Flavius ​​Anicius Probinus

Flavius ​​Anicius Probinus was a late Roman aristocrat who lived in the late 4th century AD. He held the consulate together with his brother Flavius ​​Anicius Hermogenianus Olybrius in 395 .

His father Sextus Petronius Probus was considered one of the most distinguished men of his time and in 371 he himself held the consulate. His family tomb is located near the alleged burial place of the apostle Simon Peter .

Olybrius and Probinus came from the highest circles of the Roman Senate aristocracy , but were Christians in the Senate , which was still heavily pagan (although the majority of the Roman Senate was probably already made up of Christians at the end of the 4th century). When Emperor Theodosius I appointed the two brothers, who were probably still very young at that time, as consuls for the year 395, he probably wanted to finally bridge the gap that had arisen in the civil war in 394 against Eugenius , who had been supported by pagan senators.

Arusianus Messius dedicated the book Exempla Elocutionum to the brothers , Claudian kept a panegyric in their honor . Probinus himself held the proconsulate in Africa the following year .

literature

• Hartmut Leppin : Theodosius the Great . Scientific Book Society, Darmstadt 2003, p. 222 f.