and
contrived
the sudden and famous plot, in con.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
9).
It is the head of the
the members of his family who succeeded him, same emperor which is on the obverse of the an-
invented the art of casting statues in bronze and nexed coin. (Eckhel, vol. ii. p. 378. )
iron (Paus. viii. 14. & 5, s. 8; Plin. H. N. xxxv.
12, s. 43), and that there still existed, at the time
of Pausanias, in the temple of Artemis at Ephesus,
a bronze statue of rude antique workmanship,
which was said to represent night, and to have
been the work of Rhoecus. (Paus. x. 38. $ 3,
B. 6. )
[P. S. ]
RHOEMETALCES 'I. , ('Poluntákns), king
of Thrace, was the brother of Cotys (No. 4), of
Rhascuporis [No. 2], and uncle and guardian of COIN OF RHOEMET ALCES, KING OF BOSPORUS.
Rhascuporis [No. 3]. On his nephew's death,
B. c. 13, Rhoemetalces was expelled from Thrace,
RHOEO ('Polc). 1. A daughter of Staphylus
and driven into the Chersonesus, by Vologaeses, and Chrysothemis, was beloved by A pollo. When
chief of the Thracian Bessi. About two years
her father discovered that she was with child, he
afterwards L. Piso, praetor of Pamphylia, drove put her in a chest, and exposed her to the waves
The chest floated to the coast of
the Bessi from the Chersonesus, and Rhoemetalces of the sea.
received from Augustus his nephew's dominions, Euboea (or Delos), where Rhoeo gave birth to
with some additions, since Tacitus calls him king Anius (Diod. v. 62 ; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 570). Sub-
of all Thrace. On his death Augustus divided his sequently she was married to Zarex. (Tzetz. ad
kingdom between his son Cotys (No. 5), and his Lycoph. 580. )
brother Rhascuporis [No. 2]. (Tac. Ann. ii. 64 ;
2. A daughter of the river-god Scamander, be-
Dion Cass. liv. 20, 34 ; comp. Vell
. Pat. ii. 98. ) came by Laomedon the mother of Tithonus. (Tzetz.
On the obverse of the annexed coin is the head of ad Lycoph. 18. )
[L. S. ]
Augustus, and on the reverse that of Rhoeme-
RHOETEIA ('Portela), a daughter of the
talces and his wife.
[W. B. D. ]
Thracian king Sithon and Achiroe, a daughter of
Neilos. She was a sister of Pallene, and the
Trojan promontory of Rhoeteium was believed to
have derived its name from her. (Tzetz. ad Ly.
coph. 583, 1161 ; Steph. Byz. s. v. ) (L. S. ]
RHOETUS. 1. A centaur, probably the same
whom Greek poets call Rhoecus. At the wedding
of Peirithous he was wounded by Dryas and took
to flight. (Ov. Met. xii. 300 ; comp. Virg. Georg.
ii. 456. )
2. One of the giants who was slain by Bacchus
(Horat. Carm. ii. 19, 23); he is usually called
COIN OF RHOEMETALCES I. , KING OF THRACE.
Eurytus. (Apollod. i. 6. § 2 ; comp. Virg. 1. c. )
3. A companion of Phineas, was slain by Per-
RHOEMETALCES 11. ("Poluprádkms), king seus. (Ov. Met
. v. 38. )
of Thrace, was the son of Rhascuporis [No. 2) and 4. A mythical king of the Marrubians in Italy,
nephew of the preceding. On the deposition of his who married a second wife Casperia, with whom
father, whose ambitious projects he had opposed, his son Anchemolus committed ineest. In order
Rhoemetalces shared with the sons of Cotys (No. 5] to escape from his father's vengeance, Anchemolus
the kingdom of Thrace. He remained faithful to fled to king Daunus. (Serv. ad Xen. x. 388. ) [L. S. ]
Rome, and aided in putting down the Thracian RHO'PALUS (“Pómalos), a son of Heracles
malcontents in a. D. 26. Caligula, in A. D. 38, and father of Phaestus (Ptolem. Heph. 3; Eustath.
## p. 654 (#670) ############################################
654
RICIMER.
ROMA.
66
al llom. p. 237). A second mythical personage plied with, and for some time the two supreme
of this name is mentioned by Pausanias (ii. 6. & chiefs ruled peacefully together. Soon, however,
4. )
[L. S. ] their harmony was disturbed by jealousy, and
RI'CIMER, one of the most extraordinary Ricimer withdrew to Milan, ready to declare war
characters in later Roman history, and worthy of | against his father-in-law. St. Epiphanius reconciled
being called the Roman King-Maker," was the them, and matters went on to their mutual satis-
son of a Suevian chief who had married the faction till 472, when Leo got rid of his overbear-
daughter of Wallia, king of the West Goths. He ing minister, Aspar. This event made Ricimer
spent his youth at the court of the emperor Valen- reflect upon his own snfety, for he justly appre-
tinian, served with distinction under Aëtius, and hended that the western emperor would follow the
was raised to the dignity of comes. His rare example set by his colleague in the East. He
talents boundless ambition, and daring courage therefore forth with sallied out from Milan with a
urged him on to still higher eminence, and his picked and devoted army, and laid siege to Rome.
treacherous disposition and systematic selfishness Even before the city was taken, Ricimer offered
assisted him greatly in attaining his object. In A. D. the diadem to Olybrius, whom Leo had sent
456, Ricimer gained a decisive naval victory off thither to negotiate a peace between the rivals.
Corsica over a fleet of the Vandals, then at war Anthemius was massacred some days after Rome
with Avitus, and he defeated the land-forces of had been taken by Ricimer and plundered by his
the Vandals near Agrigentum in Sicily. These warriors. Olybrius now reigned as emperor as far
victories made his name so popular that he resolved as was possible under the over-hanging sword of
upon carrying out a scheme which he seems to the King-Maker ; but only forty days after the
have formed some time previously, namely, to de- sack of Rome, Ricimer died of a malignant fever
pose Avitus, who had, ever since his accession, (18th August 472), after having made and unmade
ceased to display his former great qualities, and five Roman emperois. (The authorities quoted in
had incurred the hatred and contempt of his sub- the lives of ANTHEMIUS, Avitus, MAJORIANUS,
jects. After his return to Italy, Ricimer kindled OLYBRIUs, and Severus. )
[W. P. )
a rebellion at Ravenna, gained the assistance of ROBIGUS (or fem. ROBI'GO) is described
the Roman senate, and then set out to encounter by some Latin writers as a divinity worshipped
Avitus, who approached from Gaul. A bloody for the purpose of averting blight or too great
battle was fought at Placentia, on the 16th (17th) heat from the young cornfields. The festival of
October, 456, in which Avitus lost his crown and the Robigalia was celebrated on the 25th of April,
liberty. Ricimer made him bishop of Placentia, and was said to have been instituted by Numa
but soon afterwards contrived his death. Marcian, (Varro, de Ling. Lat. vi. 16 ; Serv. ad Virg.
and after him Leo, emperors of the East, now as- Georg. i. 151 ; Gellius, v. 12; Ov. Fast. iv. 907,
sumed the title of Western emperors also ; but the 911). But considering the uncertainty of the
power was with Ricimer, who might have seized ancients themselves as to whether the divinity was
the diadem, in spite of the law that no barbarian masculine or feminine, and that the Romans did
should be Roman emperor, but preferred to give it not pay divine honours to any evil demon, it is
to Majorian. He had previously obtained the title highly probable that the divinity Robigus, or
of patrician from Leo, who also gave consent to Robigo, is only an abstraction of the later Romans
the nomination of Majorian (475). A proof that from the festival of the Robigalia (Comp. Varro,
the real power remained in Ricimer is given by de Re Rust. i. 2. )
(L. S. ]
Majorian himself, who in a letter to the senate, pre- ROCUS, Q. CREPEREIUS. (CREPEREIUS. )
served in the Codex Theodosianus, says that he ROCUS, ROMI’LIUS. [Romilius. ]
and “his father Ricimer" would take proper care ROLES, a king of some tribes of the Getae,
of military affairs. Majorian having displayed fought under Crassus, the proconsul of Macedonia,
uncommon energy, and, to Ricimer, most unex- B. C. 29, against the neighbouring barbarians, and
pected wisdom, the latter was filled with jealousy, was recognised by Augustus as a friend and ally.
and contrived the sudden and famous plot, in con. According to Leunclavius, the name is the same
sequence of which Majorian lost his life by Rici- as the Norman Rollo, and the German Rodolph.
mer's order (461). Ricimer put Vibius Severus (Dion Cass. li. 24, 26. )
Serpentinus on the throne in his stead. The ac- ROMA ('Puun). i. The personification of the
cession of the new emperor was not approved of city of Rome, and as such called Dea Roma.
by Leo, and was contested by Aegidius, in Gaul, Temples were erected to her, not only at Rome,
a province where Ricimer had not succeeded in but in other cities of the empire, such as Smyrna
obtaining more than nominal power, The revolt (Tac. Ann. iv. 56 ; Spartian. Hadr. 19). She was
of Aegidius, however, was absorbed by other in represented clad in a long robe, and with a helmet,
testine troubles in Gaul, and caused no danger to in a sitting posture, strongly resembling the
Italy. Severus died in 465, perhaps poisoned by figures of the Greek Athena. She was in reality
Ricimer, and during eighteen months the empire the genius of the city of Rome, and was worshipped
was without an emperor, though not without a as such from early times; but it seems that previous
head, for that was always Ricimer's. The Ro- to the time of Augustus, there was no temple de-
mans, however, were displeased with his despotism, dicated to her in the city ; but afterwards their
and requested Leo to give them an emperor. An- number increased in all parts of the empire (Liv.
themius was accordingly proposed and accepted, xliii. 5 ; Tac. Ann. iv. 37; Dion Cass. li. p. 458 ; P.
not only by the people, but also by Ricimer, who Vict. Reg. Urb. iv. ). As Roma (pwun) also sig-
showed great diplomatic skill in this transaction : nifiedstrength,” it is not impossible that the ode
he made a sort of bargain with the successful can- of Erinna, addressed to Roma, may be an ode to
didate, and promised to lend him his assistance on the personification of strength.
condition that Anthemius should give him his 2. A Trojan captive, who advised her fellow-
daughter in marriage. This was accordingly com- captives on the coast of Italy to set fire to the fieet
## p. 655 (#671) ############################################
ROMANUS.
655
ROMANUS.
of the Greeks. (Plut. Romul. 1 ; Tzetz. ad Ly- his ship and made sail for Constantinople, he was
copil. 921. )
accused of treachery by Leo Phocas. It must,
3. A daughter of Italus and Lucania, or a however, be understood that both the accused and
daughter of Telephus. In some traditions she was the accuser aimed at supreme power, and Romanus
mid to have been the wife of Aeneas or Ascanius, left the theatre of the war, probably for the pur-
and to have given her name to the city of Rome. pose of being within reach of the throne, as well
(Plut. Romul. 2. )
(L. S. ) as of the man who wanted to place himself thereon.
ROMA'NUS, a friend of the younger Pliny, A civil war was on the point of breaking out,
to whom several of his letters are addressed (Ep. when Romanus, patronised and perbaps loved by
iv. 29, vi. 15, 33, viii. 8, ix. 7). Pliny had two the dowager empress, seized upon the chamberlain
friends of this name, Romanus Firmus and Voco Constantine, one of the most influential adherents of
nius Romanus, and it is probable that some of the Phocas, who avenged the captivity of his friend by
above letters are addressed to one of these persone, taking up arms. Romanus, who had been appointed
but it is impossible to say to which.
Magnus Heteriarcha, or commander in chief of the
ROMA'NUS, FIRMUS, a friend and muni- foreign body-guard of the emperor, worsted Phocas,
ceps of the younger Pliny, with whom the latter and in reward was made Cresar in September,
had been brought up, and to whom he addresses and crowned 18 Augustus and emperor on the
one of his letters, in which he offers to give him a 17th December, 919. He had previously given
sufficient sum of money to raise him to the eques- his daughter Helena in marriage to the young em-
trian rank. (Ep. i. 19. )
peror Constantine, and shortly after his accession
ROMANUS, FA'BIUS, one of the friends of he conferred the rank of Augustus and Augusta
the poet Lucan, accused Mela, the father of the upon his son Christopher and his wife Theodora.
poet, after the death of the latter, because Nero Romanus was now the legitimate colleague of
was anxious to obtain his property. (Tac. Ann. Constantine VII. , over whom he exercised such
xvi. 17. )
authority as to cause many plots against his life,
ROMA'NUS HISPO, a Roman rhetorician, and sometimes open rebellions, which he succeeded
who earned an infamous character by undertaking in quelling:
prosecutions to please the early emperors. He is The following are the principal events of his
first mentioned at the commencement of the reign reign. The great schism of the church, which had
of Tiberius, when he supported the accusation of lasted ever since the deposition of the patriarch
Caepio Crispinus against Granius Marcellus. In Euthymius and the famous fourth wedlock of the
A. D. 62, he accused Seneca as one of the associates emperor Leo VI. , was at last healed, in 920,
of C. Piso, but the accusation was retorted upon through the intervention of Pope JohnX. ; and by
him by Seneca (Tac. Ann. i. 74, xvi. 17). Ro- an edict of Constantine VII. of the same year, a
manus Hispo constantly occurs as one of the fourth marriage was declared anti-canonical, and
declaimers in the Controversiae of the elder made punishable. In 921 another of those inter-
Seneca.
minable wars with the Bulgarians, or perhaps only
ROMA'NUS, JUʻLIUS, a Roman poet, whose a fresh and formidable invasion, drew the attention
name is prefixed to an epigram on Petronius Ar- of Romanus towards the Danube, but the Bul-
biter in the Latin Anthology (ii. 235, ed. Bur- gariar. s saved him the trouble of going so far away
mann, No. 1544, ed. Meyer). This Julius, how from Constantinople by advancing thither with all
ever, as Niebuhr points out (Kleine Schriften, their force, and ravaging the country. This war
p. 347), is not an ancient writer, but Julius Sa- became still more formidable when Simeon, the
binus, otherwise called Julius Pomponius Laetus, king of the Bulgarians concluded, in 923, an al-
who died in the year 1497. (Comp. Meyer, Annot. liance with the Arabs. But we purposely refrain
ad Anthol. Lat. vol. ii. p. 122. )
from giving the details of these barbarous wars,
ROMANUS, VOCO'NIUS, a fellow-student presenting little more than an uninterrupted series
and an intimate friend of the younger Pliny, was of bloodshed and devastations without profit to
the son of an illustrious Roman eques, and his either party. A remarkable interview between
mother belonged to one of the most distinguished Romanus and Simeon, which took place in 926,
families in Nearer Spain (Plin. Ep. ii. 13). If | under the walls of Constantinople, put a temporary
we may trust the testimony of his friend, Voco- end to these troubles. In the previous year the
nius was a distinguished orator, and possessed patrician John Radinus worsted and destroyed the
great skill in composition. Several of Pliny's let- fleet of the famous pirate chief Leo, of Tripolis,
ters are addressed to him, (Ep. i. 5, v. 1, ix. who had sacked Thessalonica twenty-two years pre-
28. )
viously. In 927 King Simeon died, after having
ROMA'NUS I. , LECAPE'NUS ('Papavós o ruined Bulgaria through his very victories, and was
Aarannvós), Byzantine emperor from A. D. 919 succeeded by his son Peter, who was less warlike,
–944, was the son of Theophylactus Abastactus, though not less courageous than his father ; for he
a brave warrior, who had once saved the life of entered the Byzantine territory at the head of a
the emperor Basil. Romanus served in the im- strong army, proposing to the emperor to choose
perial feet, distinguished himself on many occa- between war and peace, on condition of his giving
sions, and enjoyed the esteem of his fellow-soldiers him his grand-daughter in marriage, a proposition
on account of his rare bravery. One of his men which Romanus the more eagerly accepted, as he
having been attacked by a lion, Romanus, who wanted all his forces to check the progress of the
was near, rushed to his assistance and killed the Arabs. His possessions in Italy also required pro-
monster in single combat. When the young tection against the petty Lombard princes. In 901
Constantine VII. Porphyrogenitus, ascended the Christopher died, the eldest son of Romanus and hus-
throne, Romanus was high admiral, and com- band of Sophia, the daughter of Nicetas magister
manded the fleet on the Danube in the war with palatii, who a short time previously had been sent
the Bulgarians, but as he suddenly withdrew with into a convent for a conspiracy against the emperor,
## p. 656 (#672) ############################################
656
ROMANUS.
ROMANUS.
Romanus, 60 wise in many respects, compromised | father, was no sooner independent than she excited
himself extremely in 933, by making his son Romanus against his own family ; his five sisters
Theophylactus, a lad of sixteen, patriarch of Con- were compelled to leave the palace, and confined
stantinople, after first obtaining the approbation of in the same convent where Sophia, the widow of
Pope John XI.
Theophylactus proved a very Christophorus Augustus bad then been during
miserable prelate. From 934 to 940 the empire thirty years ; but the empress dowager, Helena,
enjoyed an almost universal peace, Italy excepted, possessed too much energy to yield to her daughter-
where the petty warfare with the Lombard princes in-law, and she accordingly remained in the palace,
went on as before. But in 941 Constantinople but she died soon afterwards of a broken heart.
was in terror at the sudden appearance of a Rus- | Although Romanus never showed himself in the
bian fleet of 10,000 boats, commanded by Prince field, he had two renowned generals by whom
Ingor, who cast anchor at the very entrance of the some glorious deeds were done, namely, the two
Bosporus, and whose troops ravaged the neighbour brothers Nicephorus and Leo Phocas. Nicephorus
ing country. Romanus, however, equipped in all recovered the flourishing island of Creta, after a
haste a small number of galleys (15? ) lying in long siege of its capital Candia, and after the
the Golden Horn, with which Theophanes boldly Arabs had ruled there during 150 years (961);
attacked the Russians, destroyed a great number and Leo was successful against the Arabs in Asia.
of their boats, and compelled Ingor to fly. Theo- After the fall of Candia, and the splendid triumph
phanes soon afterwards obtained a second victory of Nicephorus in Constantinople, the two brothers
over the rest of the fleet on the coast of Thrace, joined their forces against the Arabs, and obtained
and of this formidable armada very little came most signal victories over them. A rumour having
back to Russia. Ingor died soon afterwards, and spread of the death of Romanus, Nicephorus ap-
in 945 his wife Olga came to Constantinople to proached the capital through fear of Bringas ; but
receive baptism : she was christened Helena, and the rumour was false, and Nicephorus remained in
is held in the utmost veneration in the Russian Asia, observing Constantinople. Events showed
church.
the prudence of this step ; for Romanus, already
Down to this period Constantine Porphyrogeni- exhausted by his mode of life, was despatched by
tus, although the legitimate emperor by descent, poison administered to him by his own wife Theo-
had only enjoyed the title of his rank, and he now phano. He died on the 15th of March, 963, at
resolved upon having the power also. To this the age of twenty-four. Ambition, and perhaps
effect he excited the ambition of the two sur- the secret advice of the eunuch Bringas, urged
viving sons of Romanus, Stephanus and Constan- Theophano to commit the foul deed. Romanus
tine, both Augusti, who in their turn were tired married first Bertha, afterwards called Eudoxia,
of the autocracy of their aged father. A con- the natural daughter of Hugo, king of Italy, who
spiracy was set on foot, headed by Stephanus, who died a child before the marriage was consummated.
had the assistance of several energetic and distin. By his second wife Anastasia, afterwards called
guished men. Sure of success, he suddenly seized Theophano, a woman of base extraction, he left
upon the person of his father, and with secret two sons, Basil II. and Constantine VIII. , who
despatch had him carried to the island of Protea, followed him on the throne, and two daughters,
at the entrance of the Propontis, where Romanus Theophano, who married Otho II. emperor of Ger-
was thrown into a convent and had his head many, an excellent woman, who became the an-
shaved forth with, as he was thus rendered incom- cestress of most of the reigning houses in Europe,
petent to reign (20th of December, 944). The and Anna Posthuma, who married Wladimir, first
Bons of Romanus, however, did not reap the fruits Christian prince of Russia. (Cedren. p. 642, &c. ;
of their treachery, for Constantine VII. was pro- | Zonar. vol. ii. p. 196, &c. ; Manass. p. 115, Glyc.
claimed sole emperor, after the unnatural children p. 304 ; Leo Diacon. p. 500, &c. in the Paris
of the deposed emperor had enjoyed the title of editions. )
(W. P. )
co-emperors during the short space of five weeks. ROMANUS III. , ARGYRUS or ARGY.
They were then arrested and sent to Protea, where ROPU'LUS ('Pwpavós ó 'Apyupos or ó Apyupó-
a touching interview took place between them and Toulos), Byzantine emperor from A. D. 1028 —
their unfortunate father. Stephanus died nineteen 1034, was the son of Leo Argyrus Dux, and
years afterwards in exile, and Constantine sur- belonged to a distinguished family. Romanus
vived his captivity only two years, when he was obtained such military glory in the reign of Con-
massacred in an attempt at making his escape. stantine VIII. , that this prince appointed him his
Romanus lived a quiet monkish life in his con- successor, and offered him the hand of one of his
vent, and died a natural death on the 15th of June, daughters, a few days before he died. Romanus
(Cedren. p. 614, &c. ; Leo. Diacon. p. was married to Helena, a virtuous woman, whom
492, &c. ; Manass. p. 111, &c. ; Zonaras, vol.
the members of his family who succeeded him, same emperor which is on the obverse of the an-
invented the art of casting statues in bronze and nexed coin. (Eckhel, vol. ii. p. 378. )
iron (Paus. viii. 14. & 5, s. 8; Plin. H. N. xxxv.
12, s. 43), and that there still existed, at the time
of Pausanias, in the temple of Artemis at Ephesus,
a bronze statue of rude antique workmanship,
which was said to represent night, and to have
been the work of Rhoecus. (Paus. x. 38. $ 3,
B. 6. )
[P. S. ]
RHOEMETALCES 'I. , ('Poluntákns), king
of Thrace, was the brother of Cotys (No. 4), of
Rhascuporis [No. 2], and uncle and guardian of COIN OF RHOEMET ALCES, KING OF BOSPORUS.
Rhascuporis [No. 3]. On his nephew's death,
B. c. 13, Rhoemetalces was expelled from Thrace,
RHOEO ('Polc). 1. A daughter of Staphylus
and driven into the Chersonesus, by Vologaeses, and Chrysothemis, was beloved by A pollo. When
chief of the Thracian Bessi. About two years
her father discovered that she was with child, he
afterwards L. Piso, praetor of Pamphylia, drove put her in a chest, and exposed her to the waves
The chest floated to the coast of
the Bessi from the Chersonesus, and Rhoemetalces of the sea.
received from Augustus his nephew's dominions, Euboea (or Delos), where Rhoeo gave birth to
with some additions, since Tacitus calls him king Anius (Diod. v. 62 ; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 570). Sub-
of all Thrace. On his death Augustus divided his sequently she was married to Zarex. (Tzetz. ad
kingdom between his son Cotys (No. 5), and his Lycoph. 580. )
brother Rhascuporis [No. 2]. (Tac. Ann. ii. 64 ;
2. A daughter of the river-god Scamander, be-
Dion Cass. liv. 20, 34 ; comp. Vell
. Pat. ii. 98. ) came by Laomedon the mother of Tithonus. (Tzetz.
On the obverse of the annexed coin is the head of ad Lycoph. 18. )
[L. S. ]
Augustus, and on the reverse that of Rhoeme-
RHOETEIA ('Portela), a daughter of the
talces and his wife.
[W. B. D. ]
Thracian king Sithon and Achiroe, a daughter of
Neilos. She was a sister of Pallene, and the
Trojan promontory of Rhoeteium was believed to
have derived its name from her. (Tzetz. ad Ly.
coph. 583, 1161 ; Steph. Byz. s. v. ) (L. S. ]
RHOETUS. 1. A centaur, probably the same
whom Greek poets call Rhoecus. At the wedding
of Peirithous he was wounded by Dryas and took
to flight. (Ov. Met. xii. 300 ; comp. Virg. Georg.
ii. 456. )
2. One of the giants who was slain by Bacchus
(Horat. Carm. ii. 19, 23); he is usually called
COIN OF RHOEMETALCES I. , KING OF THRACE.
Eurytus. (Apollod. i. 6. § 2 ; comp. Virg. 1. c. )
3. A companion of Phineas, was slain by Per-
RHOEMETALCES 11. ("Poluprádkms), king seus. (Ov. Met
. v. 38. )
of Thrace, was the son of Rhascuporis [No. 2) and 4. A mythical king of the Marrubians in Italy,
nephew of the preceding. On the deposition of his who married a second wife Casperia, with whom
father, whose ambitious projects he had opposed, his son Anchemolus committed ineest. In order
Rhoemetalces shared with the sons of Cotys (No. 5] to escape from his father's vengeance, Anchemolus
the kingdom of Thrace. He remained faithful to fled to king Daunus. (Serv. ad Xen. x. 388. ) [L. S. ]
Rome, and aided in putting down the Thracian RHO'PALUS (“Pómalos), a son of Heracles
malcontents in a. D. 26. Caligula, in A. D. 38, and father of Phaestus (Ptolem. Heph. 3; Eustath.
## p. 654 (#670) ############################################
654
RICIMER.
ROMA.
66
al llom. p. 237). A second mythical personage plied with, and for some time the two supreme
of this name is mentioned by Pausanias (ii. 6. & chiefs ruled peacefully together. Soon, however,
4. )
[L. S. ] their harmony was disturbed by jealousy, and
RI'CIMER, one of the most extraordinary Ricimer withdrew to Milan, ready to declare war
characters in later Roman history, and worthy of | against his father-in-law. St. Epiphanius reconciled
being called the Roman King-Maker," was the them, and matters went on to their mutual satis-
son of a Suevian chief who had married the faction till 472, when Leo got rid of his overbear-
daughter of Wallia, king of the West Goths. He ing minister, Aspar. This event made Ricimer
spent his youth at the court of the emperor Valen- reflect upon his own snfety, for he justly appre-
tinian, served with distinction under Aëtius, and hended that the western emperor would follow the
was raised to the dignity of comes. His rare example set by his colleague in the East. He
talents boundless ambition, and daring courage therefore forth with sallied out from Milan with a
urged him on to still higher eminence, and his picked and devoted army, and laid siege to Rome.
treacherous disposition and systematic selfishness Even before the city was taken, Ricimer offered
assisted him greatly in attaining his object. In A. D. the diadem to Olybrius, whom Leo had sent
456, Ricimer gained a decisive naval victory off thither to negotiate a peace between the rivals.
Corsica over a fleet of the Vandals, then at war Anthemius was massacred some days after Rome
with Avitus, and he defeated the land-forces of had been taken by Ricimer and plundered by his
the Vandals near Agrigentum in Sicily. These warriors. Olybrius now reigned as emperor as far
victories made his name so popular that he resolved as was possible under the over-hanging sword of
upon carrying out a scheme which he seems to the King-Maker ; but only forty days after the
have formed some time previously, namely, to de- sack of Rome, Ricimer died of a malignant fever
pose Avitus, who had, ever since his accession, (18th August 472), after having made and unmade
ceased to display his former great qualities, and five Roman emperois. (The authorities quoted in
had incurred the hatred and contempt of his sub- the lives of ANTHEMIUS, Avitus, MAJORIANUS,
jects. After his return to Italy, Ricimer kindled OLYBRIUs, and Severus. )
[W. P. )
a rebellion at Ravenna, gained the assistance of ROBIGUS (or fem. ROBI'GO) is described
the Roman senate, and then set out to encounter by some Latin writers as a divinity worshipped
Avitus, who approached from Gaul. A bloody for the purpose of averting blight or too great
battle was fought at Placentia, on the 16th (17th) heat from the young cornfields. The festival of
October, 456, in which Avitus lost his crown and the Robigalia was celebrated on the 25th of April,
liberty. Ricimer made him bishop of Placentia, and was said to have been instituted by Numa
but soon afterwards contrived his death. Marcian, (Varro, de Ling. Lat. vi. 16 ; Serv. ad Virg.
and after him Leo, emperors of the East, now as- Georg. i. 151 ; Gellius, v. 12; Ov. Fast. iv. 907,
sumed the title of Western emperors also ; but the 911). But considering the uncertainty of the
power was with Ricimer, who might have seized ancients themselves as to whether the divinity was
the diadem, in spite of the law that no barbarian masculine or feminine, and that the Romans did
should be Roman emperor, but preferred to give it not pay divine honours to any evil demon, it is
to Majorian. He had previously obtained the title highly probable that the divinity Robigus, or
of patrician from Leo, who also gave consent to Robigo, is only an abstraction of the later Romans
the nomination of Majorian (475). A proof that from the festival of the Robigalia (Comp. Varro,
the real power remained in Ricimer is given by de Re Rust. i. 2. )
(L. S. ]
Majorian himself, who in a letter to the senate, pre- ROCUS, Q. CREPEREIUS. (CREPEREIUS. )
served in the Codex Theodosianus, says that he ROCUS, ROMI’LIUS. [Romilius. ]
and “his father Ricimer" would take proper care ROLES, a king of some tribes of the Getae,
of military affairs. Majorian having displayed fought under Crassus, the proconsul of Macedonia,
uncommon energy, and, to Ricimer, most unex- B. C. 29, against the neighbouring barbarians, and
pected wisdom, the latter was filled with jealousy, was recognised by Augustus as a friend and ally.
and contrived the sudden and famous plot, in con. According to Leunclavius, the name is the same
sequence of which Majorian lost his life by Rici- as the Norman Rollo, and the German Rodolph.
mer's order (461). Ricimer put Vibius Severus (Dion Cass. li. 24, 26. )
Serpentinus on the throne in his stead. The ac- ROMA ('Puun). i. The personification of the
cession of the new emperor was not approved of city of Rome, and as such called Dea Roma.
by Leo, and was contested by Aegidius, in Gaul, Temples were erected to her, not only at Rome,
a province where Ricimer had not succeeded in but in other cities of the empire, such as Smyrna
obtaining more than nominal power, The revolt (Tac. Ann. iv. 56 ; Spartian. Hadr. 19). She was
of Aegidius, however, was absorbed by other in represented clad in a long robe, and with a helmet,
testine troubles in Gaul, and caused no danger to in a sitting posture, strongly resembling the
Italy. Severus died in 465, perhaps poisoned by figures of the Greek Athena. She was in reality
Ricimer, and during eighteen months the empire the genius of the city of Rome, and was worshipped
was without an emperor, though not without a as such from early times; but it seems that previous
head, for that was always Ricimer's. The Ro- to the time of Augustus, there was no temple de-
mans, however, were displeased with his despotism, dicated to her in the city ; but afterwards their
and requested Leo to give them an emperor. An- number increased in all parts of the empire (Liv.
themius was accordingly proposed and accepted, xliii. 5 ; Tac. Ann. iv. 37; Dion Cass. li. p. 458 ; P.
not only by the people, but also by Ricimer, who Vict. Reg. Urb. iv. ). As Roma (pwun) also sig-
showed great diplomatic skill in this transaction : nifiedstrength,” it is not impossible that the ode
he made a sort of bargain with the successful can- of Erinna, addressed to Roma, may be an ode to
didate, and promised to lend him his assistance on the personification of strength.
condition that Anthemius should give him his 2. A Trojan captive, who advised her fellow-
daughter in marriage. This was accordingly com- captives on the coast of Italy to set fire to the fieet
## p. 655 (#671) ############################################
ROMANUS.
655
ROMANUS.
of the Greeks. (Plut. Romul. 1 ; Tzetz. ad Ly- his ship and made sail for Constantinople, he was
copil. 921. )
accused of treachery by Leo Phocas. It must,
3. A daughter of Italus and Lucania, or a however, be understood that both the accused and
daughter of Telephus. In some traditions she was the accuser aimed at supreme power, and Romanus
mid to have been the wife of Aeneas or Ascanius, left the theatre of the war, probably for the pur-
and to have given her name to the city of Rome. pose of being within reach of the throne, as well
(Plut. Romul. 2. )
(L. S. ) as of the man who wanted to place himself thereon.
ROMA'NUS, a friend of the younger Pliny, A civil war was on the point of breaking out,
to whom several of his letters are addressed (Ep. when Romanus, patronised and perbaps loved by
iv. 29, vi. 15, 33, viii. 8, ix. 7). Pliny had two the dowager empress, seized upon the chamberlain
friends of this name, Romanus Firmus and Voco Constantine, one of the most influential adherents of
nius Romanus, and it is probable that some of the Phocas, who avenged the captivity of his friend by
above letters are addressed to one of these persone, taking up arms. Romanus, who had been appointed
but it is impossible to say to which.
Magnus Heteriarcha, or commander in chief of the
ROMA'NUS, FIRMUS, a friend and muni- foreign body-guard of the emperor, worsted Phocas,
ceps of the younger Pliny, with whom the latter and in reward was made Cresar in September,
had been brought up, and to whom he addresses and crowned 18 Augustus and emperor on the
one of his letters, in which he offers to give him a 17th December, 919. He had previously given
sufficient sum of money to raise him to the eques- his daughter Helena in marriage to the young em-
trian rank. (Ep. i. 19. )
peror Constantine, and shortly after his accession
ROMANUS, FA'BIUS, one of the friends of he conferred the rank of Augustus and Augusta
the poet Lucan, accused Mela, the father of the upon his son Christopher and his wife Theodora.
poet, after the death of the latter, because Nero Romanus was now the legitimate colleague of
was anxious to obtain his property. (Tac. Ann. Constantine VII. , over whom he exercised such
xvi. 17. )
authority as to cause many plots against his life,
ROMA'NUS HISPO, a Roman rhetorician, and sometimes open rebellions, which he succeeded
who earned an infamous character by undertaking in quelling:
prosecutions to please the early emperors. He is The following are the principal events of his
first mentioned at the commencement of the reign reign. The great schism of the church, which had
of Tiberius, when he supported the accusation of lasted ever since the deposition of the patriarch
Caepio Crispinus against Granius Marcellus. In Euthymius and the famous fourth wedlock of the
A. D. 62, he accused Seneca as one of the associates emperor Leo VI. , was at last healed, in 920,
of C. Piso, but the accusation was retorted upon through the intervention of Pope JohnX. ; and by
him by Seneca (Tac. Ann. i. 74, xvi. 17). Ro- an edict of Constantine VII. of the same year, a
manus Hispo constantly occurs as one of the fourth marriage was declared anti-canonical, and
declaimers in the Controversiae of the elder made punishable. In 921 another of those inter-
Seneca.
minable wars with the Bulgarians, or perhaps only
ROMA'NUS, JUʻLIUS, a Roman poet, whose a fresh and formidable invasion, drew the attention
name is prefixed to an epigram on Petronius Ar- of Romanus towards the Danube, but the Bul-
biter in the Latin Anthology (ii. 235, ed. Bur- gariar. s saved him the trouble of going so far away
mann, No. 1544, ed. Meyer). This Julius, how from Constantinople by advancing thither with all
ever, as Niebuhr points out (Kleine Schriften, their force, and ravaging the country. This war
p. 347), is not an ancient writer, but Julius Sa- became still more formidable when Simeon, the
binus, otherwise called Julius Pomponius Laetus, king of the Bulgarians concluded, in 923, an al-
who died in the year 1497. (Comp. Meyer, Annot. liance with the Arabs. But we purposely refrain
ad Anthol. Lat. vol. ii. p. 122. )
from giving the details of these barbarous wars,
ROMANUS, VOCO'NIUS, a fellow-student presenting little more than an uninterrupted series
and an intimate friend of the younger Pliny, was of bloodshed and devastations without profit to
the son of an illustrious Roman eques, and his either party. A remarkable interview between
mother belonged to one of the most distinguished Romanus and Simeon, which took place in 926,
families in Nearer Spain (Plin. Ep. ii. 13). If | under the walls of Constantinople, put a temporary
we may trust the testimony of his friend, Voco- end to these troubles. In the previous year the
nius was a distinguished orator, and possessed patrician John Radinus worsted and destroyed the
great skill in composition. Several of Pliny's let- fleet of the famous pirate chief Leo, of Tripolis,
ters are addressed to him, (Ep. i. 5, v. 1, ix. who had sacked Thessalonica twenty-two years pre-
28. )
viously. In 927 King Simeon died, after having
ROMA'NUS I. , LECAPE'NUS ('Papavós o ruined Bulgaria through his very victories, and was
Aarannvós), Byzantine emperor from A. D. 919 succeeded by his son Peter, who was less warlike,
–944, was the son of Theophylactus Abastactus, though not less courageous than his father ; for he
a brave warrior, who had once saved the life of entered the Byzantine territory at the head of a
the emperor Basil. Romanus served in the im- strong army, proposing to the emperor to choose
perial feet, distinguished himself on many occa- between war and peace, on condition of his giving
sions, and enjoyed the esteem of his fellow-soldiers him his grand-daughter in marriage, a proposition
on account of his rare bravery. One of his men which Romanus the more eagerly accepted, as he
having been attacked by a lion, Romanus, who wanted all his forces to check the progress of the
was near, rushed to his assistance and killed the Arabs. His possessions in Italy also required pro-
monster in single combat. When the young tection against the petty Lombard princes. In 901
Constantine VII. Porphyrogenitus, ascended the Christopher died, the eldest son of Romanus and hus-
throne, Romanus was high admiral, and com- band of Sophia, the daughter of Nicetas magister
manded the fleet on the Danube in the war with palatii, who a short time previously had been sent
the Bulgarians, but as he suddenly withdrew with into a convent for a conspiracy against the emperor,
## p. 656 (#672) ############################################
656
ROMANUS.
ROMANUS.
Romanus, 60 wise in many respects, compromised | father, was no sooner independent than she excited
himself extremely in 933, by making his son Romanus against his own family ; his five sisters
Theophylactus, a lad of sixteen, patriarch of Con- were compelled to leave the palace, and confined
stantinople, after first obtaining the approbation of in the same convent where Sophia, the widow of
Pope John XI.
Theophylactus proved a very Christophorus Augustus bad then been during
miserable prelate. From 934 to 940 the empire thirty years ; but the empress dowager, Helena,
enjoyed an almost universal peace, Italy excepted, possessed too much energy to yield to her daughter-
where the petty warfare with the Lombard princes in-law, and she accordingly remained in the palace,
went on as before. But in 941 Constantinople but she died soon afterwards of a broken heart.
was in terror at the sudden appearance of a Rus- | Although Romanus never showed himself in the
bian fleet of 10,000 boats, commanded by Prince field, he had two renowned generals by whom
Ingor, who cast anchor at the very entrance of the some glorious deeds were done, namely, the two
Bosporus, and whose troops ravaged the neighbour brothers Nicephorus and Leo Phocas. Nicephorus
ing country. Romanus, however, equipped in all recovered the flourishing island of Creta, after a
haste a small number of galleys (15? ) lying in long siege of its capital Candia, and after the
the Golden Horn, with which Theophanes boldly Arabs had ruled there during 150 years (961);
attacked the Russians, destroyed a great number and Leo was successful against the Arabs in Asia.
of their boats, and compelled Ingor to fly. Theo- After the fall of Candia, and the splendid triumph
phanes soon afterwards obtained a second victory of Nicephorus in Constantinople, the two brothers
over the rest of the fleet on the coast of Thrace, joined their forces against the Arabs, and obtained
and of this formidable armada very little came most signal victories over them. A rumour having
back to Russia. Ingor died soon afterwards, and spread of the death of Romanus, Nicephorus ap-
in 945 his wife Olga came to Constantinople to proached the capital through fear of Bringas ; but
receive baptism : she was christened Helena, and the rumour was false, and Nicephorus remained in
is held in the utmost veneration in the Russian Asia, observing Constantinople. Events showed
church.
the prudence of this step ; for Romanus, already
Down to this period Constantine Porphyrogeni- exhausted by his mode of life, was despatched by
tus, although the legitimate emperor by descent, poison administered to him by his own wife Theo-
had only enjoyed the title of his rank, and he now phano. He died on the 15th of March, 963, at
resolved upon having the power also. To this the age of twenty-four. Ambition, and perhaps
effect he excited the ambition of the two sur- the secret advice of the eunuch Bringas, urged
viving sons of Romanus, Stephanus and Constan- Theophano to commit the foul deed. Romanus
tine, both Augusti, who in their turn were tired married first Bertha, afterwards called Eudoxia,
of the autocracy of their aged father. A con- the natural daughter of Hugo, king of Italy, who
spiracy was set on foot, headed by Stephanus, who died a child before the marriage was consummated.
had the assistance of several energetic and distin. By his second wife Anastasia, afterwards called
guished men. Sure of success, he suddenly seized Theophano, a woman of base extraction, he left
upon the person of his father, and with secret two sons, Basil II. and Constantine VIII. , who
despatch had him carried to the island of Protea, followed him on the throne, and two daughters,
at the entrance of the Propontis, where Romanus Theophano, who married Otho II. emperor of Ger-
was thrown into a convent and had his head many, an excellent woman, who became the an-
shaved forth with, as he was thus rendered incom- cestress of most of the reigning houses in Europe,
petent to reign (20th of December, 944). The and Anna Posthuma, who married Wladimir, first
Bons of Romanus, however, did not reap the fruits Christian prince of Russia. (Cedren. p. 642, &c. ;
of their treachery, for Constantine VII. was pro- | Zonar. vol. ii. p. 196, &c. ; Manass. p. 115, Glyc.
claimed sole emperor, after the unnatural children p. 304 ; Leo Diacon. p. 500, &c. in the Paris
of the deposed emperor had enjoyed the title of editions. )
(W. P. )
co-emperors during the short space of five weeks. ROMANUS III. , ARGYRUS or ARGY.
They were then arrested and sent to Protea, where ROPU'LUS ('Pwpavós ó 'Apyupos or ó Apyupó-
a touching interview took place between them and Toulos), Byzantine emperor from A. D. 1028 —
their unfortunate father. Stephanus died nineteen 1034, was the son of Leo Argyrus Dux, and
years afterwards in exile, and Constantine sur- belonged to a distinguished family. Romanus
vived his captivity only two years, when he was obtained such military glory in the reign of Con-
massacred in an attempt at making his escape. stantine VIII. , that this prince appointed him his
Romanus lived a quiet monkish life in his con- successor, and offered him the hand of one of his
vent, and died a natural death on the 15th of June, daughters, a few days before he died. Romanus
(Cedren. p. 614, &c. ; Leo. Diacon. p. was married to Helena, a virtuous woman, whom
492, &c. ; Manass. p. 111, &c. ; Zonaras, vol.