Virius Lupus was a imperial Roman politician who served as consul in 278 AD.
Possibly the son of Lucius Virius Lupus Iulianus, consul in 232 AD, Lupus had a sufficiently distinguished career for him to be consul suffectus sometime before 275 AD.[1] After this he was appointed Consularis of Caelimontium, one of the 14 regions of ancient Rome. He was also appointed curator of Laurentum.[2]
During the reign of the emperor Gallienus Lupus was appointed the senatorial Praeses (governor) of Arabia Petraea (a position he held before 259 AD).[3] During his term the rhetorician Callinicus of Petra dedicated a work to Lupus, titled On Rhetorical Mannerism.[4]
Following this, during the 260s, Lupus was appointed to the governorship of Syria Coele, which, although nominally subject to Gallienus, placed him under the authority of Odaenathus.[5] During 271-272, he was serving as governor of Asia, this time his allegiance shifted from Zenobia to the emperor Aurelian.[6] He was heavily involved in Aurelian's restructure of Zenobian Syria following the emperor's subjugation of the east.[7] During this time, he was also iudici sacrarum cognition of Egypt and the east.[8] This was followed by his appointment as pontifex dei solis, one of the earliest appointments made by Aurelian to his new college of priests serving Sol Invictus.[9]
While in the east, he sided with Probus after Probus was proclaimed emperor in 276.[10] As a reward, Lupus was then made consul for the second time in 278 AD alongside Probus. After his term in office the emperor appointed him Urban prefect of Rome, a position he held from 278 to 280 AD.[11]
| Preceded by Marcus Aurelius Probus and Paulinus |
Consul of the Roman Empire with Marcus Aurelius Probus 278 |
Succeeded by Marcus Aurelius Probus and Nonius Paternus |