O. Schmidt, On the Relation Between Ancient Mathematics and Spherical Astronomy (1943); DSB 13.319–321, I.
Bulmer-Thomas.
Alexander Jones
Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius (410 – ca 435 CE)
Imperial official and author who seems to have originated in north Africa, known to con-
temporaries as Theodosius, now generally identified with the praetorian prefect of Italy in
430 CE and possibly the proconsul of Africa in 410 CE. Macrobius wrote the Saturnalia and
In Somnium Scipionis, both some time after 430 CE, and a treatise on Greek and Latin verbs
surviving as a later-medieval epitome.
Macrobius addressed the Saturnalia to his son, Eustachius. As the title suggests, the work
takes the form of a Platonic dialogue held over the course of the three-day festival by a
small host of public and literary luminaries from the 4th c. pagan circle of Praetextatus and
Q. Aurelius Symmachus (dramatic date 384 CE). The Saturnalia explicitly recalls the dia-
logues of C’s Rep. and Athe ̄naios’ Deipn. Macrobius exploited this genre to portray
the elite cultural attachments of the preceding generation within the ambit of otium and
conuiuium and, by extension, to claim continuity with that culture in his own day. The text,
now incomplete, presents a miscellany of antiquarianism, beginning with the Roman calen-
dar and pagan religion (1.12–23) and leading to the main topic, a commentary on V
and exposition of the poet’s suitability as a cipher of antique lore (1.24, 3.1–12, 4.1–6.9).
The last book, returning to the role of philosophy and science in a broader cultural context,
contains a speculative discussion on diet, gender, physiology and medicine (7.4–9), and,
although not explicit, forms a natural transition to the In Somnium Scipionis, also addressed
to Eustachius. The Saturnalia excerpts also from H, L, A G,
P T and S S.
The commentary In Somnium Scipionis draws upon Cicero’s famous Somnium Scipionis to
depict (anachronistically) Neo-Platonic precepts. As such, the treatise does not form a
traditional literary commentary of Cicero; instead, it serves as an exercise in secular exe-
gesis, extrapolating selectively (rather than systematically) from passages of Cicero. The text
depends heavily upon Porphurios for its philosophical doctrine, and Macrobius may have
written in consultation with other commentaries on Cicero’s Somnium, such as the briefer
version by A’ pupil, F E. Similarly, Macrobius’ use of Greek
scientific authors probably derived from intermediary sources, providing insights into the
transmission of philosophical and scientific learning. Macrobius employed long excurses in
the late-Latin encyclopedic tradition. Topics include a classification of dreams (1.3), numer-
ology and the Pythagorean decad (1.5–6), the nature and descent of the soul (1.8–14), a
treatment of astronomy containing some original aspects (1.14–22), music and its relation to
the harmony of creation (2.1–4), geography and a possibly original theory explaining the
tides (2.5–9).
W.H. Stahl, trans., Macrobius: Commentary on the Dream of Scipio (1952); A. Cameron, “The date and
identity of Macrobius,” JRS 56 (1966) 25–38; P.V. Davies, trans., Macrobius: The Saturnalia (1969);
R.A. Kaster, “Macrobius and Servius: Verecundia and the grammarian’s function,” HSPh 84 (1980)
219 – 262; OCD3 906 – 907, L.A. Holford-Strevens.
M. Shane Bjornlie
MACROBIUS AMBROSIUS THEODOSIUS