EUMENIUS (c. A.D. 260-311), one of the Roman panegyrists, was born at Augustodunum (Autun) in Gallia Lugdunensis. He was of Greek descent. He became magister memoriae (private secretary) to Constantius Chlorus. In 296 Chlorus determined to restore the famous schools (scholae Maenianae) of Autun, and appointed Eumenius to the management of them. There is no doubt that Eumenius was a heathen, not even a nominal follower of Christianity. Nothing is known of his later years ; but he must have lived at least till 311, if the Gratiarum Actio to Constantine is by him. Of the I2 discourses included in the collection of Panegyrici Latini (ed. E. Bahrens, 1874), the following are prob ably by Eumenius : Pro restaurandis (or instaurandis) scholis, delivered (297) in the forum at Autun before the governor of the province. Its chief object is to set forth the steps necessary to restore the schools to their former state of efficiency, and the author lays stress upon the fact that he intends to assist the good work out of his own pocket. (2) An address (297) to the Caesar Constantius Chlorus, congratulating him on his victories over Allectus and Carausius in Britain. (3) A panegyric on Constan tine (310). (4) An address of thanks (311) from the inhabitants of Autun to Constantine for remission of taxes and other bene fits. (5) A festal address (3o7) on the marriage of Constantine and Fausta. All these speeches, with the exception of (I) , were delivered at Augusta Trevirorum (Treves), whose birthday is celebrated in (3) . Eumenius was far the best of the orators of his time, and in his restraint and moderation superior to most of the writers of imperial panegyrics.
There are treatises on Eumenius by B. Kilian (Whrzburg, 1869), S. Brandt (Freiburg-im-Breisgau, 1882), and H. Sachs (Halle, 1885) ; see also Gaston Boissier, "Les Rheteurs gaulois du Iye siecle," in Journal des savants (1884) .