ( tabellae) for the election of officials in 139 (1. lex tabellaria, Cic. loc. cit.; Lael. 41). Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) Bibliography M. Jehne, Ge…

[German version] [1] Trajan, Roman Emperor, AD 98-117 Roman emperor, AD 98-117. Eck, Werner (Cologne) [German version] I. Career up to accession T. was probably born in 53, the son of the consular (of the same name), M. Ulpius [12] Traianus, and probably a certain Marcia, perhaps a daughter of Marcius [II 3] Barea. The family came from Italica in Hispania Baetica. Little is known of T.' senatorial career. He served as a tribunus [4] militum under his father in Syria (but certainly not for ten stipendia ('campaigns'), as alleged in Plin. Pan. 15,3). After his praetorship (before 84…

[German version] [1] Half-sister of Constantine the Great Half-sister of Constantine the Great and wife of  Bassianus. She must have still been alive during the founding of Constantinople; the Thermae Anastasianae are named after her (Amm. Marc. 26,6,14). From time to time, her name, which refers to belief in the Resurrection, was regarded as circumstantial evidence of the fundamentally Christian convictions of her father  Constantius (PLRE 1, 58, A.1). Bleckmann, Bruno (Strasbourg) [German version] [2] Daughter of the emperor Valens Daughter of the emperor Valens. She and…

(κορυνηφόροι; korynēphóroi, ‘mace-bearers’). [German version] [1] Bodyguards of Peistratus Bodyguards who were to protect Peisistratus against an alleged threat from his opponents. They were granted to him by the Athenian people. He used them to occupy the acropolis (Hdt. 1,59). Solon supposedly recognized this striving for tyranny and he was the only one to declare himself against the bodyguards ([Aristot.] Ath. Pol. 14,2; Plut. Solon 30). Patzek, Barbara (Wiesbaden) [German version] [2] Bodyguards of the tyrant of Sicyon According to a later tradition, bodyguards of the…

[German version] [1] Official under Constantinus [2] II. Consularis Syriae, comes Orientis, praefectus praetorio Galliarum Official under Constantius [2] II. consularis Syriae (before AD 353; Lib. Ep. 251), comes Orientis (353-354; Amm. Marc. 14,1,3; 7,2; Lib. Ep. 386), praefectus praetorio Galliarum (355/357; Lib. Ep. 386 Foerster). From 359 to 361 he was the first praefectus urbis Constantinopolitanae (Chron. min. 1,239 Mommsen) and in this office he passed judgement on the heresy of Aetius (Sozom. Hist. eccl. 4,23,3). PLRE 1, 438f. (H. 2). Portmann, Werner (Berlin) …