Severinus (consul 461)

Flavius Severinus (fl. 456-461) was a Senator and a politician of the Western Roman Empire.

Life

He probably was of Italian origin, as attested by an inscription,^[1] and held a noteworthy position during the 450s. F. Lotter has speculated that he may be identical to Saint Severinus, whose life before he arrived in Noricum is unknown.^[2]

As told by Sidonius Apollinaris,^[3] Severinus held some offices under Emperor Avitus (455-456), then participated to Emperor Majorian's campaign in Gaul against the Visigoths (458). As Majorian wanted to please the aristocracy of both Italy and Gaul, he choose Severinus as consul for the year 461. At a banquet at Arelate, described by Sidonius, Severinus was the second most important person, after the Emperor.

Notes

1. CIL VI, 32206
2. Lotter, as cited in Martin Heinzelmann, "Gallische Prosopographie", Francia, 19 (1982), p. 693
3. Letters, I.11.10.

Bibliography

• Mathisen, Ralph W., "Julius Valerius Maiorianus (18 February/28 December 457 - 2/7 August 461)", De Imperatoribus Romanis.
• Arnold Hugh Martin Jones, John Robert Martindale, John Morris, "Fl. Severinus 5" The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Cambridge University Press, 1980 ISBN 0-521-20159-4, p. 1001.