rved under
Odovacar (therefore between 476 and 492), as Comes Privatarum Rerum
and Comes Sacrarum Largitionum. These two offices, one of which
nominally involved the care of the domains of the Sovereign and the
other the regulation of his private charities, were in fact the two
great financial offices of the Empire and of the barbarian royalties
which modelled their system upon it. Upon the fall of the throne of
Odovacar, Cassiodorus transferred his services to Theodoric, at the
beginning of whose reign he acted as Governor (Consularis[1]) of
Sicily. In this capacity he showed much tact and skill, and thereby
succeeded in reconciling the somewhat suspicious and intractable
Sicilians to the rule of their Ostrogothic master. He next
administered (as Corrector[2]) his own native Province of 'Bruttii et
Lucania[3].' Either in the year 500 or soon after, he received from
Theodoric the highest mark of his confidence that the Sovereign could
bestow, being raised to the great place of Praetorian Praefect, which
still conferred a semi-regal splendour upon its holder, and which
possibly under a Barbarian King may have involved yet more
participation in the actual work of reigning than it had done under a
Roman Emperor.

[Footnote 1: We get these titles from the Notitia Occidentis I.]

[Footnote 2: [See previous footnote.]]

[Footnote 3: On the authority of a letter of Pope Gelasius, 'Philippo
et Cassiodoro,' Usener fixes this governorship of Bruttii between the
years 493 and 496 (p. 76).]

The Praefecture of this Cassiodorus probably lasted three or four
years, and at its close he received the high honour of the Patriciate.
We are not able to name the exact date of his retirement from office;
but the important point for us is, that while he still held this
splendid position his son was first introduced to public life. To that
son's history we may now proceed, for we have no further information
of importance as to the father's old age or death beyond the
intimation (contained in Var. iii. 28) that Theodoric invited him,
apparently in vain, to leave his beloved Bruttii and return to the
Court of Ravenna.

MAGNUS AURELIUS CASSIODORUS SENATOR was born at Scyllacium
(_Squillace_) about the year 480. His name, his birthplace, and his
year of birth will each require a short notice.

[Sidenote: Name.]

[Sidenote: Cassiodorus, or Cassiodorius.]

(1) _Name._ Magnus (not Marcus, as it has been sometimes incorrectly
printed) is t