Symmachi
Encyclopedia
The Symmachi were an aristocratic family of the late Roman Empire.
The family received its first offices at the beginning of the 3rd century, under emperor Septimius Severus
, then it increased its prestige, reaching its peaks in the 4th and 5th centuries. Among the most important members of this family there were:
The family had a noteworthy interest in literature, and its members were patrons, editors and historians.
The family received its first offices at the beginning of the 3rd century, under emperor Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus
Septimius Severus , also known as Severus, was Roman Emperor from 193 to 211. Severus was born in Leptis Magna in the province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through the customary succession of offices under the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. Severus seized power after the death of...
, then it increased its prestige, reaching its peaks in the 4th and 5th centuries. Among the most important members of this family there were:
- Aurelius Valerius Tullianus SymmachusAurelius Valerius Tullianus SymmachusAurelius Valerius Tullianus Symmachus Phosphorius was a politician of the Roman Empire, member of the Symmachi.He was born around 280; he had a son, Lucius Aurelius Avianius Symmachus, whose son was the famous orator Quintus Aurelius Symmachus...
, consulConsulConsul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
in 330 - Lucius Aurelius Avianius SymmachusLucius Aurelius Avianius SymmachusLucius Aurelius Avianius Symmachus signo Phosphorius was a politician of the Roman Empire, father of Quintus Aurelius Symmachus.-Biography:...
, praefectus urbiPraefectus urbiThe praefectus urbanus or praefectus urbi, in English the urban prefect, was prefect of the city of Rome, and later also of Constantinople. The office originated under the Roman kings, continued during the Republic and Empire, and held high importance in late Antiquity...
in 364-365- Quintus Aurelius SymmachusQuintus Aurelius SymmachusQuintus Aurelius Symmachus was a Roman statesman, orator, and man of letters. He held the offices of governor of Africa in 373, urban prefect of Rome in 384 and 385, and consul in 391...
, c.340–c.402, orator (he is considered the best Latin orator of his age, for his contemporaries similar to CiceroCiceroMarcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
) and politician, the most influential of the Symmachi- Quintus Fabius Memmius SymmachusQuintus Fabius Memmius SymmachusQuintus Fabius Memmius Symmachus was a politician of the Roman empire, member of the influential family of the Symmachi.- Biography :...
, son of the previous - Galla, wife of Nicomachus FlavianusNicomachus Flavianus (son)Nicomachus Flavianus , sometimes referred to as Flavianus the younger, was a grammarian and a politician of the Roman Empire. He was the son of Virius Nicomachus Flavianus...
- Quintus Aurelius SymmachusQuintus Aurelius Symmachus (consul 446)Quintus Aurelius Symmachus was a politician and a senator of the Western Roman Empire, belonging to the Symmachi family.- Biography :...
, son of Memmius, consul in 446- Quintus Aurelius Memmius SymmachusQuintus Aurelius Memmius SymmachusQuintus Aurelius Memmius Symmachus was a Roman aristocrat and a historian of the 6th century. Prominent during his lifetime for as a patron of secular learning, consul for the year 485, and for his support of Pope Symmachus in the schism over his election, Memmius Symmachus was executed with his...
, son of the previous one, consul in 485- Adopted Anicius Manlius Severinus BoethiusAnicius Manlius Severinus BoethiusAnicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius, commonly called Boethius was a philosopher of the early 6th century. He was born in Rome to an ancient and important family which included emperors Petronius Maximus and Olybrius and many consuls. His father, Flavius Manlius Boethius, was consul in 487 after...
- Three daughters: Rusticiana, GallaGalla of Rome-Life:Galla was the daughter of Roman patrician Symmachus the Younger, who was appointed consul in 485. Galla was also the sister-in-law of Boethius. Her father, Symmachus the Younger, was condemned to death, unjustly, by Theodoric in 525. Galla was then married but was soon widowed, just over a...
and Proba, the first wife of Boethius
- Adopted Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius
- Quintus Aurelius Memmius Symmachus
- Quintus Aurelius Symmachus
- Quintus Fabius Memmius Symmachus
- Quintus Aurelius Symmachus
The family had a noteworthy interest in literature, and its members were patrons, editors and historians.
- Lucius Aurelius Avianius SymmachusLucius Aurelius Avianius SymmachusLucius Aurelius Avianius Symmachus signo Phosphorius was a politician of the Roman Empire, father of Quintus Aurelius Symmachus.-Biography:...
wrote a few epigrams on members of the Constantinian administration and another unknown literary work - Quintus Aurelius SymmachusQuintus Aurelius SymmachusQuintus Aurelius Symmachus was a Roman statesman, orator, and man of letters. He held the offices of governor of Africa in 373, urban prefect of Rome in 384 and 385, and consul in 391...
wrote many letters, edited in ten volumes, five orations, three panegyrics and 49 relations for his office, among which the most famous is the third, written in order to request the restoration of the Altar of VictoryAltar of VictoryThe Altar of Victory was located in the Roman Senate House bearing a gold statue of the goddess Victory. The altar was established by Octavian in 29 BC in honor of the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra at Actium. The statue depicted a winged woman, holding a palm and descending to present a laurel...
; in the last part of his life he dedicated himself to philologyPhilologyPhilology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
. - Quintus Aurelius Symmachus (consul 446)Quintus Aurelius Symmachus (consul 446)Quintus Aurelius Symmachus was a politician and a senator of the Western Roman Empire, belonging to the Symmachi family.- Biography :...
, to whom Ambrosius Theodosius MacrobiusAmbrosius Theodosius MacrobiusMacrobius Ambrosius Theodosius was a Roman grammarian and Neoplatonist philosopher who flourished during the early fifth century. He is primarily known for his writings, which include the Saturnalia, a compendium of ancient Roman religious and antiquarian lore, the Commentarii in Somnium Scipionis...
dedicated his De differentiis vel societatibus graeci latinique verbi. - Quintus Aurelius Memmius SymmachusQuintus Aurelius Memmius SymmachusQuintus Aurelius Memmius Symmachus was a Roman aristocrat and a historian of the 6th century. Prominent during his lifetime for as a patron of secular learning, consul for the year 485, and for his support of Pope Symmachus in the schism over his election, Memmius Symmachus was executed with his...
wrote a Roman History in seven books (now lost), which was used as a source by JordanesJordanesJordanes, also written Jordanis or Jornandes, was a 6th century Roman bureaucrat, who turned his hand to history later in life....
for his Romana; he also helped the publication of the Commentarii in Somnium Scipionis by Ambrosius Theodosius MacrobiusAmbrosius Theodosius MacrobiusMacrobius Ambrosius Theodosius was a Roman grammarian and Neoplatonist philosopher who flourished during the early fifth century. He is primarily known for his writings, which include the Saturnalia, a compendium of ancient Roman religious and antiquarian lore, the Commentarii in Somnium Scipionis...
, even editing directly the work. PriscianPriscianPriscianus Caesariensis , commonly known as Priscian, was a Latin grammarian. He wrote the Institutiones grammaticae on the subject...
dedicated him some of his works.