Ablabius (consul 331)

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Flavius Ablabius[1][2] also known as Ablabius[3] or Ablavius[4] (flourished 4th century, died 338) was a high official of the Roman Empire.

Contents

Family & Early Life [edit]

Ablabius was a Greek from the island of Crete.[5] He was a man from humble birth.[6] When his mother was pregnant with him, she received a prophecy from an Egyptian astrologer about him, that she will almost borne an Emperor.[7]

His date of birth is unknown; the identities of his parents are unknown; it is unknown whether if he had any known siblings or relatives and little is known on his early life. Ablabius was not of a non-senatorial background,[8] certainly not of a non-clarissimate background[9] and not from an aristocratic background.[10]

He was at birth a pagan who converted later to Christianity. Ablabius became one of the officials of the Roman Governor of Crete.[11] At some point, Ablabius left Crete and travelled to Constantinople to acquire a fortune.[12]

Constantine I & His Family [edit]

Ablabius after arriving at Constantinople, by chance he acquired great influence over the Roman emperor Constantine I and became one of the most important Roman Senators of Constantinople.[13] Ablabius was elevated by Constantine I to the senatorial aristocracy.[14]

Ablabius served as a vicarius of Asia province; held the Praetorian prefecture of the East from 329 to 337/338 and served as consul in 331.[15] Ablabius was active in the Roman East and West[16] and during his political career, he was based at Antioch.[17]

Considering his provisional background,[18] Ablabius seemed to be attached to Constantine I, making him one of a small number of Easterners who held high offices[19] throughout the Roman Empire.

Ablabius once succeeded to convince Constantine I that the lack arrival of the grain supplies for Constantinople had been caused by the magical arts of the Pagan Sage, Sopater of Apamea, who had verbally attacked the Emperor and Ablabius for their dissolute behaviours. Constantine I followed the advice of Ablabius and had Sopater put to death. In 333 Constantine I, addressed Ablabius a letter[20] which is still preserved, in which Constantine I decreed that each party in a trial could appeal to a bishop’s judgement.

In Antioch in 336, Constantine I had on a statue-base a Greek inscription recorded that represented himself; Ablabius with the following Roman Senators Lucius Papius Pacatianus, Valerius Felix, Annius Tiberianus and Nestorius Timonianus.[21] Constantine I had put his son Constantius II after his guidance[22] in which he became his tutor.

When Constantine I died in May 337, Constantius II succeeded him. Later in 337, Ablabius sided with Athanasius of Alexandria who was the Nicene Bishop of Alexandria who had powerful enemies at the court of the Arian Roman emperor Constantius II. Due to Ablabius’ support for Athanasius, Constantius II dismissed Ablabius from his imperial court and Ablabius retired to his estates in Bithynia.[23] In 338, Constantius II had condemned Ablabius to death as he was falsely accused as stated by Libanius as the emperor had Ablabius executed in front of his house in Constantinople. Constantius II had tricked and lured Ablabius into Constantinople on accusing him of entertaining himself ambitions for the Roman throne.[24] His house in Constantinople later belonged to the Empress Galla Placidia.[25]

Family & Issue [edit]

Ablabius had married an unnamed noblewoman by whom he had two known children:

The children of Ablabius and the families of his children must have further enhanced the property and wealth that Ablabius had accured.[33]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Salzman, The Making of a Christian Aristocracy: Social and Religious Change in the Western Roman Empire, p.p.100&302
  2. ^ Millar, The Roman Near East, 31 B.C.-A.D. 337, p.210
  3. ^ Nordgren, The Well Spring Of The Goths: About The Gothic Peoples in The Nordic Countries And On The Continent, p.385
  4. ^ Budge, Paradise of the Holy Fathers Part 1, p.163
  5. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.3
  6. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.3
  7. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.3
  8. ^ Salzman, The Making of a Christian Aristocracy: Social and Religious Change in the Western Roman Empire, p.101
  9. ^ Salzman, The Making of a Christian Aristocracy: Social and Religious Change in the Western Roman Empire, p.100
  10. ^ Coon, That Gentle Strength: Historical Perspectives on Women in Christianity, p.28
  11. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.3
  12. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.3
  13. ^ Eunapius, The Life of Philosophers and Sophists, Book VI. Three. 1-7
  14. ^ Coon, That Gentle Strength: Historical Perspectives on Women in Christianity, p.28
  15. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.p.3-4
  16. ^ Salzman, The Making of a Christian Aristocracy: Social and Religious Change in the Western Roman Empire, p.100
  17. ^ Millar, The Roman Near East, 31 B.C.-A.D. 337, p.210
  18. ^ Salzman, The Making of a Christian Aristocracy: Social and Religious Change in the Western Roman Empire, p.100
  19. ^ Salzman, The Making of a Christian Aristocracy: Social and Religious Change in the Western Roman Empire, p.302
  20. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.3
  21. ^ Millar, The Roman Near East, 31 B.C.-A.D. 337, p.210
  22. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.4
  23. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.4
  24. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.4
  25. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, p.4
  26. ^ Nordgren, The Well Spring Of The Goths: About The Gothic Peoples in The Nordic Countries And On The Continent, p.385
  27. ^ Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, p.89
  28. ^ Faustus of Byzantium, History of the Armenians, Book IV, Chapter 15
  29. ^ Budge, Paradise of the Holy Fathers Part 1, p.163
  30. ^ Jones, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, pgs., 3,4 & 818
  31. ^ Moret, Sertorius, Libanios, iconographie: a propos de Sertorius, journée d'étude, Toulouse, 7 avril 2000 [suivi de] autour de Libanios, culture et société dans l'antiquité tardive : actes de la table ronde, Avignon, 27 avril 2000, p.207
  32. ^ Budge, Paradise of the Holy Fathers Part 1, p.163
  33. ^ Coon, That Gentle Strength: Historical Perspectives on Women in Christianity, p.28

Sources [edit]

  • Faustus of Byzantium, History of the Armenians, 5th Century
  • A.H.M. Jones, J.R. Martindale & J. Morris, The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 1, AD 260-395, Parts 260-395, Cambridge University Press, 1971
  • L.L. Coon & K.J. Haldane, That Gentle Strength: Historical Perspectives on Women in Christianity, The University Press of Virginia, 1990
  • F. Millar, The Roman Near East, 31 B.C.-A.D. 337, Harvard University Press, 1993
  • G. Halsall, Humour, History and Politics in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, Cambridge University Press, 2002, p.p. 64–65
  • M.R. Salzman, The Making of a Christian Aristocracy: Social and Religious Change in the Western Roman Empire, Harvard University Press, 2002
  • E.A. Wallis Budge, Paradise of the Holy Fathers Part 1, Kessinger Publishing, 2003
  • P. Moret & B. Cabouret, Sertorius, Libanios, iconographie: a propos de Sertorius, journée d'étude, Toulouse, 7 avril 2000 [suivi de] autour de Libanios, culture et société dans l'antiquité tardive : actes de la table ronde, Avignon, 27 avril 2000, Presses Univ. du Mirail, 2003
  • D.S. Potter, The Roman Empire at Bay: Ad 180-395, Routledge, 2004, p.p. 424&479
  • I. Nordgren, The Well Spring Of The Goths: About The Gothic Peoples in The Nordic Countries And On The Continent, iUniverse, 2004
  • R.G. Hovannisian, The Armenian People From Ancient to Modern Times, Volume I: The Dynastic Periods: From Antiquity to the Fourteenth Century, Palgrave Macmillan, 2004
  • S. Parvis, Marcellus of Ancyra And the Lost Years of the Arian Controversy 325-345, Oxford University Press, 2006, p.p. 138–140
Preceded by
Gallicanus,
Aurelius Valerius Tullianus Symmachus		 Consul of the Roman Empire
331
Served alongside: Junius Annius Bassus		 Succeeded by
Lucius Papius Pacatianus,
Maecilius Hilarianus
Preceded by
Constantius		 Praetorian prefect of the East
329-337/338		 Succeeded by
Septimius Acindynus
Authority control
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