Patricius (consul 500)

Patricius
Died	after 519
Allegiance	Byzantine Empire
Rank	magister militum
Battles/wars	Anastasian War

Flavius Patricius (Greek: Πατρίκιος, died after 519) was a prominent East Roman (Byzantine) general and statesman during the reign of Byzantine emperor Anastasius I (r. 491–518).

Flavius Patricius was born in Phrygia, but otherwise nothing is known of his early life. Raised to the consulate in 500 along with Anastasius's nephew Hypatius, he was already considered elderly at the time. In the same year, he was placed as magister militum praesentalis (one of the two magistri militum "in the presence" of the emperor), a post he held until Anastasius's death in July 518. The bishop and historian Zacharias of Mytilene characteristically calls him "upright and trustworthy, but with slight intelligence."

In 502, the Anastasian War with Sassanid Persia broke out. Thus in 503, along with Hypatius and Areobindus Dagalaiphus Areobindus, Patricius was sent east to campaign against the Persians. He invaded the Persian province of Arzanene, sacking various forts and taking prisoners, before returning to encamp join forces with Hypatius. While Areobindus was detailed to keep watch at the Persian stronghold of Nisibis and the army of Shah Kavadh I (r. 488–531) from Dara, Patricius and Hypatius, with the main force of 40,000 men (an enormous army for the time), were tasked with the recapture of Amida. Although the siege of Amida proved fruitless, together they won a skirmish against some Hephthalite Huns. Their success, however, made them careless allowing them to be surprised by the main Persian army under Kavadh. Defeated, they retreated across the Euphrates to Samosata. In the aftermath of this, Hypatius was recalled, but Patricius stayed on.

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