Aconius Catullinus Philomatius ( 338–349 AD) was a Roman senator who held high state offices under the emperor

Constans Flavius Julius Constans ( 323 – 350), also called Constans I, was Roman emperor from 337 to 350. He held the imperial rank of '' caesar'' from 333, and was the youngest son of Constantine the Great. After his father's death, he was made ''a ...

Biography

Aconius (or Aco) Catullinus was probably a son of the identically-named senator who served as governor of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

in 317–318. He was a pagan. He was

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...

''suffectus'' at an unknown date, and served as governor () of

Gallaecia Gallaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province in the north-west of Hispania, approximately present-day Galicia, northern Portugal, Asturias and Leon and the later Kingdom of Gallaecia. The Roman cities inclu ...

in Hispania before 338. A dedication of his to Jupiter Optimus Maximus during his term of office has been preserved (). In 338–339, Catullinus served as ''

vicarius ''Vicarius'' is a Latin word, meaning ''substitute'' or ''deputy''. It is the root of the English word "vicar". History Originally, in ancient Rome, this office was equivalent to the later English " vice-" (as in " deputy"), used as part of th ...

'' of

, and is attested on 24 June 341 as

praetorian prefect of Italy The praetorian prefecture of Italy (, in its full form (until 356) ) was one of four praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided since the first half of the 4th century. It comprised the Italian peninsula, the western Bal ...

. From 6 July 342 to 11 April 344, he served as

urban prefect The ''praefectus urbanus'', also called ''praefectus urbi'' or urban prefect in English, was prefect of the city of Rome, and later also of Constantinople. The office originated under the Roman kings, continued during the Republic and Empire, an ...

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

. A law (''

Codex Theodosianus The ''Codex Theodosianus'' ("Theodosian Code") is a compilation of the laws of the Roman Empire under the Christian emperors since 312. A commission was established by Emperor Theodosius II and his co-emperor Valentinian III on 26 March 429 an ...

'', 16.10.3) addressed to (and likely suggested by) him, dated 1 November 342 during his term of office, concerns the preservation of pagan temples. Catullinus was

''ordinarius'' in 349. Catullinus had a daughter, Aconia Fabia Paulina, who married the senator Vettius Agorius Praetextatus. According to the ''

Chronograph of 354 The Chronograph of 354 is a compilation of chronological and calendrical texts produced in 354 AD for a wealthy Roman Christian named Valentinus by the calligrapher and manuscript illuminator, illustrator Furius Dionysius Filocalus. The origina ...

'', Catullinus bore the informal name () Philomatius, which some authors have emended to Philomathius (meaning love of learning), but Salway suggested instead Philematius, from the Greek (kiss).

Footnotes

References

* * * {{s-end 4th-century Romans Late-Roman-era pagans Imperial Roman consuls Praetorian prefects of Italy Roman governors of Gallaecia Senators of the Roman Empire Suffect consuls of Imperial Rome Urban prefects of Rome Vicarii