Gaius Sollius Apollinaris Sidonius, a Gallo-Roman aristocrat, prefect of Rome, and bishop of Clermont in Gaul (present-day Clermont-Ferrand in France), is one of the most prominent figures of late-antique Gaul, who lived to see the end of the Roman Empire in the West (476). He was renowned for his poetry and his correspondence which were instrumental in securing his influence within an extensive web of relationships. He is one of the major sources for our knowledge of fifth-century Gaul.
The usual name Sidonius Apollinaris is a medieval invention and is incorrect; in his own day he was designated in short as either Sollius or Sidonius. Sidonius was born on 5 November 429/32 in Lyons into one of the most distinguished families of Roman Gaul, the Apollinares. His father became prefect of
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Citation: van Waarden, Joop. "Sidonius Apollinaris". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 19 August 2009; last revised 15 April 2010. [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12549, accessed 22 November 2024.]
