Liberius (praetorian prefect)
| Petrus Marcellinus Felix Liberius | |
|---|---|
| Praetorian Prefect of Italy | |
|
In office 493–500 |
|
| Preceded by | Caecina Mavortius Basilius Decius |
| Succeeded by | Caecina Decius Faustus Albinus |
| Praetorian Prefect of Gaul | |
|
In office 510–536 |
|
| Preceded by | Polemius |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Augustal Prefect of Egypt | |
|
In office c. 538 – 542 |
|
| Preceded by | Rudun |
| Succeeded by | Alexander |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 465 Liguria, Roman Italy |
| Died | c. 554 (aged ~89) Ariminum, Roman Italy |
| Spouse(s) | Agretia |
| Children | Venantius |
| Religion | Chalcedonian Christianity |
Petrus Marcellinus Felix Liberius (c. 465 – c. 554) was a Late Roman aristocrat and official, whose career spanned seven decades in the highest offices of both the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy and the Eastern Roman Empire. He held the highest governmental offices of Italy, Gaul, and Egypt, "an accomplishment not often recorded -- Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte are the only parallels that come to mind!" as James O'Donnell observes in his biographical study of the man.
The exact origin of Liberius is unknown, but it is speculated that he came from Liguria. His family certainly did not belong to the upper senatorial class of Italy. He was married to Agretia, and had several sons and a daughter. Almost nothing is known of them, except that one of his sons, Venantius, was appointed consul in 507 and held the ceremonial office of comes domesticorum vacans some time later.
After the deposition of the last Western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, by Odoacer in 476, the Roman administrative apparatus in Italy continued to function under the new regime. It continued to be staffed exclusively by Romans, and adhering to the pretense that Italy was still nominally a part of the Empire. Several senatorial families continued to serve in high administrative posts, and the young Liberius followed this tradition. Despite his youth he seems to have distinguished himself, for in 493, after Odoacer's murder, the new master of Italy, the Ostrogoth Theodoric the Great, appointed him to the highest civil office of praetorian prefect of Italy. He continued to serve in this capacity until 500, when he was retired and given the rank of patricius. His tenure was a success, as he proved capable in dealing with financial matters and in handling the sensitive issue of Gothic settlement, something reflected in the lavish praise he received from his contemporaries, Magnus Felix Ennodius and Cassiodorus.
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