SYMMACHUS, QUINTUS AURELIUS (c. was a brilliant representative of 4th-century paganism in Rome. He was educated in Gaul, and in 373 was pro-consul of Africa (for his official career see C.I.L. vi. 1699). His public dignities, which included that of pontifex maximus, his 'great wealth and high character, added to his reputation for eloquence, marked him out as the champion of the pagan senate against the Chris tian emperors. In 382 he was banished from Rome by Gratian for his protest against the removal of the statue and altar of Victory from the senate-house, and in 384, when he was prefect of the city, he addressed to Valentinian II. a letter praying for the restoration of these symbols. After this Symmachus was in volved in the rebellion of Maximus, but obtained his pardon from Theodosius, and appears to have continued in public life up to his death. In 391 he was Consul ordinarius. His honesty, both in public and in private affairs, and his amiability made him very popular. As his letters do not extend beyond the year
he probably died soon after that date.
Of his writings we possess: (i) Panegyrics, written in his youth, two on Valentinian I. and one on the youthful Gratian. (2) Nine books of Epistles. (3) Parts of Complimentary Orations, five from a palimpsest (also containing the Panegyrics), of which part is at Milan and part in the Vatican, discovered by Mai, who published the Milan fragments in 1815, the Roman in his Scriptorum veterum nova collectio, vol. i. (1825), and the whole in 5846. (4) The Relation-es, which contain an interesting account of public life in Rome, composed for the emperor. All earlier editions are now superseded by that of 0. Seeck in Monumenta Germaniae historica. Auctores antiquissimi (1883) , vi. 1, with introductions on his life, works and chronology.