Astyrius
Flavius Astyrius or Asturius[1] (floruit 441-449) was a general and a politician of the Western Roman Empire.
Biography
Astyrius was the father-in-law of Merobaudes and belonged to an aristocratic family.[2]
He followed a military career: between 441 and 443 he is attested as dux or magister utriusque militiae. In 441 he was in Tarraconensis (Spain), where he defeated the Bagaudae.[3] In 443 he was succeeded by his son-in-law Merobaudes.[4]
He was appointed consul for the year 449. At the beginning of his office he was in Gaul (probably in the capital city of the praetorian prefecture, Arelate), and Nicetius delivered a panegyric in his honour.[5]
A consular diptych produced by Astyrius in 449 is preserved at Liège. The diptych shows Astyrius seated on a curule chair wearing complete consular regalia and the inscription Flavius Astyrius vir clarissimus[6] et inlustris[7] comes[8] ex magistro utriusque militiae consul ordinarius.[9]
Notes
- ^ As spelled on his consular diptych (CIL XIII, 10032.2).
- ^ As shown by the vir clarissimus rank.
- ^ Hydatius, 125 (sub anno 441).
- ^ Hydatius, 128 (sub anno 443).
- ^ Sidonius Apollinaris, Epistulae III.6.5.
- ^ The vir clarissimus rank was bestowed to aristocracy members since their birth.
- ^ The vir inlustris rank was awarded by the Emperor to a few high officers, among whom the magister utriusque militiae.
- ^ The rank of comes was probably conferred to Astyrius at the end of his office as magister utriusque militiae.
- ^ Mathisen.
Bibliography
- "Fl. Astyrius", Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Volume 2, pp. 174-175.
- Ralph W. Mathisen, People, Personal Expression, and Social Relations in Late Antiquity, University of Michigan Press, 2003, ISBN 0-472-11246-5, pp. 18-19.