born 0441; 340
died 402, Ravenna
Roman statesman, orator, and writer.
A leading opponent of Christianity, he struggled with St. Ambrose to influence the increasingly Christian emperors Gratian (r. 367383) and Valentinian II (r. 375392) to tolerate paganism. As leader of the Senate in 387, he congratulated the new emperor, Magnus Maximus, on having driven out Valentinian. When Theodosius I reconquered Italy for Valentinian (388), Symmachus was forgiven and made consul (391).