Eumenius
Encyclopedia
Eumenius was one of the Roman
panegyrists and author of a speech transmitted in the collection of the Panegyrici Latini
(Pan. Lat. IX).
) in Gallia Lugdunensis
. He was of Greek descent; his grandfather, who had migrated from Athens to Rome, finally settled at Autun as a teacher of rhetoric
. Eumenius probably took his place, for it was from Autun that he went to be magister memoriae (private secretary) to Constantius Chlorus
, whom he accompanied on several of his campaigns.
In 296 Chlorus determined to restore the famous schools (scholae Maenianae) of Autun. During the turmoil in 3rd century Gaul, instruction had ceased, maybe due to lack of funding or students, and the buildings had been greatly damaged during a siege of the city in 269
. The emperor appointed Eumenius to the management of the schools, allowing him to keep the rank of a senior imperial officer and doubling his salary.
There is no doubt that Eumenius was a pagan, not even a nominal follower of Christianity, unlike Ausonius
and other writers from Gaul.
or 298
in the forum at Autun or Lyon
before the governor of the province. The purpose of the speech is to ask the governor if Eumenius may dedicate his salary (or a large part of it) to rebuild the schools at Autun. He praises the emperors (Constantius and his colleagues of the tetrarchy
) and sets forth the steps necessary to restore the schools to their former state of efficiency, stressing that he intends to assist the good work out of his own pocket. To this end, he cites the imperial letter of Constantius granting him his position and salary at length, and it is from the address of that letter that the name of the oration's author is preserved.
Formerly, other anonymous panegyrics of the Panegyrici Latini have been attributed to Eumenius, too. The most extreme position was that by Otto Seeck
, who held that all of them were by Eumenius. This view has been largely abandoned today, and Eumenius is regarded as the author of only Pro instaurandis scholis.
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
panegyrists and author of a speech transmitted in the collection of the Panegyrici Latini
Panegyrici Latini
The Panegyrici Latini or Latin Panegyrics is a collection of twelve ancient Roman panegyric orations. The authors of most of the speeches in the collection are anonymous, but appear to have been Gallic in origin. Aside from the first panegyric, composed by Pliny the Younger in 100 CE, the other...
(Pan. Lat. IX).
Life
Eumenius was born at Augustodunum (AutunAutun
Autun is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in Burgundy in eastern France. It was founded during the early Roman Empire as Augustodunum. Autun marks the easternmost extent of the Umayyad campaign in Europe.-Early history:...
) in Gallia Lugdunensis
Gallia Lugdunensis
Gallia Lugdunensis was a province of the Roman Empire in what is now the modern country of France, part of the Celtic territory of Gaul. It is named after its capital Lugdunum , possibly Roman Europe's major city west of Italy, and a major imperial mint...
. He was of Greek descent; his grandfather, who had migrated from Athens to Rome, finally settled at Autun as a teacher of rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
. Eumenius probably took his place, for it was from Autun that he went to be magister memoriae (private secretary) to Constantius Chlorus
Constantius Chlorus
Constantius I , commonly known as Constantius Chlorus, was Roman Emperor from 293 to 306. He was the father of Constantine the Great and founder of the Constantinian dynasty. As Caesar he defeated the usurper Allectus in Britain and campaigned extensively along the Rhine frontier, defeating the...
, whom he accompanied on several of his campaigns.
In 296 Chlorus determined to restore the famous schools (scholae Maenianae) of Autun. During the turmoil in 3rd century Gaul, instruction had ceased, maybe due to lack of funding or students, and the buildings had been greatly damaged during a siege of the city in 269
269
Year 269 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Claudius and Paternus...
. The emperor appointed Eumenius to the management of the schools, allowing him to keep the rank of a senior imperial officer and doubling his salary.
There is no doubt that Eumenius was a pagan, not even a nominal follower of Christianity, unlike Ausonius
Ausonius
Decimius Magnus Ausonius was a Latin poet and rhetorician, born at Burdigala .-Biography:Decimius Magnus Ausonius was born in Bordeaux in ca. 310. His father was a noted physician of Greek ancestry and his mother was descended on both sides from long-established aristocratic Gallo-Roman families...
and other writers from Gaul.
Panegyric
His speech, usually called Pro restaurandis (or instaurandis) scholis (For the restoration of the schools), was probably delivered in 297297
Year 297 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valerius and Valerius...
or 298
298
Year 298 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Faustus and Gallus...
in the forum at Autun or Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
before the governor of the province. The purpose of the speech is to ask the governor if Eumenius may dedicate his salary (or a large part of it) to rebuild the schools at Autun. He praises the emperors (Constantius and his colleagues of the tetrarchy
Tetrarchy
The term Tetrarchy describes any system of government where power is divided among four individuals, but usually refers to the tetrarchy instituted by Roman Emperor Diocletian in 293, marking the end of the Crisis of the Third Century and the recovery of the Roman Empire...
) and sets forth the steps necessary to restore the schools to their former state of efficiency, stressing that he intends to assist the good work out of his own pocket. To this end, he cites the imperial letter of Constantius granting him his position and salary at length, and it is from the address of that letter that the name of the oration's author is preserved.
Formerly, other anonymous panegyrics of the Panegyrici Latini have been attributed to Eumenius, too. The most extreme position was that by Otto Seeck
Otto Seeck
Otto Seeck was a German classical historian who is perhaps best known for his work on the decline of the ancient world. He was born in Riga....
, who held that all of them were by Eumenius. This view has been largely abandoned today, and Eumenius is regarded as the author of only Pro instaurandis scholis.