Here he was highly esteemed, and having
He was restored, however, to his former rank by written or delivered a eulogy on the city, was
Nero, and appointed governor of Bithynia ; but honoured in return with a life-size statue of bronze,
was condemned in A.
He was restored, however, to his former rank by written or delivered a eulogy on the city, was
Nero, and appointed governor of Bithynia ; but honoured in return with a life-size statue of bronze,
was condemned in A.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
66.
(Tac.
Ann.
xv.
71.
)
and pursued the Fidenates to their town, to which
PRISCUS, SERVI'LIUS. The Prisci were he proceeded to lay siege, and which he took by
an ancient family of the Servilia gens, and filled means of a mine. From the conquest of this town
the highest offices of the state during the early he received the surname of Fidenas, which was
years of the republic. They also bore the agno- afterwards adopted by his children in the place of
men of Structus, which is always appended to Structus. Servilius is mentioned again in B. C.
their name in the Fasti, till it was supplanted by 431, when he called upon the tribunes of the plebs
that of Fidenas, which was first obtained by Q. to compel the consuls to elect a dictator, in order
Servilius Priscus Structus, who took Fidenae in to carry on the war against the Volsci and Aequi.
his dictatorship, B. C. 435 (see below, No. 6], In B. c. 418 the Roman army was defeated by the
and which was also borne by his descendants Aequi and the Lavicani, in consequence of the
[Nos. 7 and 8).
dissensions and incompetency of the consular tri-
1. P. Servilius Priscus STRUCTUS, consul bunes of that year. Servilius was therefore ap-
B. C. 495 with Ap. Claudius Sabinus Regillensis. pointed dictator a second time; he carried on the
This year was memorable in the annals by the war with success, defeated the Aequi, and took
death of king Tarquin. The temple of Mercury the point of Lavici, where the senate forth with
was also dedicated in this year, and additional established a Roman colony. (Liv. iv, 21, 22, 26
colonists were led to the colony of Signia, which 45–47. )
had been founded by Tarquin. The consuls car- 7. Q. SERVILIUS Q. F. P. N. (PRiscus) FIDE-
ried on war against the Volscians with success, NAS, the son of No. 6, was consular tribune six
and took the town of Suessa Pometia ; and times, namely in B. C. 402, 398, 395, 390, 388,
Priscus subsequently defeated both the Sabines 386. (Liv. v. 8, 14, 24, 36, vi. 4, 6. ) He was
and Aurunci. In the struggles between the patri- also interrex in B. C. 397. (Liv. v. 17. ) There can
cians and plebeians respecting the law of debt, be no doubt that this Servilius was the son of
Priscus was inclined to espouse the side of the No. 6, both from his praenomen Quintus, and his
latter, and published a proclamation favourable to surname Fidenas, as well as from the circumstances
the plebeians ; but as he was unable to assist them that he is designated in the Capitoline Fasti, Q. F.
in opposition to his colleague and the whole body P. N. A difficulty, however, arises from the state-
of the patricians, he incurred the enmity of both ment of Livy, that the C. Servilius, who was consular
parties. (Liv. ii. 21—27 ; Dionys. yi. 23-32 ; tribune in B. C. 418, was the son of the conqueror of
Val. Max. ix. 3. $ 6; Plin. H. N. xxxv. 3. ) Fidenae (Liv. iv. 45, 46); but this is probably a
2. Q. SERVILIUS Priscus STRUCTUS, a brother mistake, since the consular tribune of B. C. 418 is
of No. 1, was magister equitum, in B. C. 494, to called, in the Capitoline Fasti, C. SERVILIUS Q. F.
the dictator, M'. Valerius Maximus. (Dionys. vi. C. N. AXILLA. Besides which, if he were the son
40. )
of the conqueror of Fidenae, he must have been a
3. Sp. ServiliUS Priscus STRUCTUS, consul younger son, as his praenomen shows; and in that
B. C. 476, with A. Virginius Tricostus Rutilus. In case the younger son would have obtained one of
consequence of the destruction of the Fabii at the the highest dignities in the state sixteen years
Cremera in the preceding year, the Etruscans had before his elder brother.
advanced up to the very walls of Rome, and taken 8. Q. SERVILIUS Q. F. Q. N. (PRISCUS) FIDE-
possession of the hill Janiculus. In an attempt NAS, the son of No. 7, was consular tribune three
which Priscus made to take this hill by assault, times, namely, in B. C. 382, 378, 369. (Liv. vi.
he was repulsed with great loss, and would have 22, 31, 36. )
sustained a total defeat, had not his colleague 9. Sp. SERVILIUS Priscus, censor B. C. 378,
Virginius come to his assistance, In consequence with Q. Cloelius Siculus (Liv, vi. 31). As this
of his rashness on this occasion, he was brought Servilius does not bear the surname of Fidenas, he
to trial by the tribunes, as soon as his year of probably was not a descendant of the conqueror of
office had expired, but was acquitted. (Liv. ii. 51, Fidenae.
52 ; Dionys. ix. 25, &c. )
4. Q. SERVILIUS Priscus STRUCTUS, probably * Livy (iv. 21) calls him A. Servilius, in
son of No. 2, was consul B. C. 468, with T. Quin- speaking of his dictatorship of B. C. 435, but
tius Capitolinus Barbatus, and again B. C. 466, R. Servilius when he mentions his dictatorship of
with Sp. Postumius Albus Regillensis. In each B. C. 418 (iv. 46), as well as when he speaks of
year Priscus commanded the Roman armies in the him elsewhere (e. g. iv. 26). There can, there-
wars with the neighbouring nations, but did not fore, be no doubt that the name of Quintus is to be
perform anything worth recording. (Liv. ii. 64, preferred, which we find also in the Capitoline
iii. 2 ; Dionys. ix. 57, 60. )
Fasti.
## p. 529 (#545) ############################################
PROAERESIUS.
529
PROAERESIUS.
PRISCUS SENE'CIO, Q. SO'SIUS, consul the jealousy of the others, who combined against
A. D. 169, with P. Coelius Apollinaris (Fasti). him. Through the intervention of a corrupt pro-
PRISCUS, STA'TIUS, consul a. d. 159, with consul, he was driven from Athens. A new pro-
Plautius Quintillus, two years before the death of consul not only restored him, but, after a public
the emperor Antoninus (Fasti). He was one of trial, bestowed on him public marks of approbation,
the generals sent by his successor, M. Aurelius, to and placed him at once at the head of all the
conduct the war against the Parthians, A. n. 162- teachers of rhetoric in Athens.
The fresh attempts
165. He took Artaxata, the capital of Armenia, and of his enemics to supplant him by splendid enter-
rescued the whole of that country from the Parthian tainments, at which they endeavoured to win over
power. (Capitolin. Anton. Phil. 9, Verus, 7 ; Dion men of power, were rendered nugatory by the ar-
Cass. Ixxi. Fragm. p. 1201, ed. Reimarus. ) rival in Athens of Anatolius, the praefect of Illy-
PRISCUS, TARQUI'NIUS. (TARQUINIUS. ) rium. It is probable that the favour with which
PRISCUS, TARQUI'TIUS, had been a legate that accomplished man regarded Proaeresius, at-
of Statilius Taurus, in Africa, whom he accused, in tracted to the latter the attention of the emperor
order to gratify Agrippina, the wife of the emperor Constans, who sent for him to Gaul, about A. D.
Claudius, who was anxious to obtain possession of 342. Constans detained him for more than one
his pleasure grounds. Taurus put an end to his year (if we may found upon the expression xecuci
life before sentence was pronounced ; and the vas, Eunap. ibid. p. 89), and then sent him to
senate expelled Priscus from its body as an informer. Rome.
Here he was highly esteemed, and having
He was restored, however, to his former rank by written or delivered a eulogy on the city, was
Nero, and appointed governor of Bithynia ; but honoured in return with a life-size statue of bronze,
was condemned in A. D. 61, on account of extortion bearing this inscription, “ The Queen of Cities to the
in his province, to the great delight of the senate. Prince of Eloquence. ” On his departure from
(Tac. Ann, xii. 59, xiv. 46. )
Rome, he obtained for Athens a tributary supply
PRISCUS, M. TREBATIUS, consul suffectus of provisions from several islands — a grant which
in A. D. 109. (Fasti. )
was confirmed by the eparch of Athens at the soli-
PRISCUS, L. VALE’RIUS MESSA'LA citation of Anatolius - and he himself was honoured
THRA'SEA, was distinguished alike by his birth with the title of otpatonedápxos. When the
and wisdom during the reign of Septimius Severus. emperor Julian (A. D. 362) had promulgated the
He was consul in a. D. 196, and about seventeen decree, for which he is so strongly censured, even
years afterwards fell a victim to the cruelty of by bis eulogist Ammianus Marcellinus (xx. 10,
Caracalla. (Dion Cass. lxxvii. 5. )
xxv. 4), forbidding teachers belonging to the Chris-
PRISCÙS, VE'CTIUS, a person mentioned tian religion to practise their art, we are told
by the younger Pliny. (Plin. Ep. vi. 12.
(Hieron. in Chronic. An. 2378), that Proaeresius
PRIVERNAS, an agnomen given to L. Aemi- was expressly exempted from its operation, but
lius Mamercinus, from his taking Privernum in that he refused any immunity not enjoyed by his
B. C. 329. [MAMERCINUS, No. 9. ]
brethren. To this partial suspension of his rheto
PROAE'RESIUS (Ipoaipédios), a distinguished rical functions, Eunapius also alludes, but, dis-
teacher of rhetoric, was a native of Armenia, born tracted by his love of the man, and his hatred of
about a. D. 276, of good connections, though poor. his religion, says doubtingly," he seemed to be a
He came to Antioch to study under the rhetorician Christian” (ibid. p. 92). Eunapius says that it
Ulpian. Having soon risen to high distinction in was about this very time he himself arrived at
his school, he removed to Athens, where he placed Athens, and found in Proaeresius all the kindness
himself under Julian, then seated in the chair of of a father. It is probable, then, that this was in
rhetoric. There came along with him from An- the year 363, when Julian was in the East, and
tioch his friend Hephaestion. A fact told by we may suppose the edict less rigidly enforced.
Eunapius in his life of Proaeresius (Vit. Soph. vol. Proaeresius was then in his 87th year. Eunapius
i. p. 73, ed. Boissonade), illustrates both the po- remained at Athens for five years, and states that
verty and the zeal of these youths. They had be his friend and teacher died not many days after his
tween them but one change of raiment (iuátio kal departure. Proaeresius had married Amphicleia
Tpluvior), and three thin, faded blankets (otpu of Tralles, and by her he had several daughters, all
mata). When Proaeresius went forth to the pub- of whom died in the bloom of youth, and on whom
lic schools, bis friend lay in bed working his exer- Milesius wrote him consolatory verses. His rival
cises, and this they did alternately. Proaeresius Diophantus pronounced his funeral oration (Eunap.
soon acquired a high place in his master's esteem, ibid. p. 94), and his epitaph, written by his pupil
of which, as well as his own merit, a singular proof Gregory Nazianzen, is given by Fabricius (Bibl.
is given by Eunapius (ibid. p. 71, &c. ). On the Graec. vol. vi. p. 137).
death of Julian (according to Clinton, Fast. Rom. From the account given of him by Eunapius,
p. 401, in A. D. 340), who left Proaeresius his who had the best means of information, we learn
house (Eunap. ibid. p. 69), it was determined no that he was of gigantic stature (Casaubon and
longer to confine the chair of rhetoric to one, but to Wyttenbach, ad Eunap. vol. ii. p. 285, conjecture
extend this honour to many. (Eunap. ibid. p. 79. ) that he was nine feet high! ), and of stately bear
Epiphanius, Diophantus, Sopolis, Parnasius, and ing, so vigorous in his old age, that it was impos-
Hephaestion were chosen from among a crowd of sible to suppose him other than in the prime of life.
competitors; but Hephaestion left Athens, dread- His constitution was of iron strength (oronpéov),
ing competition with Proaeresius. The students, braving the winter colds of Gaul without shoes,
generally, betook themselves to their professors, and in light clothing, and drinking unwarmed the
according to their nations ; and there attached water of the Rhine when almost frozen. His style
themselves to Proaeresius the students coming of eloquence seems to have been flowing, and
from the district south from Pontus inclusive, as graced with allusions to classic times. He had
far as Egypt and Lybia. His great success excited great powers of extemporaneous speaking, and a
VOL. IL
MN
## p. 530 (#546) ############################################
530
PROBUS.
PROBUS.
.
prodigious memory. He has no great credit, so far interior, and even formed the scheme of disarming
as style is concerned, in his pupil Eunapius, but the the inhabitants and of reducing the whole country
names of Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen to the form of a province. Passing onwards, every
(Sozomen, H. E. vi. 17), fully bear out his high foe was swept away from the frontiers of Rhaetia
reputation as a teacher of rhetoric. (Compare and Noricum, which now enjoyed complete se-
Suidas, s. v. ; Clinton, Fast. Rom. pp. 401, 405, curity, the Goths upon the Thracian borders, over-
449, 469 ; Westermann, Geschichte der Griech. awed by his name, tendered submission or were
Beredt. p. 237. )
(W. M. G. ] admitted to alliance, the robber hordes of Isauria
PROBA, FALCO'NIA. [FALCONIA. ] and the savage Blemmyes of Ethiopia were crushed
PROBUS, M. AURELIUS, Roman emperor or dispersed, a treaty was concluded with the Per-
A. D. 276—282, was a native of Sirmium in sians at their own eager solicitation, while, in
Pannonia. His mother is said to have been of addition to the conquest of foreign foes, the rebel-
more noble extraction than his father Maximus, lions of Saturninus at Alexandria, of Proculus and
who after having served as a centurion with good Bonogus in Gaul, were promptly suppressed. The
reputation was raised to the rank of tribune, and emperor on his return to the metropolis celebrted
died in Egypt, bequeathing a very moderate for a well-earned triumph, and determined forth with to
tune to his widow and two children, a son and devote his whole energies to the regulation of the
a daughter. Young Probus, at an early age, civil government. The privileges restored by his
attracted the attention, and gained the favour of predecessor to the senate were confirmed, agricul-
Valerian, from whom, in violation of the ordinary | ture was promoted by the removal of various per-
rules of military service, he received while almost nicious restrictions, large bodies of barbarians were
a boy the coinmission of tribune. Letters have transplanted from the frontiers to more tranquil
been preserved by Vopiscus, addressed by the regions, where they were presented with allotments
prince to Gallienus, and to the praetorian prefect, of land in order that they might learn to dwell in
in which he announces the promotion of the youth, fixed abodes, and to practise the occupations and
whom he praises warmly, and recommends to their duties of civilised life, while in every direction
notice. Nor did he prove unworthy of this pa- protection and encouragement were extended to
tronage. He conducted himself so gallantly in the industry. But the repose purchased by such un-
war against the Sarmatians beyond the Danube, remitting exertion proved the cause of ruin to
that he was forth with entrusted with the command | Probus. Fearing that the discipline of the troops
of a distinguished legion, and was presented in a might be relaxed by inactivity and ease, he em-
public assembly with various military rewards, ployed them in laborious works of public utility,
among others with the highest and most prized of and was even rash enough to express the hope
all decorations, a civic crown, which he had earned that the time was fast approaching when soldiers
by rescuing a noble youth, Valerius Flaccus, a would be no longer necessary. Alarmed by these
kinsman of the emperor, from the hands of the ill-judged expressions, and irritated by toils which
Quadi. His subsequent exploits in Africa, Egypt, they regarded as at once painful and degrading, a
Arabia, Scythia, Persia, Germany, and Gaul, large body of men who were employed under his
gained for him the esteem and admiration of Gal- own inspection in draining the vast swamps which
lienus, Aurelian, and the second Claudius, all of surrounded his native Sirmiuni, in a sudden trans-
whom expressed their feelings in the most earnest port of rage made an attack upon the emperor,
language, while his gentle though firm discipline, who, having vainly attempted to save himself by
the minute care which he evinced in providing for taking refuge in a strong tower, was dragged forth
the wants and comforts of the soldiers, and his and murdered by the infuriated mutineers.
liberality in dividing spoils, secured the zealous History has unhesitatingly pronounced that the
attachment of the troops. By Tacitus he was character of Probus stands without a rival in the
named governor of the whole East, and declared to annals of imperial Rome, combining all the best
be the firmest pillar of the Roman power, and, features of the best princes who adorned the
upon the death of that sovereign, the purple was purple, exhibiting at once the daring valour and
forced upon his acceptance by the armies of Syria. martial skill of Aurelian, the activity and vast
The downfal of Florianus speedily removed his conceptions of Hadrian, the justice, modera-
only rival, and he was enthusiastically hailed by tion, simple habits, amiable disposition, and cul-
the united voice of the senate, the people, and the tivated intellect of Trajan, the Antonines, and
legions.
Alexander. We find no trace upon record of any
The whole reign of Probus, which lasted for counterbalancing vices or defects, and we can
about six years, presents a series of the most bril- detect no motive which could have tempted the
liant achievements. His attention was first turned writers who flourished soon after his decease to
to Gaul, which had become disturbed upon the employ the language of falsehood or flattery in
overthrow of Postumus, and after the death of depicting the career of an obscure Illyrian soldier,
Aurelian had been ravaged, occupied, and almost unconnected by blood or alliance alike with those
subjugated by the Germans. By a succession of who went before him, and with those who suc-
victories the new ruler recovered sixty important ceeded him on the throne.
cities, destroyed 400,000 of the invaders, and Our chief authority is the biography, in the
drove the rest across the Rhine. Following up Augustan History, of Vopiscus, who complains that
his success, he penetrated into the heart of Ger- even when he wrote, the great achievements of this
many, compelled the vanquished tribes to restore extraordinary man were rapidly sinking into ob-
the whole of the plunder which they had borne livion, obliterated doubtless by the stirring events
away, and to furnish a contingent of 16,000 and radical changes in the constitution which fol-
recruits, which were distributed in small numbers lowed with such rapidity the accession of Dio
among the different armies of the empire ; he cletian. By the aid, however, of the books and
established a line of posts stretching far into the state papers which he had consulted in the Ulpian
1
.
## p. 531 (#547) ############################################
PROBUS.
531
PROBUS.
LEYTE
Fm
COIN OP PROBUS.
and Tiberian libraries, the public acts, the journals | the Valerius Probus of Gellius is one and the samo
of the senate, together with the private diary of a person with the Probus Berytius of Suetonius and
certain Turdulus Gallicanus, he was enabled to Hieronymus, for although Gellius, who speaks of
compile a loose and ill-connected narrative. We having conversed with the pupils and friends of
may refer also, but with much less confidence, to Valerius Probus, did not die before A. d. 180, it is
Zosimus, i. 64, &c. , the concluding portion of the by no means impossible, as far as we know to the
reign being lost; to Zonaras, xii. 29 ; Aurel. contrary, that Probus Berytius might have lived on
Vict. de Caes. Ixxvii, Epit. xxxvii ; Eutrop. to the beginning of the second century, although
ix. 11.
[W. R. ] the words of Martial (Ep. iii. 2, 12) cannot be
admitted as evidence of the fact. This view has
been adopted and ably supported by John in the
Prolegomena to his edition of Persius, 8vo. Lips.
1843 (p. cccxxxvi. &c. ). The chicf difficulty, how-
erer, after all, arises from the chronology. Probus
of Berytus is represented by Suetonius as having
long sought the post of a centurion, and as having
not applied himself to literature until he had lost
all hopes of success; hence he must have been well
advanced in life before he commenced his studies,
and consequently, in all probability, must have
been an old man in A. D. 57, when he was recog-
nised at Rome as the most learned of grammarians.
PROBUS, a name borne by several celebrated Moreover, a scholar who in the age of Nero under-
Roman grammarians, whom it is difficult to dis- took to illustrate Virgil, could scarcely with pro-
tinguish from each other.
priety have been represented as devoting himself
i. M. VALERIUS PROBUS, of Berytus, who to the ancient writers, who had fallen into neglect
having served in the army, and having long ap- and almost into oblivion, for such is the meaning
plied without success for promotion, at length be- we should naturally attach to the words of Sueto-
took himself, in disgust, to literary pursuits. He nius.
belongs to the age of Nero, since he stands last in 3. The life of Persius, commonly ascribed to
order in the catalogue of Suetonius, immediately Suetonius, is found in many of the best MSS. of
after Q. Remmius Palaemon, who flourished in the the Satirist with the title Vita A. Persii Flacci de
reigns of Tiberius, Caius, and Claudius ; this is Commentario Probi Valerü sublato. Now since
fully confirmed by the notice of Jerome in the this biography bears evident marks of having been
Eusebian chronicle under Olympiad ccix. L (A. D. composed by some one who lived at a period not
56–7): “ Probus Berytius eruditissimus gramma- very distant from the events which he relates, we
ticorura Romae agnoscitur. " Chance led him to may fairly ascribe it to the commentator on Virgil
.
study the more ancient writers, and he occupied 4. The name of the ancient scholiast on Juvenal
himself in illustrating (emendare ac distinguere et was, according to Valla, by whom he was first pub-
adnotare curavit) their works. He published a lished, Probus Grammaticus. (See In D.
and pursued the Fidenates to their town, to which
PRISCUS, SERVI'LIUS. The Prisci were he proceeded to lay siege, and which he took by
an ancient family of the Servilia gens, and filled means of a mine. From the conquest of this town
the highest offices of the state during the early he received the surname of Fidenas, which was
years of the republic. They also bore the agno- afterwards adopted by his children in the place of
men of Structus, which is always appended to Structus. Servilius is mentioned again in B. C.
their name in the Fasti, till it was supplanted by 431, when he called upon the tribunes of the plebs
that of Fidenas, which was first obtained by Q. to compel the consuls to elect a dictator, in order
Servilius Priscus Structus, who took Fidenae in to carry on the war against the Volsci and Aequi.
his dictatorship, B. C. 435 (see below, No. 6], In B. c. 418 the Roman army was defeated by the
and which was also borne by his descendants Aequi and the Lavicani, in consequence of the
[Nos. 7 and 8).
dissensions and incompetency of the consular tri-
1. P. Servilius Priscus STRUCTUS, consul bunes of that year. Servilius was therefore ap-
B. C. 495 with Ap. Claudius Sabinus Regillensis. pointed dictator a second time; he carried on the
This year was memorable in the annals by the war with success, defeated the Aequi, and took
death of king Tarquin. The temple of Mercury the point of Lavici, where the senate forth with
was also dedicated in this year, and additional established a Roman colony. (Liv. iv, 21, 22, 26
colonists were led to the colony of Signia, which 45–47. )
had been founded by Tarquin. The consuls car- 7. Q. SERVILIUS Q. F. P. N. (PRiscus) FIDE-
ried on war against the Volscians with success, NAS, the son of No. 6, was consular tribune six
and took the town of Suessa Pometia ; and times, namely in B. C. 402, 398, 395, 390, 388,
Priscus subsequently defeated both the Sabines 386. (Liv. v. 8, 14, 24, 36, vi. 4, 6. ) He was
and Aurunci. In the struggles between the patri- also interrex in B. C. 397. (Liv. v. 17. ) There can
cians and plebeians respecting the law of debt, be no doubt that this Servilius was the son of
Priscus was inclined to espouse the side of the No. 6, both from his praenomen Quintus, and his
latter, and published a proclamation favourable to surname Fidenas, as well as from the circumstances
the plebeians ; but as he was unable to assist them that he is designated in the Capitoline Fasti, Q. F.
in opposition to his colleague and the whole body P. N. A difficulty, however, arises from the state-
of the patricians, he incurred the enmity of both ment of Livy, that the C. Servilius, who was consular
parties. (Liv. ii. 21—27 ; Dionys. yi. 23-32 ; tribune in B. C. 418, was the son of the conqueror of
Val. Max. ix. 3. $ 6; Plin. H. N. xxxv. 3. ) Fidenae (Liv. iv. 45, 46); but this is probably a
2. Q. SERVILIUS Priscus STRUCTUS, a brother mistake, since the consular tribune of B. C. 418 is
of No. 1, was magister equitum, in B. C. 494, to called, in the Capitoline Fasti, C. SERVILIUS Q. F.
the dictator, M'. Valerius Maximus. (Dionys. vi. C. N. AXILLA. Besides which, if he were the son
40. )
of the conqueror of Fidenae, he must have been a
3. Sp. ServiliUS Priscus STRUCTUS, consul younger son, as his praenomen shows; and in that
B. C. 476, with A. Virginius Tricostus Rutilus. In case the younger son would have obtained one of
consequence of the destruction of the Fabii at the the highest dignities in the state sixteen years
Cremera in the preceding year, the Etruscans had before his elder brother.
advanced up to the very walls of Rome, and taken 8. Q. SERVILIUS Q. F. Q. N. (PRISCUS) FIDE-
possession of the hill Janiculus. In an attempt NAS, the son of No. 7, was consular tribune three
which Priscus made to take this hill by assault, times, namely, in B. C. 382, 378, 369. (Liv. vi.
he was repulsed with great loss, and would have 22, 31, 36. )
sustained a total defeat, had not his colleague 9. Sp. SERVILIUS Priscus, censor B. C. 378,
Virginius come to his assistance, In consequence with Q. Cloelius Siculus (Liv, vi. 31). As this
of his rashness on this occasion, he was brought Servilius does not bear the surname of Fidenas, he
to trial by the tribunes, as soon as his year of probably was not a descendant of the conqueror of
office had expired, but was acquitted. (Liv. ii. 51, Fidenae.
52 ; Dionys. ix. 25, &c. )
4. Q. SERVILIUS Priscus STRUCTUS, probably * Livy (iv. 21) calls him A. Servilius, in
son of No. 2, was consul B. C. 468, with T. Quin- speaking of his dictatorship of B. C. 435, but
tius Capitolinus Barbatus, and again B. C. 466, R. Servilius when he mentions his dictatorship of
with Sp. Postumius Albus Regillensis. In each B. C. 418 (iv. 46), as well as when he speaks of
year Priscus commanded the Roman armies in the him elsewhere (e. g. iv. 26). There can, there-
wars with the neighbouring nations, but did not fore, be no doubt that the name of Quintus is to be
perform anything worth recording. (Liv. ii. 64, preferred, which we find also in the Capitoline
iii. 2 ; Dionys. ix. 57, 60. )
Fasti.
## p. 529 (#545) ############################################
PROAERESIUS.
529
PROAERESIUS.
PRISCUS SENE'CIO, Q. SO'SIUS, consul the jealousy of the others, who combined against
A. D. 169, with P. Coelius Apollinaris (Fasti). him. Through the intervention of a corrupt pro-
PRISCUS, STA'TIUS, consul a. d. 159, with consul, he was driven from Athens. A new pro-
Plautius Quintillus, two years before the death of consul not only restored him, but, after a public
the emperor Antoninus (Fasti). He was one of trial, bestowed on him public marks of approbation,
the generals sent by his successor, M. Aurelius, to and placed him at once at the head of all the
conduct the war against the Parthians, A. n. 162- teachers of rhetoric in Athens.
The fresh attempts
165. He took Artaxata, the capital of Armenia, and of his enemics to supplant him by splendid enter-
rescued the whole of that country from the Parthian tainments, at which they endeavoured to win over
power. (Capitolin. Anton. Phil. 9, Verus, 7 ; Dion men of power, were rendered nugatory by the ar-
Cass. Ixxi. Fragm. p. 1201, ed. Reimarus. ) rival in Athens of Anatolius, the praefect of Illy-
PRISCUS, TARQUI'NIUS. (TARQUINIUS. ) rium. It is probable that the favour with which
PRISCUS, TARQUI'TIUS, had been a legate that accomplished man regarded Proaeresius, at-
of Statilius Taurus, in Africa, whom he accused, in tracted to the latter the attention of the emperor
order to gratify Agrippina, the wife of the emperor Constans, who sent for him to Gaul, about A. D.
Claudius, who was anxious to obtain possession of 342. Constans detained him for more than one
his pleasure grounds. Taurus put an end to his year (if we may found upon the expression xecuci
life before sentence was pronounced ; and the vas, Eunap. ibid. p. 89), and then sent him to
senate expelled Priscus from its body as an informer. Rome.
Here he was highly esteemed, and having
He was restored, however, to his former rank by written or delivered a eulogy on the city, was
Nero, and appointed governor of Bithynia ; but honoured in return with a life-size statue of bronze,
was condemned in A. D. 61, on account of extortion bearing this inscription, “ The Queen of Cities to the
in his province, to the great delight of the senate. Prince of Eloquence. ” On his departure from
(Tac. Ann, xii. 59, xiv. 46. )
Rome, he obtained for Athens a tributary supply
PRISCUS, M. TREBATIUS, consul suffectus of provisions from several islands — a grant which
in A. D. 109. (Fasti. )
was confirmed by the eparch of Athens at the soli-
PRISCUS, L. VALE’RIUS MESSA'LA citation of Anatolius - and he himself was honoured
THRA'SEA, was distinguished alike by his birth with the title of otpatonedápxos. When the
and wisdom during the reign of Septimius Severus. emperor Julian (A. D. 362) had promulgated the
He was consul in a. D. 196, and about seventeen decree, for which he is so strongly censured, even
years afterwards fell a victim to the cruelty of by bis eulogist Ammianus Marcellinus (xx. 10,
Caracalla. (Dion Cass. lxxvii. 5. )
xxv. 4), forbidding teachers belonging to the Chris-
PRISCÙS, VE'CTIUS, a person mentioned tian religion to practise their art, we are told
by the younger Pliny. (Plin. Ep. vi. 12.
(Hieron. in Chronic. An. 2378), that Proaeresius
PRIVERNAS, an agnomen given to L. Aemi- was expressly exempted from its operation, but
lius Mamercinus, from his taking Privernum in that he refused any immunity not enjoyed by his
B. C. 329. [MAMERCINUS, No. 9. ]
brethren. To this partial suspension of his rheto
PROAE'RESIUS (Ipoaipédios), a distinguished rical functions, Eunapius also alludes, but, dis-
teacher of rhetoric, was a native of Armenia, born tracted by his love of the man, and his hatred of
about a. D. 276, of good connections, though poor. his religion, says doubtingly," he seemed to be a
He came to Antioch to study under the rhetorician Christian” (ibid. p. 92). Eunapius says that it
Ulpian. Having soon risen to high distinction in was about this very time he himself arrived at
his school, he removed to Athens, where he placed Athens, and found in Proaeresius all the kindness
himself under Julian, then seated in the chair of of a father. It is probable, then, that this was in
rhetoric. There came along with him from An- the year 363, when Julian was in the East, and
tioch his friend Hephaestion. A fact told by we may suppose the edict less rigidly enforced.
Eunapius in his life of Proaeresius (Vit. Soph. vol. Proaeresius was then in his 87th year. Eunapius
i. p. 73, ed. Boissonade), illustrates both the po- remained at Athens for five years, and states that
verty and the zeal of these youths. They had be his friend and teacher died not many days after his
tween them but one change of raiment (iuátio kal departure. Proaeresius had married Amphicleia
Tpluvior), and three thin, faded blankets (otpu of Tralles, and by her he had several daughters, all
mata). When Proaeresius went forth to the pub- of whom died in the bloom of youth, and on whom
lic schools, bis friend lay in bed working his exer- Milesius wrote him consolatory verses. His rival
cises, and this they did alternately. Proaeresius Diophantus pronounced his funeral oration (Eunap.
soon acquired a high place in his master's esteem, ibid. p. 94), and his epitaph, written by his pupil
of which, as well as his own merit, a singular proof Gregory Nazianzen, is given by Fabricius (Bibl.
is given by Eunapius (ibid. p. 71, &c. ). On the Graec. vol. vi. p. 137).
death of Julian (according to Clinton, Fast. Rom. From the account given of him by Eunapius,
p. 401, in A. D. 340), who left Proaeresius his who had the best means of information, we learn
house (Eunap. ibid. p. 69), it was determined no that he was of gigantic stature (Casaubon and
longer to confine the chair of rhetoric to one, but to Wyttenbach, ad Eunap. vol. ii. p. 285, conjecture
extend this honour to many. (Eunap. ibid. p. 79. ) that he was nine feet high! ), and of stately bear
Epiphanius, Diophantus, Sopolis, Parnasius, and ing, so vigorous in his old age, that it was impos-
Hephaestion were chosen from among a crowd of sible to suppose him other than in the prime of life.
competitors; but Hephaestion left Athens, dread- His constitution was of iron strength (oronpéov),
ing competition with Proaeresius. The students, braving the winter colds of Gaul without shoes,
generally, betook themselves to their professors, and in light clothing, and drinking unwarmed the
according to their nations ; and there attached water of the Rhine when almost frozen. His style
themselves to Proaeresius the students coming of eloquence seems to have been flowing, and
from the district south from Pontus inclusive, as graced with allusions to classic times. He had
far as Egypt and Lybia. His great success excited great powers of extemporaneous speaking, and a
VOL. IL
MN
## p. 530 (#546) ############################################
530
PROBUS.
PROBUS.
.
prodigious memory. He has no great credit, so far interior, and even formed the scheme of disarming
as style is concerned, in his pupil Eunapius, but the the inhabitants and of reducing the whole country
names of Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen to the form of a province. Passing onwards, every
(Sozomen, H. E. vi. 17), fully bear out his high foe was swept away from the frontiers of Rhaetia
reputation as a teacher of rhetoric. (Compare and Noricum, which now enjoyed complete se-
Suidas, s. v. ; Clinton, Fast. Rom. pp. 401, 405, curity, the Goths upon the Thracian borders, over-
449, 469 ; Westermann, Geschichte der Griech. awed by his name, tendered submission or were
Beredt. p. 237. )
(W. M. G. ] admitted to alliance, the robber hordes of Isauria
PROBA, FALCO'NIA. [FALCONIA. ] and the savage Blemmyes of Ethiopia were crushed
PROBUS, M. AURELIUS, Roman emperor or dispersed, a treaty was concluded with the Per-
A. D. 276—282, was a native of Sirmium in sians at their own eager solicitation, while, in
Pannonia. His mother is said to have been of addition to the conquest of foreign foes, the rebel-
more noble extraction than his father Maximus, lions of Saturninus at Alexandria, of Proculus and
who after having served as a centurion with good Bonogus in Gaul, were promptly suppressed. The
reputation was raised to the rank of tribune, and emperor on his return to the metropolis celebrted
died in Egypt, bequeathing a very moderate for a well-earned triumph, and determined forth with to
tune to his widow and two children, a son and devote his whole energies to the regulation of the
a daughter. Young Probus, at an early age, civil government. The privileges restored by his
attracted the attention, and gained the favour of predecessor to the senate were confirmed, agricul-
Valerian, from whom, in violation of the ordinary | ture was promoted by the removal of various per-
rules of military service, he received while almost nicious restrictions, large bodies of barbarians were
a boy the coinmission of tribune. Letters have transplanted from the frontiers to more tranquil
been preserved by Vopiscus, addressed by the regions, where they were presented with allotments
prince to Gallienus, and to the praetorian prefect, of land in order that they might learn to dwell in
in which he announces the promotion of the youth, fixed abodes, and to practise the occupations and
whom he praises warmly, and recommends to their duties of civilised life, while in every direction
notice. Nor did he prove unworthy of this pa- protection and encouragement were extended to
tronage. He conducted himself so gallantly in the industry. But the repose purchased by such un-
war against the Sarmatians beyond the Danube, remitting exertion proved the cause of ruin to
that he was forth with entrusted with the command | Probus. Fearing that the discipline of the troops
of a distinguished legion, and was presented in a might be relaxed by inactivity and ease, he em-
public assembly with various military rewards, ployed them in laborious works of public utility,
among others with the highest and most prized of and was even rash enough to express the hope
all decorations, a civic crown, which he had earned that the time was fast approaching when soldiers
by rescuing a noble youth, Valerius Flaccus, a would be no longer necessary. Alarmed by these
kinsman of the emperor, from the hands of the ill-judged expressions, and irritated by toils which
Quadi. His subsequent exploits in Africa, Egypt, they regarded as at once painful and degrading, a
Arabia, Scythia, Persia, Germany, and Gaul, large body of men who were employed under his
gained for him the esteem and admiration of Gal- own inspection in draining the vast swamps which
lienus, Aurelian, and the second Claudius, all of surrounded his native Sirmiuni, in a sudden trans-
whom expressed their feelings in the most earnest port of rage made an attack upon the emperor,
language, while his gentle though firm discipline, who, having vainly attempted to save himself by
the minute care which he evinced in providing for taking refuge in a strong tower, was dragged forth
the wants and comforts of the soldiers, and his and murdered by the infuriated mutineers.
liberality in dividing spoils, secured the zealous History has unhesitatingly pronounced that the
attachment of the troops. By Tacitus he was character of Probus stands without a rival in the
named governor of the whole East, and declared to annals of imperial Rome, combining all the best
be the firmest pillar of the Roman power, and, features of the best princes who adorned the
upon the death of that sovereign, the purple was purple, exhibiting at once the daring valour and
forced upon his acceptance by the armies of Syria. martial skill of Aurelian, the activity and vast
The downfal of Florianus speedily removed his conceptions of Hadrian, the justice, modera-
only rival, and he was enthusiastically hailed by tion, simple habits, amiable disposition, and cul-
the united voice of the senate, the people, and the tivated intellect of Trajan, the Antonines, and
legions.
Alexander. We find no trace upon record of any
The whole reign of Probus, which lasted for counterbalancing vices or defects, and we can
about six years, presents a series of the most bril- detect no motive which could have tempted the
liant achievements. His attention was first turned writers who flourished soon after his decease to
to Gaul, which had become disturbed upon the employ the language of falsehood or flattery in
overthrow of Postumus, and after the death of depicting the career of an obscure Illyrian soldier,
Aurelian had been ravaged, occupied, and almost unconnected by blood or alliance alike with those
subjugated by the Germans. By a succession of who went before him, and with those who suc-
victories the new ruler recovered sixty important ceeded him on the throne.
cities, destroyed 400,000 of the invaders, and Our chief authority is the biography, in the
drove the rest across the Rhine. Following up Augustan History, of Vopiscus, who complains that
his success, he penetrated into the heart of Ger- even when he wrote, the great achievements of this
many, compelled the vanquished tribes to restore extraordinary man were rapidly sinking into ob-
the whole of the plunder which they had borne livion, obliterated doubtless by the stirring events
away, and to furnish a contingent of 16,000 and radical changes in the constitution which fol-
recruits, which were distributed in small numbers lowed with such rapidity the accession of Dio
among the different armies of the empire ; he cletian. By the aid, however, of the books and
established a line of posts stretching far into the state papers which he had consulted in the Ulpian
1
.
## p. 531 (#547) ############################################
PROBUS.
531
PROBUS.
LEYTE
Fm
COIN OP PROBUS.
and Tiberian libraries, the public acts, the journals | the Valerius Probus of Gellius is one and the samo
of the senate, together with the private diary of a person with the Probus Berytius of Suetonius and
certain Turdulus Gallicanus, he was enabled to Hieronymus, for although Gellius, who speaks of
compile a loose and ill-connected narrative. We having conversed with the pupils and friends of
may refer also, but with much less confidence, to Valerius Probus, did not die before A. d. 180, it is
Zosimus, i. 64, &c. , the concluding portion of the by no means impossible, as far as we know to the
reign being lost; to Zonaras, xii. 29 ; Aurel. contrary, that Probus Berytius might have lived on
Vict. de Caes. Ixxvii, Epit. xxxvii ; Eutrop. to the beginning of the second century, although
ix. 11.
[W. R. ] the words of Martial (Ep. iii. 2, 12) cannot be
admitted as evidence of the fact. This view has
been adopted and ably supported by John in the
Prolegomena to his edition of Persius, 8vo. Lips.
1843 (p. cccxxxvi. &c. ). The chicf difficulty, how-
erer, after all, arises from the chronology. Probus
of Berytus is represented by Suetonius as having
long sought the post of a centurion, and as having
not applied himself to literature until he had lost
all hopes of success; hence he must have been well
advanced in life before he commenced his studies,
and consequently, in all probability, must have
been an old man in A. D. 57, when he was recog-
nised at Rome as the most learned of grammarians.
PROBUS, a name borne by several celebrated Moreover, a scholar who in the age of Nero under-
Roman grammarians, whom it is difficult to dis- took to illustrate Virgil, could scarcely with pro-
tinguish from each other.
priety have been represented as devoting himself
i. M. VALERIUS PROBUS, of Berytus, who to the ancient writers, who had fallen into neglect
having served in the army, and having long ap- and almost into oblivion, for such is the meaning
plied without success for promotion, at length be- we should naturally attach to the words of Sueto-
took himself, in disgust, to literary pursuits. He nius.
belongs to the age of Nero, since he stands last in 3. The life of Persius, commonly ascribed to
order in the catalogue of Suetonius, immediately Suetonius, is found in many of the best MSS. of
after Q. Remmius Palaemon, who flourished in the the Satirist with the title Vita A. Persii Flacci de
reigns of Tiberius, Caius, and Claudius ; this is Commentario Probi Valerü sublato. Now since
fully confirmed by the notice of Jerome in the this biography bears evident marks of having been
Eusebian chronicle under Olympiad ccix. L (A. D. composed by some one who lived at a period not
56–7): “ Probus Berytius eruditissimus gramma- very distant from the events which he relates, we
ticorura Romae agnoscitur. " Chance led him to may fairly ascribe it to the commentator on Virgil
.
study the more ancient writers, and he occupied 4. The name of the ancient scholiast on Juvenal
himself in illustrating (emendare ac distinguere et was, according to Valla, by whom he was first pub-
adnotare curavit) their works. He published a lished, Probus Grammaticus. (See In D.
