A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

5:t0 PROBUS. PROBUS.
prodigious memory. He has no great credit, so far interior, and even formed the scheme of disarming
as style is concerned, in his pupil Eunapius, but the the inhabitants and of reducing the whole country
names of Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen to the form of a province. Passing onwards, every
(Sozomen, H. E. vi. 17), fully bear out his high foe was swept away from the frontiers of Rhaetia
reputation as a teacher of rhetoric. (Compare and Noricum, which now enjoyed complete seSuidas, s. v.; Clinton, Fast. Rom. pp. 401, 405, curity, the Goths upon the Thracian borders, over-.
449, 469; Westermann, Geschichte der Griech. awed by his name, tendered submission or were
lJeredt. p. 237.) [WV. M. G.] admitted to alliance, the robber hordes of Isauria
PROBA, FALCO'NIA. [FALCONIA.] and the savage Blemmyes of Ethiopia were crushed
PROBUS, M. AURE'LIUS, Roman emperor or dispersed, a treaty was concluded with the PerA. D. 276-282, was a native of Sirmium in sians at their own eager solicitation, while, in
Pannonia. His mother is said to have been of addition to the conquest of foreign foes, the rebelmore noble extraction than his father Maximus, lions of Saturninus at Alexandria, of Proculus and
who after having served as a centurion with good Bonosus in Gaul, were promptly suppressed. The
reputation was raised to the rank of tribune, and emperor on his return to the metropolis celebrated
died in Egypt, bequeathing a very moderate for- a well-earned triumph, and determined forthwith to
tune to his widow and two children, a son and devote his whole energies to the regulation of the
a daughter. Young Probus, at an early age, civil government. The privileges restored by his
attracted the attention, and gained the favour of predecessor to the senate were confirmed, agriculValerian, from whom, in violation of the ordinary ture was promoted by the removal of various perrules of military service, he received while almost nicious restrictions, large bodies of barbarians were
a boy the commission of tribune. Letters have transplanted from the frontiers to more tranquil
been preserved by Vopiscus, addressed by the regions, where they were presented with allotments
prince to Gallienus, and to the praetorian prefect, of land in order that they might learn to dwell in
ill which he announces the promotion of the youth, fixed abodes, and to practise the occupations and
whom he praises warmly, and recommends to their duties of civilised life, while in every direction
notice. Nor did he prove unworthy of this pa- protection and encouragement were extended to
tronage. He conducted himself so gallantly in the industry. But the repose purchased by such unwar against the Sarmatians beyond the Danube, remitting exertion proved the cause of ruin to
that he was forthwith entrusted with the command Probus. Fearing that the discipline of the troops
of a distinguished legion, and was presented in a might be relaxed by inactivity and ease, he empublic assembly with various military rewards, ployed them in laborious works of public utility,
among others with the highest and most prized of and was even rash enough to express the hope
all decorations, a civic crown, which he had earned that the time was fast approaching when soldiers
by rescuing a noble youth, Valerius Flaccus, a would be no longer necessary. Alarmed by these
kinsman of the emperor, from the hands of the ill-judged expressions, and irritated by toils which
Quadi. His subsequent exploits in Africa, Egypt, they regarded as at once painful and degrading, a
Arabia, Scythia, Persia, Germany, and Gaul, large body of men who were employed under his
gained for him the esteem and admiration of Gal- own inspection in draining the vast swamps which
lienus, Aurelian, and the second Claudius, all of surrounded his native Sirmium, in a sudden transwhom expressed their feelings in the most earnest port of rage made an attack upon the emperor,
language, while his gentle though firm discipline, who, having vainly attempted to save himself by
the minute care which he evinced in providing for taking refuge in a strong tower, was dragged forth
the wants and comforts of the soldiers, and his and murdered by the infuriated mutineers.
liberality in dividing spoils, secured the zealous History has unhesitatingly pronounced that the
attachment of the troops. By Tacitus he was character of Probus stands without a rival in the
named governor of the whole East, and declared to annals of imperial Rome, combining all the best
be the firmest pillar of the Roman power, and, features of the best princes who adorned the
upon the death of that sovereign, the purple was purple, exhibiting at once the daring valour and
forced upon his acceptance by the armies of Syria. martial skill of Aurelian, the activity and vast
The downfal of Florianus speedily removed his conceptions of Hadrian, the justice, modera-.only rival, and he was enthusiastically hailed by tion, simple habits, amiable disposition, and culthe united voice of the senate, the people, and the tivated intellect of Trajan, the Antonines, and
legions. Alexander. We find no trace upon record of any
The whole reign of Probus, which lasted for counterbalancing vices or defects, and we can
about six years, presents a series of the most bril- detect no motive which could have tempted the
liant achievements. His attention was first turned writers who flourished soon after his decease to
to Gaul, which had become. disturbed upon the employ the language of falsehood or flattery in
overthrow of Postumus, and after the death of depicting the career of an obscure Illyrian soldier,
Aurelian had been ravaged, occupied, and almost unconnected by blood or alliance alike with those
subjugated by the Germans. By a succession of who went before him, and with those who sucvictories the new ruler recovered sixty important ceeded him on the throne.
cities, destroyed 400,000 of the invaders, and Our chief authority is the biography, in the
drove the rest across the Rhine. Following up Augustan History, of Vopiscus, who complains that
his success, he penetrated into the heart of Ger- even when he wrote, the great achievements of this
many, compelled the vanquished tribes to restore extraordinary man were rapidly sinking into obthe whole of the plunder which they had borne livion, obliterated doubtless by the stirring events
away, and to furnish a contingent of 16,000 and radical changes in the constitution which folrecruits, which were distributed in small numbers lowed with such rapidity the accession of Dioamong the different armies of the empire; he cletian. By the aid, however, of the books and
established a line of posts stretching far into the state papers which he had consulted in the Ulpian