Ablabius (consul 331)
Encyclopedia
Flavius Ablabius or Ablavius (died in Constantinople
, 338) was a high official of the Roman Empire
.
. He converted to Christianity. He later become vicarius
of Asia province. He was one of the most important officers of Emperor Constantine I
, and held the Praetorian prefecture of the East
from 329 to 337/338, and the consulship in 331.
Ablabius had some influence over Constantine. Once he succeeded to convince the Emperor that the lack of arrival of the grain supplies for Constantinople had been caused by the magical arts of Sopater of Apamea
, a Pagan sage who had attacked both the Emperor and Ablabius for their dissolute behaviours. As suggested by Ablabius, Constantine put Sopater to death.
In 333 Constantine addressed to Ablabius a communication, still preserved today, in which the Emperor decreed that each party in a trial could appeal to a bishop's judgement.
In 337, Ablabius sided with Athanasius
, the Nicene bishop of Alexandria
, who had powerful enemies at the court of the Arian Emperor Constantius II
, but he was deposed immediately after. In 338 he was condemned to death by Constantius (the accusation was false, as stated by Libanius
) and executed in front of his house in Constantinople, which later belonged to Galla Placidia
.
Ablabius had a daughter, Olympia, who was engaged to Emperor Constans
(Constantius' brother and co-ruler). After 351 Constantius gave her as wife to King Arsaces II
of Armenia, but soon she was poisoned by Arsaces's first wife.
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, 338) was a high official of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
.
Life
Ablabius belonged to a poor, Pagan family, and originated from CreteCrete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
. He converted to Christianity. He later become vicarius
Vicarius
Vicarius is a Latin word, meaning substitute or deputy. It is the root and origin of the English word "vicar" and cognate to the Persian word most familiar in the variant vizier....
of Asia province. He was one of the most important officers of Emperor Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
, and held the Praetorian prefecture of the East
Praetorian prefecture of the East
The praetorian prefecture of the East or of Oriens was one of four large praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided...
from 329 to 337/338, and the consulship in 331.
Ablabius had some influence over Constantine. Once he succeeded to convince the Emperor that the lack of arrival of the grain supplies for Constantinople had been caused by the magical arts of Sopater of Apamea
Sopater of Apamea
Sopater of Apamea , was a distinguished sophist and Neoplatonist philosopher.He was a disciple of Iamblichus, after whose death Sopater of Apamea (d. before 337), was a distinguished sophist and Neoplatonist philosopher.He was a disciple of Iamblichus, after whose death Sopater of Apamea (d. before...
, a Pagan sage who had attacked both the Emperor and Ablabius for their dissolute behaviours. As suggested by Ablabius, Constantine put Sopater to death.
In 333 Constantine addressed to Ablabius a communication, still preserved today, in which the Emperor decreed that each party in a trial could appeal to a bishop's judgement.
In 337, Ablabius sided with Athanasius
Athanasius of Alexandria
Athanasius of Alexandria [b. ca. – d. 2 May 373] is also given the titles St. Athanasius the Great, St. Athanasius I of Alexandria, St Athanasius the Confessor and St Athanasius the Apostolic. He was the 20th bishop of Alexandria. His long episcopate lasted 45 years Athanasius of Alexandria [b....
, the Nicene bishop of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, who had powerful enemies at the court of the Arian Emperor Constantius II
Constantius II
Constantius II , was Roman Emperor from 337 to 361. The second son of Constantine I and Fausta, he ascended to the throne with his brothers Constantine II and Constans upon their father's death....
, but he was deposed immediately after. In 338 he was condemned to death by Constantius (the accusation was false, as stated by Libanius
Libanius
Libanius was a Greek-speaking teacher of rhetoric of the Sophist school. During the rise of Christian hegemony in the later Roman Empire, he remained unconverted and regarded himself as a Hellene in religious matters.-Life:...
) and executed in front of his house in Constantinople, which later belonged to Galla Placidia
Galla Placidia
Aelia Galla Placidia , daughter of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I, was the Regent for Emperor Valentinian III from 423 until his majority in 437, and a major force in Roman politics for most of her life...
.
Ablabius had a daughter, Olympia, who was engaged to Emperor Constans
Constans
Constans , was Roman Emperor from 337 to 350. He defeated his brother Constantine II in 340, but anger in the army over his personal life and preference for his barbarian bodyguards saw the general Magnentius rebel, resulting in Constans’ assassination in 350.-Career:Constans was the third and...
(Constantius' brother and co-ruler). After 351 Constantius gave her as wife to King Arsaces II
Arshak II
Arshak II or Arsaces II, was the son of King Tiran and was himself king of Armenia from 350 to 367.- Reign :In the early years of Arshak's reign, he found himself courted by the empires of Rome and Persia, both of which hope to win Armenia to their side in the ongoing conflicts between them...
of Armenia, but soon she was poisoned by Arsaces's first wife.