Priscus of Epirus (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Πρίσκος; c. 305 – c. 395 AD), also known as Priscus the Thesprotian (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Πρίσκος ὁ Θεσπρωτὸς) and Priscus the Molossian (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Πρίσκος ὁ Μολοσσός),[1] was a Neoplatonist philosopher and theurgist, a colleague of Maximus of Ephesus, and a friend of the emperor Julian.
Priscus was a pupil of Aedesius in Pergamon, and later went to teach in Athens, where he taught Julian.[2] When Julian was in Gaul, he wrote to Priscus in the hope of acquiring the writings of Iamblichus on the Chaldean Oracles.[3] When Julian was proclaimed Caesar he summoned Priscus to Gaul, and he took him with him to Constantinople when he became Augustus in 361.[4] Priscus and Maximus travelled with Julian on campaign in Persia, and they were with him when he died in 363.[5] Sometime after the death of Julian, Priscus was arrested but eventually freed, avoiding the fate of Maximus who was executed in 371.[6] Priscus returned to Athens where he continued to teach for more than thirty years.[7]
He is used as a prominent character in Gore Vidal's novel Julian (novel), where he appears as personal friend of the emperor-protagonist while still having some criticism of the man's spirituality and actions in some instances.