Salutius

Saturninius Secundus Salutius was a career Roman official who was a native of Gaul. He was a quaestor when he became a member of Julian's staff, while the latter was Caesar in Gaul. Salutius was well versed in Greek philosophy and rhetoric and won the respect of Julian. It was probably through his counsel that Julian developed the skills of administration he displayed in Gaul. In 359 Constantius removed him from Gaul.^[1][2]

When Julian became sole emperor, he raised Salutius to praetorian prefect of the Orient late in 361. One of Salutius' early tasks was to oversee the Chalcedon tribunal.^[3] He has sometimes been identified with "Sallustius the Philosopher", author of the pagan theological pamphlet On the Gods and the World.^[4]

Salutius accompanied his emperor on the Persian campaign, during which Julian was killed. As a sign of their great respect for him, the military command first nominated him to become their emperor, but Salutius refused the honor, pleading illness and old age, and the purple then fell to Jovian.^[5][6] After the return from Persia, Salutius continued in the office of praetorian prefect during the reign of Valentinian until he was replaced by Nebridius.^[7]

References

1. Athanassiadi, pp. 68-9.
2. Bowersock, pp. 44-5.
3. Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae, 22.3.1.
4. Mario Meunier. "Prolégomènes", in Salluste le Philosophe, Des Dieux et du Monde, p. 5. (French)
5. Bowersock, p. 118.
6. Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae, 25.5.3.
7. Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae, 26.7.4.

Sources

• Athanassiadi, Polymnia, Julian: An Intellectual Biography, Routledge, London, 1992. ISBN 0-415-07763-X
• Bowersock, Glen Warren, Julian the Apostate, London, 1978. ISBN 0-674-48881-4
• Rolfe, John C., translator, Ammianus Marcellinus, HUP, Cambridge Mass., 1956.