Eutolmius Tatianus

In the 360s he was praeses Thebaidos (governor of the Thebaid); between 367 and 370 he was praefectus augustalis in Egypt; from 370 to 374 he administered the Diocese of the East as comes Orientis and from 374 to 380 he held the office of comes sacrarum largitionum in the imperial financial administration.

According to John of Nikiû, he built two stone gates with enormous labour for the passage of the Nile at a place called Abrakjun,[1] likely near Alexandria.

On 16 June 388, shortly before his departure for the campaign against the usurper Magnus Maximus, Theodosius I appointed Tatianus Praetorian prefect of the East, succeeding Maternus Cynegius, a Spaniard like Theodosius, who had died recently; after having sent the insignia of power to Tatianus in Lycia, the Emperor appointed Proculus praefectus urbi of Constantinople.

Rufinus took advantage of some mistakes of Tatianus in the administration of finances, to depose and arrest him and to succeed him as prefect (September 392).

The last years of the reign of Theodosius were characterized by a growing intolerance against Paganism; perhaps the fall of Tatianus is to be interpreted in this context.