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

PROCULUS. PROD1CUS. 541
in Liguria. Having entered upon the career of a from heaven and appeared to him, bidding him tell
soldier, he served with great distinction in the the people to honour him in future as a god under
Roman legions, and frequently held the command the name of Quirinus. (Liv. i. 16; Ov. Fast. ii.
of a tribune. In the year A. D. 280, he was per- 499, &c.; Flor. i. 1; Lactant. i. 15; Dion Cass.
suaded by a bold ambitious wife to place himself at lvi. 46.)
the head of the discontented inhabitants of Lyons, 2. A friend of Martial. (Mart. i. 71.)
and to assume the purple. Duringthe brief period 3. Slain by Commodus in Asia. (Lamprid.
of his sway, he achieved a victory over the Ale- Conmmod. 7.)
manni; but having been attacked and routed by PRO'CULUS, LICI'NIUS, was one of Otho's
Probus, he sought refuge among the Franks, by friends, and was advanced by him to the dignity
whom he was delivered up to death. (Vopisc. of praefect of the praetorian cohorts. Otho placed
Vita Proculi in Script. Hist. Aug.) [W. R.] more confidence in him than in ally of his other
PRO'CULUS, the jurist. The fact that Proculus generals, and he maintained his influence with the
gave his name to the school or sect (Proculiani or emperor by calumniating those who had more virtue
Proculeiani, as the name is also written), which than himself. His want of experience in war and
was opposed to that of the Sabiniani, shows that his evil counsels hastened Otho's fall. He escaped
he was a jurist of note. He was a contempo- with his life after the defeat at Bedriacum, and
rary of Nerva the son [NERVA]. Proculus is obtained his pardon from Vitellius by pleading
often cited, and there are 37 extracts from him in that he had purposely betrayed his master. (Tac.
the Digest from his eight books of Epistolae. He Hist. i. 46, 82, 87, ii. 33, 39, 44, 60.)
is the second jurist in order of time who is ex- PRO'CULUS, C. PLAU'TIUS, consul B.c.
cerpted in the Digest. Labeo is the first. Ac- 358, with C. Fabius Ambustus, carried on war
cording to the Florentine Index, he wrote eight with the Hernici, whom he conquered, and obtained
books of Epistolae; but he wrote at least eleven in consequence the honour of a triumph. Two
books. (Dig. 18. tit. 1. s. 69.) He appears also to years afterwards, B. c. 356, he was namedmagister
have written notes on Labeo. equitum by the dictator C. Marcius Rutilus. RuIt is inferred that Proculus was named Sempro- tilus was the first plebeian dictator, and Proculus
nius Proculus, from the case put in the Digest (31. s. the first plebeian magister equitum. (Liv. vii. 12,
47); but in that passage Sempronius Proculus asks 15, 17.)
the opinion of his grandson (nepos), whose name, PRO'CULUS, SCRIBO'N1US. 1. A senator,.as the answer shows, was Proculus. If he was a who was torn to pieces by the senators in the
daughter's son, his name would not necessarily be senate-house, because Protogenes, the instrument
Sempronius. Proculus is called " non levis juris of Caligula's cruelties, exclaimed, as Proculus was
auctor" by the Divi Fratres (Dig. 37. tit. 14. going to salute him, "Do you, who hate the emperor
s. 17.) Some writers suppose that Proculus is the so much, venture to salute me?" (Dion Cass. lix.
Licinius Proculus, who was Praefectus Praetorio 26; comp. Suet. Cal. 28.)
nluder Otho. (Tacit. IJist. i. 46, 82, ii. 39, &c.) 2. The brother of Scribonius Rufus. These
Lampridius (Alex. Severus, 68) makes Proculus one brothers were distinguished by their wealth and
of the consiliarii of Alexander Severus; but that is their friendship for one another, and had governed
lnot the only mistake which Lampridius commits the two Germanies at the same time. Having been
in that passage. (Zilnmern, Geschichte des Rim. summoned by Nero to Greece, they were accused
P'rivatrechts.) [G. L.] on their arrival, and, as no opportunity was afforded
PRO'CULUS, a physician. [PRocLus.] them of clearing themselves of the charges brought
PRO'CULUS, ACERRO'NIUS. [AcEaRo- against them, they put an end to their own lives
NIUS.] (Dion Cass. lxiii. 17). It is of these two brothers,
PRO'CULUS, C. ARTO'RIUS, a Roman Scribonius Proculus and Scribonius Rufus, that
grammarian, who erroneously gave the name of Tacitus speaks, calling them simply "1 Scribonii
/igurae to tropi. (Quintil. ix. 1, init.) This writer fratres." We learn from him that Pactius Africais frequently quoted by Festus, under the simple nus was supposed to have denounced them to Nero
name of Artorius. (Festus, pp. 225, 352, 364, ed. (Tac. Ann. xiii. 48, Hist. iv. 41). These brothers
Miller.) were probably the sons of the preceding Scribonius
I PRO'CULUS, BA'RBIUS, one of the soldiers Proculus. (See Reimarus, ad Dion Cass. 1. c.)
whom Otho employed to corrupt the fidelity of PRO'CULUS, TVTIUS, put to death in A. D.
Galba's troops, when he was aspiring to the em- 48, because he had been privy to the adulteries of
pire. (Tac. Hist. i. 25; Plut. Galb. 24.) Silius and Messalina. (Tac. Ann. xi. 35.)
PRO'CULUS, CERVA'RIUS, was privy to PRO'CULUS, VE'CTIUS, the step-father (vithe conspiracy of Piso against Nero, but, in con- tricus) of the wife of the younger Pliny (Plin. Ep.
sequence of his turning informer and accusing ix. 13. ~ 13). Pliny addresses one of his letters
Fenius Rufus, he obtained his pardon. (Tac. Ann. (iii. 15) to a certain Proculus, who may perhaps be
xv. 50, 66, 71.)' the same person as this Vectius Proculus.
PRO'CULUS, CE'STIUS. [CESTIUS, No. 4.] PRO'CULUS, VOLU'SIUS, had been one of
PRO'CUL US, COCCEIUS, one of the specu- the instruments employed by Nero in the murder
latores (see Dict. of Art. p. 508, b., 2d ed.) of the of his mother, and was a commander of one of the
emperor Galba. (Tac. Hist. i. 24.) ships in the fleet off the Campanian coast, when the
PRO'CULUS, FLA'VIUJS, a Roman eques in conspiracy of Piso against Nero was formed. From
the reign of the emperor Claudius. (Plin. H. N. a woman of the name of Epichiaris, he obtained
xxxiii. 2. s. 8.) some information respecting the plot, which he
PRO'CULUS, JU'LIUS. 1. Is related in the straightway communicated to Nero. (Tac. Ann.
legend of Romulus to have informed the sorrowing xv. 51, 57.)
Roman people, after the strange departure of their PRO'DICUS (IIp3L&KoS), was a native of Iulis
king from the world, that Romulus had descended in the island of Ceos, the birthplace of Simonides