Quintus Aurelius, a Latin writer of high reputation during his own time, was born at Rome, being the son of Lucius Avianus Symmachus, who became prefect of the city in the year 364. The son was carefully initiated in the learning of the age, and soon distinguished himself by his talents and eloquence. He became pro-consul of Africa in 370, and prefect of the city in 384. He likewise appears to have filled the office of pontifex. While he held that of prefect, he addressed to Valentinian II., Theodosius, and Arcadius, an elaborate epistle, urging the restoration of the pagan rites and observances. This application produced no effect, but his zeal for the ancient superstition was still unabated; and in 388 or 389, when congratulating Theodosius, he again, in the name of the senate, entreated him to restore the altar of Victory to the senate-house. But the emperor, who had a more personal reason for being dissatisfied with his conduct, on account of his favourable sentiments towards the usurper Maximus, sent him into exile at a great distance from Rome. His disgrace does not however appear to have been lasting; for he was nominated consul in the year 391. He survived Theodosius, and was employed by his sons Arcadius and Honorius.

Symmachus is chiefly known to posterity as the author of ten books of Epistles, which reflect some light on the history of that era. He seems to have chosen Pliny as his model; but he belongs to a very inferior age of Latinity, and has a due share of the quaintness and affectation by which it is generally characterized. His relatio in favour of paganism (lib. x. epist. lxii.) produced a refutation from Ambrose bishop of Milan, who on that subject addressed two epistles to Valentinian. He was likewise assailed by Prudentius, who composed a poem in two books "Contra Symmachum Praefectum Urbis." Of the literary merit of his adversary, the Christian poet has expressed the highest admiration:

O lingua miro verborum fonte fluentem, Romani decus eloquii, cui cedat et ipse Tullius, hanc fundit divae facundia gemmas. Os dignum esterno tinctum quod fulget auris, Si mallet landare Deum, cui sordida monstris Prasultit, et liquidam temeravit criminis vocem.

The Epistolae of Symmachus are said to have been printed before the close of the fifteenth century, and other very early editions are mentioned. Only 317 epistles appear in the edition printed by J. Schott, Argent. 1510, 4to. The Sympathy subsequent impressions include 965, divided into ten books. The next edition was printed by Froben, Basil. 1549, 8vo. Symphony. An edition, illustrated with notes, was afterwards prepared by Juretus, Paris. 1580, 1604, 4to. To the annotations of this editor, Lectius added his own, Genev. 1587, 1599, 8vo. The text of Lectius is preferable to that of Juretus. Another edition, accompanied with notes, was published by Scioppius, Mogunt. 1608, 4to. These notes he was accused of having pilfered from the papers of Giphanus. The next editions of Symmachus were those of Pareus, Neapol. Nemetum, 1617, 1628, Francof. 1642, 8vo. He added a "Lexicon Symmachiunum," and "Electa Symmachiana." We have only to mention another edition, Lugd. Bat. 1653, 12mo. Of the orations of Symmachus some fragments were discovered in the Ambrosian Library at Milan by the indefatigable Angelo Mai, and by him have been communicated to the public, under the title of "Q. Aurelii Symmachi, V. C. octo Orationum ineditarum partes. Invenit notisque declaravit Angelus Maius, Bibliotheca Ambrosiana a Linguis Orientalibus. Accedunt additamenta quaedam." Mediolani, 1815, 8vo.