Page 227 - Envoys and Political Communication in the Late Antique West 411 - 533

Cassiodorus and Senarius

of Athalaric. The tenure of Liberius’ two prefectures was exceptionally
long.
Albinus, another of the recipients of Ennodius’ letter, was from a
highly distinguished family, the Decii, which vied with the Anicii for
eminence in fifth- and sixth-century Italy. 88 Albinus’ grandfather had
been consul under the emperor Majorian and was the second of the
two men, along with Faustus’ father, described by Sidonius as the most
influential in Rome a generation earlier. 89 Albinus’ father and two pa-
ternal uncles were consuls, patricii, and prefects of Italy or of Rome
under Odoacer. 90 These honours were reproduced in the next genera-
tion. Albinus was Theoderic’s first nominee as consul (in 493), and later
patricius and praetorian prefect of Italy, probably succeeding his brother
Theodorus. Theodorus was to be both consul and patricius before the
end of the 500s, as were two other brothers of Albinus, Avienus and
Inportunus. 91
The ancestry of Eugenes and Agapitus, the remaining two addressees
of Ennodius’ letter, is unknown. They also held very high public office.
Eugenes was quaestor in 506 and magister officiorum in 507; he was prob-
ably brother to the praetorian prefect of 503. 92 Agapitus held palatine
offices in the 500s, became prefect of Rome late in the decade, and was
made patricius by 511; he was consul in 517. 93 Like Senarius and several
other recipients of Ennodius’ letter, Agapitus was associated with Faustus
Niger. 94
Senarius’ associates were powerful figures, both for their aristocratic
status and for their control of the highest court offices. Faustus and Albinus
represent two of the great Roman families which dominated public office
and honours under the last western emperors. Under Odoacer, such
families continued to receive positions of prestige. Theoderic followed
this policy for the first two decades of his reign. During the 510s, for
reasons which are not clear, Roman aristocrats are less visible in public

88
PLRE ii ‘(?Faustus) Albinus iunior 9’, 51–2. Delmaire, Les Responsables, 294, wrongly identifies
this Albinus as a lesser figure of the same name, identified in PLRE ii as ‘Albinus 6’, 50.All
the addressees of Ennodius, Ep. vi, 12 had received other communications from Ennodius (for
Albinus 9: Ep. ii, 21, mentioned in Ep. ii, 22.1; Carm. ii, 99), butnotAlbinus 6.In 507/11,
Albinus 6 had only just reached the legal age of majority (Cass., Variae iv, 35.2); he is therefore an
unlikely companion for four experienced officers of state. On the Decii: Moorhead, ‘The Decii
under Theoderic’, 107–15; Moorhead, Theoderic, 147–51.
89
PLRE ii, ‘Fl. Caecina Decius Basilius 11’, 217–18.
90
Father: PLRE ii, ‘Fl. Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius iunior 12’, 217; uncles: ‘Decius Marius
Venantius Basilius 13’, 218; ‘Caecina Mavortius Basilius Decius 2’, 349.
91
PLRE ii, ‘Fl. Theodorus 62’, 1097–8; ‘Fl. Avienus iunior 3’, 193; ‘Fl Inportunus’, 592.
92 93
PLRE ii, ‘Eugenes’, 414–16; ‘Olybrius 5’, 795–6. PLRE ii ‘Fl. Agapitus 3’, 30–2.
94
Agapitus and Faustus: Ennodius, Ep. iv, 28,cf. iv, 27 and Sundwall, Abhandlungen, 31–2. Liberius
and Albinus were related to Faustus by marriage: Ennodius, Epp. ii, 22; ix, 7.
201