| Expressions |
Domain |
Definition |
| Aurelius Victor, Sextus |
Antiquities |
Aurelius Victor, Sextus. A Roman historian, born in Africa. He was probably governor of Pannonia under Julian in A.D. 361, and in 389 prefect of Rome. There is a history of the Caesars from Iulius to Constantius, written about A.D. 360, which bears his name. This appears, however, to be no more than a compilation from more comprehensive works, Suetonius being much employed. The same is the case with an Epitome, continued down to the death of Theodosius I. There is also a short but not altogether worthless book, entitled De Viris Illustribus Urbis Romae, which is attributed to Aurelius Victor. It begins with the Alban king Procas, and comes down to Cleopatra. It is not by Aurelius Victor, nor, again, is a little book which has been attributed to him, called Origo Gentis Romanae. This is full of forged quotations, and belongs to a much later period. Editions of all four of these works by Schröter (Leipzig, 1831), in 2 vols. There is also a good separate edition of the De Viris Illustribus, by Keil (Breslau, 1872), and of the Origo, by Sepp, new ed. (Eichstädt, 1885). (references) |
| Carīnus, M. Aurelius |
Antiquities |
Carīnus, M. Aurelius. The eldest son of the emperor Carus, who gave him the title of Caesar and the rank of Augustus, together with the government of Italy, Illyricum, Africa, and the West, when he himself was setting out, with his second son Numerianus, to make war against the Persians. Carus, knowing the evil qualities of Carinus, gave him this charge with great reluctance; but he had no alternative, as Numerianus, though superior in every respect to his elder brother, was too young to hold so important a command. As soon as Carinus entered Gaul, which his father had particularly charged him to defend against the barbarians, who menaced an irruption, he gave himself up to the most degrading excesses, discharged the most competent men from public employment, and substituted the vile companions of his debaucheries. On hearing of the death of his father, he indulged in new excesses and new crimes. Still, however, his courage and his victories merit praise. He defeated the barbarians who had begun to attack the Empire, among others the Sarmatae, and he afterwards overthrew Sabinus Inlianus, who had assumed the purple in Venetia. He then marched against Diocletian, who had proclaimed himself emperor after the death of Numerian. The two armies met in Moesia, and several engagements took place, in which success seemed balanced. At last a decisive battle was fought near Margum, and Carinus was on the point of gaining a complete victory, when he was slain by a tribune of his own army, who had received an outrage at his hands. This event took place A.D. 285, so that the reign of Carinus, computing it from his father's death, was a little more than one year. His life was written by Vopiscus. (references) |
| Carus, M. Aurelius |
Antiquities |
Carus, M. Aurelius. A Roman emperor, who succeeded Probus. He was first appointed, by the latter, praetorian prefect, and after his death was chosen by the army to be his successor, A.D. 282. Carus created his two sons, Carinus and Numerianus, Caesars, as soon as he was elevated to the Empire, and, some time after, gave them each the title of Augustus. On the news of the death of Probus, the barbarians put themselves in motion, and Carus, sending his son Carinus into Gaul, departed with Numerianus for Illyricum, in order to oppose the Sarmatae, who threatened Thrace and Italy. He slew 16,000, and made 20,000 prisoners. Proceeding after this against the Persians, he made himself master of Mesopotamia, and of the cities of Seleucia and Ctesiphon, and took in consequence the surnames of Persicus and Parthicus. He died, however, in the midst of his successes, A.D. 283. (See Aper.) His whole reign was one of not more than sixteen or seventeen months. Carus was deified after his death. According to Vopiscus, by whom his life was written, he held a middle rank between good and bad princes. (references) |
| Marcus Aurelius |
Antiquities |
Marcus Aurelius. See Antoninus. (references) |
| Probus, M. Aurelius |
Antiquities |
Probus, M. Aurelius. A Roman emperor (A.D. 276-282). He was a native of Sirmium in Pannonia, and rose to distinction by his military abilities. He was appointed, by the emperor Tacitus, governor of the whole East, and, upon the death of that sovereign, the purple was forced upon his acceptance by the armies of Syria. The downfall of Florianus (q.v.) speedily removed his only rival, and he was enthusiastically hailed by the united voice of the Senate, the people, and the legions. The reign of Probus presents a series of the most brilliant achievements. He defeated the barbarians on the frontiers of Gaul and Illyricum and in other parts of the Roman Empire, and put down the rebellions of Saturninus at Alexandria, and of Proculus and Bonosus in Gaul. But, after crushing all external and internal foes, he was killed at Sirmium by his own soldiers, who had risen in mutiny against him, because he had employed them in laborious public works. Probus was as just and virtuous as he was warlike, and is deservedly regarded as one of the greatest and best of the Roman emperors. His life is given in the Historia Augusta; see also Zosim. i. 64. (references) |
| Quintillus, M. Aurelius |
Antiquities |
Quintillus, M. Aurelius. The brother of the emperor M. Aurelius Claudius, who was elevated to the throne by the troops whom he commanded at Aquileia, in A.D. 270. But as the army at Sirmium, where Claudius died, had proclaimed Aurelian emperor, Quintillus put an end to his own life, seeing himself deserted by his own soldiers, to whom the rigour of his discipline had given offence (Eutrop. ix. 12; Zos.i. 47). (references) |
| Scaurus, M. Aurelius |
Antiquities |
Scaurus, M. Aurelius, consul suffectus B.C. 103, was three years afterwards consular legate in Gaul, where he was defeated by the Cimbri, taken prisoner, and put to death (Vell. Pat. ii. 12). (references) |
| Symmăchus, Q. Aurelius |
Antiquities |
Symmăchus, Q. Aurelius. A distinguished scholar, statesman, and orator in the latter half of the fourth century of the Christian era, remarkable for his zeal in upholding the ancient pagan religion of Rome. He was educated in Gaul, and was proconsul of Africa in 373; and in 391 Theodosius raised him to the consulship. He died about 402. Of his works there are still extant ten books of epistles, three panegyrics on Valentinian I. and Gratian, a number of relationes or official reports of Symmachus as praefectus urbi to the emperor (A.D. 384-385), and fragments of six senatorial orations. These last were discovered in a palimpsest, part of which was in the Vatican Library and part at Milan (1815-1825). The complete works of Symmachus are edited by Seeck (Berlin, 1884). See the Étude by Morin (Paris, 1847). (references) |
| Verus, L. Aurelius |
Antiquities |
Verus, L. Aurelius. The colleague of M. Aurelius in the Empire, A.D. 161-169. He was born in 130, and his original name was L. Ceionius Commodus, was adopted by Hadrian in 136; and on the death of his father in 138, he was, in pursuance of the command of Hadrian, adopted, along with M. Aurelius, by M. Antoninus. On the death of Antoninus in 161, Verus succeeded him as emperor in conjunction with Marcus Aurelius. As to the events of his rule see Aurelius. He died in A.D. 169. (references) |
| Victor, Sex: Aurelius |
Antiquities |
Victor, Sex: Aurelius. A Latin author who flourished in the middle of the fourth century under the emperor Constantius and his successors. He was born of humble parents, but rose to distinction by his zeal in the cultivation of literature. Having attracted the attention of Julian when at Sirmium, he was appointed by him governor of one division of Pannonia (Amm. Marc. xxi. 10, 6). At a subsequent period he was made city prefect by Theodosius, and is perhaps the same as the Sex. Aurelius Victor who was consul with Valentinian in A.D. 373. The following works, which present in a condensed form a continuous record of Roman affairs from the fabulous ages down to the death of the emperor Theodosius, have all been ascribed to this writer; but evidence upon which the determination of authorship depends is slender, and in all probability the third alone belongs to the Sex. Aurelius Victor whom we have noticed above. (a) Origo Gentis Romanae, in twenty-three chapters, containing the annals of the Roman race, from Ianus and Saturnus down to the era of Romulus. It is probably a production of some of the later grammarians who were desirous of prefixing a suitable introduction to the series. (b) De Viris Illustribus Urbis Romae, in eighty-six chapters, commencing with the birth of Romulus and Remus, and concluding with the death of Cleopatra, a work of merit, though of unknown authorship. (c) De Caesaribus, in forty-two chapters, exhibiting short biographies of the emperors, from Augustus to Constantius. There is no reason to doubt that this was a genuine work of Aurelius Victor. He uses Suetonius to a great extent in the earlier Lives. (d) Epitome de Caesaribus, in forty-eight chapters, beginning with Augustus and concluding with Theodosius. There are editions of these four works by Arntzen (1733) and by Schröter (1831). The Origo is edited separately by Sepp (Munich, 1879), and the De Vir. Illustr. by Keil (Breslau, 1872). (references) |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.
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