Inscription in honour of Hilarion, wife of the praet. prefect Vindaeonius Anatolius, by the city Council of Perge
source date: 357-360 AD
edition published: 2020-03-27
availability: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)

Τὴν λαμπροτάτην γυναῖκα τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ σεμνοῦ τῆς Ἀσίας εὐεργέτου, τοῦ λαμποτάτου ἐπάρχου Οὐινδαιονίου Ἀνατολίου Ἱλάριον ἡ κρατίστη βουλὴ τῆς λαμπρᾶς Περγαίων πόλεως σεμνότητος καὶ ἀρετῆς ἁπάσης χάριν.

Edition based on Şahin 2015, p. 179

“To Hilarion, of clarissimus rank, wife of the great and revered benefactor of Asia, the praetorian prefect of clarissimus rank Vindaeonius Anatolius, the most eminent Council of the shining city of Perge (has dedicated) for (her) venerability" and all (her) virtue.”

“À la clarissime Hilarion, épouse du grand et vénérable bienfaiteur de l'Asie, le clarissime préfet du prétoire Vindaeonius Anatolius, le très éminent conseil de la splendide ville de Perge (a dédié) en raison de (sa) vénérable dignité et (sa) vertu absolute.”

“Alla chiarissima Hilarion, moglie del grande e insigne venerabile benefattore dell’Asia, il chiarissimo prefetto del pretorio Vindaeonius Anatolius, l’eminentissimo consiglio della splendida città di Perge (dedicò) per il (suo) venerabile decoro e per la (sua) assoluta virtù.”

This limestone profiled base, damaged due to the exposure to the elements, was found at Perge on the eastern side of the North-South colonnaded street (Şahin 2015, p. 179). Seen by George Ewart Bean in 1975, its text has been only recently published by Şahin, but without any photographic reproduction and with very little information about the support and its findspot.

The monument was erected by the council of Perge in honour of Hilarion, wife (of clarissimus rank) of the praetorian prefect and benefactor of Asia Vindaeonius Anatolius. Moser (2018, pp. 102-103) supposed that the noble woman received a statue due to her Pergean origin or because, with her husband, they had many properties in that city, which Hilarion could have benefited with some kind of munificence (but on the identification of the prefect proposed by Moser, see below). Monuments to the wives of 4th Century praetorian prefects are not uncommon (see PPRET 36, PPRET 70, PPRET 81; on epitaphs PPRET 64, PPRET 77).

Although Şahin has identified Anatolius as the proconsul of Asia who, under Arcadius, restored the walls of Smyrna (PLRE II, Anatolius 3, p. 83), Feissel (reported in Şahin 2015, p. 179; cf. BE 2016, 595) rightly argues that the benefactor of Asia must be Anatolius, praetorian prefect of Illyricum. This inscription not only represents an important discovery in its own right, it is also the first epigraphic attestation of a praetorian prefect whose identity and career have long been the subject of controversy.

The evidence suggests that there were, in fact, two praetorian prefects called Anatolius. Natives of Berytus, the Roman colony of Phoenicia and home to an ancient school of law, both were experts in Roman law and pursued careers at court close to the emperor and went on to became praetorian prefects of Illyricum. The sources agree on the biography of Anatolius the praetorian prefect, but diverge by about 10/15 years on the chronology of his prefecture. Both Ammianus and Libanius are unequivocal in making Anatolius prefect of Illyricum in the years 357-360 AD, that is to say at the end of the reign of Constantius II. Eunapius, in his biography of the sophist Prohaeresius, makes Anatolius prefect of Illyricum in the years just before Constans’ death, in other words before January 350 AD, and maybe around 340/345 AD. Unfortunately, regarding the chronology, three of the four constitutions of the Theodosian Code addressed to Anatolius have uncertain imperial consular dates; the fourth, CTh 12, 01, 039 to the praetorian prefect, is dated April 1st 349 AD, but at that time Vulcacius Rufinus was praetorian prefect of Illyricum (PPRET 32, PPRET 33).

The Anatolius prefect of Illyricum before 350 AD is described by Eunapius (Eun., VS, 10, Life of Prohaeresius). Nicknamed “Azutrios” (Eun., VS, 10, 06), it is still not clear whether this disparaging appellative should be interpreted as Ἱστρίωνα (Giangrande 1956, pp. 141-142), signifying a gross theatrical man, or read as a calque of the Latin adiutor (Penella 1990, p. 131) suggesting an ambitious bureaucrat constantly living at the imperial court. Indeed, after studying Roman law at Berytus and then in Rome (Eun., VS, 10, 06, 01-02), Anatolius joined the imperial court becoming, as Eunapius states (Eun., VS, 10, 02), its most important member. Later, when he was awarded the praetorian prefecture of Illyricum, Anatolius decided to visit Athens and, given his rhetorical skills, he dared to test the expertise of the Athenian sophists (this account is also supported by an Oratio of Himerius to Anatolius, Hym., Or. 32, 07): the rhetorician Prohaeresius won. A short time before that, Eunapius (Eun., VS, 10, 07, 01-05) reported that the emperor Constans entertained the latter at Trier (sometime between 343 and 349 AD while Constans was residing in Gaul), sending also him to Rome in order to demonstrate his ability there too. Then, before the rhetorician returned to Greece, the emperor named him strato-pedarch, and granted regular distributions of free wheat for Athens (σιτηρέσιον / frumentatio) as Prohaeresius had requested. This concession was confirmed by the recently appointed praetorian prefect of Illyricum Anatolius to celebrate the aforementioned rhetorical contest (Eun., VS, 10, 07, 06-07). The chronology of the praetorian prefecture of the older Anatolius could be refined by the Theodosian constitutions dating to 346 (CTh 12, 01, 038) and 349 AD (CTh 12, 01, 039) ad Anatolium p(raefectum) p(raetori)o, although the date of second is conflicting with the prefecture of Vulcacius Rufinus in Illyricum.

The latter Anatolius is firmly attested as a correspondent of Libanius, appearing in 28 letters (25 received, 3 referred to) all dating to between 355 and 359 AD; he is also described in his Histories by Ammianus (Amm. 19, 11, 01-03; Amm. 21, 06, 05). Native of Berytus too (Lib., Ep. 0438), Anatolius was an expert in Roman law (Lib., Ep. 0339, Lib., Ep. 0348) and interested about the sophistic culture (Lib., Ep. 0578).

This second Anatolius had apparently served in the eastern provinces and «beautified Antioch through building projects» (Bradbury 2004, p. 227) while appointed consularis of Syria Coele in 349 AD (Lib., Ep. 0311), the last time this office is attested (Moser 2018, p. 105). He thus held the office of proconsul of Constantinople in 353 AD (Lib., Or. 01, 080) and sojourned in Italy and Rome, where he declined the offer of the urban prefecture of Rome in 355 AD (Lib., Ep. 0391, Lib., Ep. 0423). Anatolius remained at the imperial court of Constantius II until the winter 356/357 AD (Bradbury 2004, p. 228), when he was made praetorian prefect of Illyricum (Amm. 19, 11, 02), an achievement for which Libanius himself congratulated him (Lib., Ep. 0549), holding this post up to his death in 360 AD (Amm. 21, 06, 05). It is uncertain whether the two constitutions CTh 11, 30, 19 and CTh 12, 01, 028 to Anatolius vicarius Asiae are attributable to the former in 339 AD, or to the latter in 352 AD.

The chronological muddle has fuelled a vigorous debate, the salient points of which follow.

Otto Seeck (1919, pp. 40-41, 119) was the first to rearrange the dates and the addressee’s office cited in the constitutions of the Theodosian Code: consularis Syriae in 349 AD (CTh 12, 01, 039), vicarius Asiae in 352 AD (CTh 11, 30, 19; CTh 12, 01, 028), praetorian prefect in 357 AD (CTh 12, 01, 038). Disregarding Eunapius’ account and chronology, he assumed that the literary sources were referring to only one person, the praetorian prefect of 357-360 AD. This hypothesis was accepted by various scholars, such as Palanque (1933, p. 34), Petit (1955, p. 276; 1994, p. 35), PLRE I (Anatolius 3, pp. 59-60), Piganiol (1972, p. 322, nr. 141) and Neri (1974, pp. 91-99). On the other hand, Sievers (1969, pp. 235-239) and Groag (1946, pp. 32-33), went the other way. Still recognizing only one Anatolius, they tried to attribute the correspondence of Libanius to the later praetorian prefect, to whom they associated the previous mandate (346-349 AD) attested by Eunapius. Sievers and Groag also supposed an iteration of the same office, but this assumption was contradicted by Neri (1974, p. 93) and Penella (1990, pp. 90-91) since a passage of one of Libanius’ letter to Anatolius seems to imply that Anatolius had held this post for the first time (Lib., Ep. 0423: σχῆμα πάλαι προσῆκον). Finally, Norman (1957, pp. 253-259), Vogler (1979, pp. 115-118), Penella (1990, pp. 88-91, 96-98, 130-132), Bradbury (2000, pp. 183-186) and Moser (2018, pp. 102-103), all pleaded the following case - that the chronological elements were irreconcilable and that what we were dealing with here were two men, not one, both with the same name and similar career and likely belonging to the same distinguished family.

During the years in which Eunapius and the Theodosian Code record Anatolius as praetorian prefect of Illyricum, Caecilianus Placidus was also praetorian prefect of Illyricum (with Italy and Africa) in the mid 344 AD (PPRET 25), while Vulcacius Rufinus is attested as prefect in Illyricum from (at least) 347 until 352/353 AD (see the discussion in PPRET 32; cf. PPRET 33). A prefecture of Anatolius in 344-346 AD seems to fit well with the biography of Prohaeresius who, by that time, must have been already 68/70 years old. As for the old Greek sophist’s round trip from Athens to Gaul, Italy and then back to Athens, the first half of the 340’s seem most plausible.

In the end, since it is still not possible to satisfactorily solve this chronological impasse, we have no other choice but to leave the Anatolii as two distinct prefects: the first performed his duties between 344-346 AD, assuming that the date of CTh 12, 01, 039 is incorrect, since by 347 AD Rufinus is firmly attested in Illyricum (see PPRET 32). The second occupied his post from 357 to 360 AD. The inscription from Perge exalts Anatolius as a benefactor of Asia. The office of vicarius Asiae could only be awarded by Constantius II. The career of the first Anatolius, prefect of Illyricum from 344-346 AD, as described by Eunapius, appears to be entirely western (under Constans). An assignment in Asia would certainly have led him from Milan or Trier to Greece, but Eunapius states that the praetorian prefect then visited Greece for the first time. This element leads to assign the vicariate of Asia to the second Anatolius (in 352 AD), who had a palatine career with Constantius II and was well known to the Antiochian Libanius, a dignitary who was raised and trained in the Greek-speaking provinces. We can therefore identify the honorand of our inscription with the second Anatolius, the praetorian prefect of 357-360 AD (so also Feissel, BE 2016, 595; for the identification with the prefect of 344-346 is Moser 2018, pp. 102-103).

While the Pergean inscription celebrates Anatolius with his rare name Vindaeonius, Eunapius refers to his nickname Azutrion. If, in the second half of the 4th Century it was necessary to distinguish between the two Anatolii, neither Ammianus nor the compilers of the Theodosian Code felt the need to comply.

Anatolius’ gentilicium Vindaeonius allows to identify this official with the homonymous author of an “Handbook of agricultural techniques” (Συναγωγὴ γεωργικῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων) dating to the 4th Century, Vindonius (sic) Anatolius (Phot., Bibl. 163). Even before acquainting himself with the text, Decker had already come to the same conclusion (2007, pp. 108-110.) This particular and very successful technical Greek treatise also supports the hypothesis that the second Anatolius had benefitted from a wholly eastern education and administrative career (under Constantius II).

Regarding the full name of the (second) Anatolius, a fragmentary inscription from Gortyna (Crete), in the prefecture of Illyricum, may concern our praetorian prefect. The two fragments preserve these letters: (fr. a) βινδαΙ̣[---] / τον λαμ[---] / θαυ[---] / -------/ (frr. b-c) [---]τι[---] / [---]νεαυ[---] / ------. The inscription was firstly attributed to an Areobindas magister militum (Magnelli 2006, pp. 1929-1937 = SEG 56, 2006, 1049) and then to a governor of Crete (Begass 2014, pp. 141-144). Feissel (BE 2011, 694; BE 2014, 559) disagrees, arguing that this gentilicium ought to be identified with an important family of Berytus, Vindaeonius, and that the epithets λαμπρότατος and θαυμασιώτατος, are related to the highest offices of the imperial administration (concerning the praetorian prefects in the 4th Century, see PPRET 30, PPRET 44, PPRET 88). Feissel (BE 2014, 559) and recently Vallarino (2019, p. 56) proposed to recognise the personage to whom the inscription was dedicated as a 4th Century member of the Berytian family, Vidaeonius Magnus, prefect of Constantinople in 375-376 AD (PLRE I, Magnus 12, p. 536). Nevertheless, after the recent discovery of the pergean inscription, the same Feissel (BE 2016, 595) has asserted that he could also be the praetorian prefect Vindaeonius Anatolius (357-360 AD); so the Gortyna fragment could start with the name of the prefect: Βινδαι[όνιον Ἀνατόλιον]. Many inscriptions dedicated to praetorian (and urban) prefects can be found in Gortyna (Illyrian prefecture) with dates ranging from the mid-4th to mid-5th Century AD. These include prefects of Italy, Illyricum and Africa or of Illyricum singly. Let us cite for example Marcellinus (PPRET 21), Petronius Probus (PPRET 58) praetorian prefects of Italy, Africa and Illyricum; the prefects honoured in the s.c. Asclepiodotus’ cycle in the praetorium (cf. Bigi Tantillo 2016 and 2020; see PPRET 61, PPRET 73); Leontius, praetorian prefect of Illyricum in 412-413 or 435/441 AD (ICret. 04, 325, see PLRE II, Leontius 5 and 10, pp. 668-669, Leontius 5 and 10, cf. LSA 787). Since, until now, no prefect of Constantinople has been attested among the honoured officials of Gortyna, the latest assumption of Feissel seems to be highly plausible.

Şahin 2015, p. 179 = AE 2015, 1560 = BE 2016, 595

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the praetorian prefect Anatolius is the husband of the addressee

τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ [σεμν]οῦ τῆς Ἀσίας εὐεργέτου

τοῦ λαμπρ(οτάτου)

ἐπάρχου