one of the most celebrated of the ancient grammarians, was surnamed Cassariensis, either because he was born at Cesarea, or had received his education there. He flourished in the reign of Justin (A.D. 518-527), and was a contemporary of the philosopher Boethius, and of Cassiodorus, the minister of Theodoric king of the Goths. He taught grammar at Constantinople, and received a salary from the court, which makes it probable that he was a Christian. Priscianus was distinguished for his thorough acquaintance with grammar, of which he has left us a proof, in a very complete work on that subject. It bears the title, Commentariorum Grammaticorum Libri xxiii. ad Julianum; or, in relation to its subject, De Octo Partibus Orationis cumdumque Constructione. The first sixteen books are employed on an examination of the eight parts of speech of the ancients, and the last two on syntax in the proper sense of the word. We have also a poem of the same author, in hexameter verse, on the Emperor Anastasius, who died in the year 518; and the style and language are far purer than those of many others in the same age. We have also many other smaller works on grammar.

His grammatical works have been published by Krehl, Leipzig, 1819, in two vols.; and the smaller essays by Lindemann, Leyden, 1817.