[1] The parents of Calliopius are unknown, but he had some relationship to the sometime quaestor sacri palatii Montius Magnus, and was perhaps his son.
[2] In his youth, he studied with Zenobius and although at birth he was a Christian, Calliopius became a pagan[3] of the Ancient Greek religion.
[4] Calliopius was friends with Seleucus, Libanius[5] and was a contemporary to the Roman emperor Julian the Apostate who ruled from November 361 until June 26, 363.
During his time as an assistant teacher with Libanius, he may have served in an unknown advocate role.
[12][13] In 360 he was made a senator, und in 362 Julian promoted him to governor (consularis) of Macedonia in 362.