Sulpicius, a very learned grammarian, born at Carthage, lived in the second century under the Antonines. He is supposed to be the author of the verses which are prefixed to the comedies of Terence, and which contain the arguments of them. He had for his pupil Helvius Pertinax, who afterwards became emperor.

Apollinaris Sidonius, Caius Sollius, an eminent Christian writer and bishop in the fifth century, was born of a noble family in France. He was educated under the best masters, and made great progress in the several arts and sciences, but particularly in poetry and polite literature. He married Papianilla, the daughter of Avitus, who was consul, and afterwards emperor, by whom he had three children. But Majorianus, in the year 467, having deprived Avitus of the empire, and taken the city of Lyons, in which our author resided, Apollinaris fell into the hands of the enemy. The reputation of his learning softened Majorianus's resentment, so that he treated him with the utmost civility; in return for which Apollinaris composed a panegyric in his honour, which was so highly applauded, that he had a statue erected to him at Rome, and was honoured with the title of Count.

In the year 467 the Emperor Anthemius rewarded him for the panegyric which he had written in honour of him, by raising him to the post of governor of Rome, and afterwards to the dignity of a patrician and senator. But he soon quitted these secular employments for the service of the church. The bishopric of Clermont being vacant in 472 by the death of Eparclius, Apollinaris, who was then only a layman, was chosen to succeed him. Clermont being besieged by the Goths, he animated the people to the defence of that city, and would never consent to a surrender; so that when it was taken, about the year 480, he was obliged to retire. He was soon, however, restored by Evaric, king of the Goths, and continued to govern the church as before. He died on the 21st of August 482. He is esteemed one of the most acute and vigorous writers of his age, both in prose and verse. His chief works are his Panegyrics upon the Emperors Avitus, Majorianus, and Anthemius, and a collection of Letters and Poems. The best edition of these productions is that by Sirmond, published in 1614, and republished by Labbe in 1652, in 4to. There is a French translation of his Letters.