Agricola (consul 421)

Agricola, full name possibly Julius Agricola (c. 365 – after 421) was a West Roman statesman who served twice as praetorian prefect and became consul for 421.^[1]

Life

He was from Gaul Narbo.^[2] His familial relations are unclear: the names of Agricola's parents are unknown, as is the name of his wife, and the names of his children. He may have had a son named Nymphidius. He was the grandfather of Flavius Magnus, consul in 460. He was also a relative, perhaps even the father, of the Emperor Avitus (r. 455–456).^[2]

He served twice as praetorian prefect. His first tenure was sometime before 418, but the exact circumscription is unknown; it was most probably in the Western half of the Empire however.^[2] The second time Agricola served as praetorian prefect of Gaul in 418. He presided over the initial annual concilium of the Gauls. This assembly had been founded by a previous praetorian prefect, Petronius, but it had stopped meeting due to the revolt of Constantine III.^[3]

The last office Agricola is recorded holding is the consulship for 421, with Fl. Eustathius as his colleague.^[4]

References

1. Martin Heinzelmann, "Gallische Prosopographie 260-527", Francia 10 (1982), pp. 547, 632
2. Martindale & Morris (1980), p. 36
3. John Matthews, Western Aristocracies and Imperial Court AD 364-425 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990), p. 334
4. Martindale & Morris (1980), p. 37

Bibliography

• Martindale, John R.; Morris, John (1980), The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire - Volume II, AD 395–527, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-20159-9