Theodorus (consul 505)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Theodorus (fl. 505–523) was an Italian politician during Theodoric the Great’s reign. He served as consul in 505 with Sabinianus. He was the son of Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius (consul in 480) and the brother of Albinus (consul in 493), Avienus (consul in 501), and Inportunus (consul in 509). While helping Inportunus organize games for his consulship, the two were accused by the Greens of attacking and killing one of their members. The surviving letter of Theodoric orders them to answer these allegations before the tribunal of the inlustrius Caelianus and Agapitus. John Moorhead identifies Theodorus as the recipient of a surviving letter from bishop Fulgentius of Ruspe, written in 520. Fulgentius says they do not know each other, but writes because of mutual friends, offers spiritual advice, and asks Theodorus to pass greetings to his mother and wife. The letter, while not giving much concrete information about Theodorus, is of interest to scholars of spirituality and places him in the circle of Fulgentius’ correspondents. In 523, he was part of the entourage of Pope John I, who had been ordered by King Theodoric to go to Constantinople to seek moderation of Emperor Justin’s decree against the Arians. Theodoric warned that there would be reprisals against orthodox Catholics if John failed. Other senators accompanying Pope John included his brother Inportunus, Agapitus, and the patrician Agapitus.