▁f aded , ▁however , ▁when ▁The odor ic ▁inv aded ▁His p ania ▁at ▁Av it us ' ▁beh est , ▁which ▁rendered ▁him ▁unable ▁to ▁help ▁Av it us ▁against ▁the ▁re bel ▁Roman ▁gener als ▁who ▁de posed ▁him . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁and ▁early ▁career ▁▁ ▁Av it us ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Cl erm ont ▁to ▁a ▁family ▁of ▁the ▁Gal lo - R oman ▁nob ility . ▁His ▁father ▁was ▁possibly ▁F la vi us ▁Julius ▁Agr icola , ▁cons ul ▁in ▁ 4 2 1 . ▁Av it us ▁had ▁two ▁sons , ▁Agr icola ▁( fl ▁ 4 5 5 ▁– ▁living ▁ 5 0 7 , ▁a ▁vir ▁ill ust ris ) ▁and ▁E cd ici us ▁Av it us ▁( l ater ▁patr ici us ▁and ▁mag ister ▁milit um ▁under ▁Emperor ▁Julius ▁Nep os ) ▁and ▁a ▁daughter ▁ ▁Pap ian illa ; ▁she ▁married ▁Sid on ius ▁Apol lin aris , ▁whose ▁letters ▁and ▁pan eg yr ics ▁remain ▁an ▁important ▁source ▁for ▁Av it us ' ▁life ▁and ▁times . ▁ ▁Av it us ▁followed ▁a ▁course ▁of ▁study ▁typical ▁for ▁a ▁young ▁man ▁of ▁his ▁rank , ▁including ▁law . ▁Before ▁ 4 2 1 ▁he ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁powerful ▁patr ici us ▁F la vi us ▁Constant ius ▁( br ief ly ▁Emperor ▁in ▁ 4 2 1 ) ▁to ▁ask ▁for ▁a ▁tax ▁reduction ▁for ▁his ▁own ▁country ; ▁this ▁emb ass y ▁was ▁successful