FURIUS DIONYSIUS FILOCALUS (Furio Dionisio Filocalo). — Renowned calligrapher of the 4th century. His name appears at the head of the calendar with which the collection of the Chronography of 354 begins (v.). On the handles of a tablet is inscribed *Furius Dionisius Filocalus titulavit*, and on the tablet itself: *Valentine lege feliciter*, and moreover *Valentine vivas floreas gaudeas in Deo*. This Valentinus must be identified with the one who, after serving as *tribunus protectorum ex primicerio*, became *dux Illyrici* in 349 and *consularis Piceni* in 365. He was a Christian, as indicated by the greeting bestowed upon him by F. The latter must also have been his friend, as evidenced by the manner of the dedication; he too was a Christian of no small standing, as is clear from the prominence of his friendship with Pope Damasus.
For Damasus, indeed, he engraved the latter’s celebrated inscriptions in the most elegant characters of his own invention, remarkable for their solemnity and classical perfection of style, contrary to the prevailing usage of his time. Beside some of them he subscribed: *Damasi papae cultor adige amator Furius Dionysius Filocalus scripsit*. It is precisely this characteristic type of lettering that enables us to recognize the work of F. and also of Damasus. Since this style ceased shortly after 382, it must have been at that time that F. died.
It is debated what exact part F. played in the compilation of the Chronography of 354. It seems certain that at least the calendar was entirely his work, especially its rich decoration (published by J. Strzygowski, *Die Kalenderbilder des Chronographen vom Jahre 354*, Berlin 1888). The other parts of the collection were perhaps copied and updated by his assistants and then bound together into a single historical-chronological manual for Valentinus; thus F. would have had only a supervisory role in its production.