Biography.guide
Home › People › Politician › Philagrius
Portrait of Philagrius

Philagrius

338 – 385

4th-century bishop of Cyprus

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Philagrius

Lived 338 – 385 (aged 46–47). Philagrius was a Roman politician and writer.

Philagrius ( 361–382 AD) was a Roman politician. From 361 to 363 he was a notary in service of the Emperor Julian. In Gaul in 361 Julian employed Philagrius to kidnap the Alamannic king Vadomarius, whom Julian's rival, the Emperor Constantius II, had instigated to attack him. Philagrius accompanied Julian on his invasion of Persia in 363.

In 382 Philagrius was serving as , that is, governor of the diocese of the East, under the Emperor Theodosius I. During his term of office a famine broke out in the region. Initially said to have shown moderation in his response, Philagrius eventually lost patience and flogged the bakers for raising prices, stopping only after the Antiochene rhetor protested Libanius. Philagrius exchanged several letters with Libanius, who praised him for his contempt of lampoons and acclamations alike.

He is probably identical with the patrician Philagrius who was an ancestor of the Western Roman emperor Avitus and of bishop Magnus Felix Ennodius. Both of them were both born in Gaul, and since Philagrius was serving under Julian in Gaul in 361 he may have come from there as well.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
338, Gallia Aquitania
Birth century
Died
385, Rome
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
Eparchius Philagrius

People in Philagrius's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Philagrius's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Philagrius?

4th-century bishop of Cyprus

When was Philagrius born?

Philagrius was born in 338 in Gallia Aquitania.

When did Philagrius die?

Philagrius died in 385 in Rome.

What was Philagrius's occupation?

Philagrius was a politician and writer.

What nationality was Philagrius?

Philagrius was Roman.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Philagrius

· Wikidata: Q5382055

· DBpedia: Philagrius (comes Orientis)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Philagrius. https://biography.guide/philagrius/

MLA: "Philagrius." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/philagrius/.

Chicago: "Philagrius." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/philagrius/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:11 UTC