FESTO, Roman senator. — Consul in 472, he went over to Teodorico after the battle of the Adda in 490. At the beginning of 497, at the head of a mission, he went to Costantinopoli to request from the Emperor recognition of Teodorico, promising to work to ensure that the Pope would subscribe to the Henoticon (v.). Owing to the subsequent death of Anastasio, he was unable to keep his promise; but, with the help of the senators of his party and with money, he strove to set up the antipope Lorenzo (v.) against the legitimate Simmaco.
In 501 F. presented Teodorico with a series of accusations against Simmaco, requesting a visitor and the convocation of a synod, while persecuting his followers and causing disturbances and disorders. For a time he succeeded in having Lorenzo recognized, but in 506 Teodorico ordered him to restore to the legitimate Pontiff the churches and property held by the schismatics. F. then withdrew from active political life and died in one of his villas, where he had also received his protégé Lorenzo.