Aelia Flavia

She was a Gallo-Roman. Dupraz notes the possibility that Flavia might have belonged to the great aristocratic family of the Syagrii. Settipani says she might have been a relative of Felix Ennodius and Syagria. (Christian Settipani, "La transition entre mythe et réalité", Archivum 37 (1992:27-67)).

Jonas of Bobbio, the chronicler of Columbanus and his foundations, says she was noble in birth and bearing, but she and her husband were barren, until they beseeched Columbanus to intercede for a miraculous pregnancy. Columbanus required that the first-born be dedicated to the church, and consequently Donatus, christened by Columbanus himself as the "gift", was raised and educated at Luxeuil and was made Bishop of Besançon. The second son was Chramnelenus, and there were two daughters that the Merovingian chronicler did not think to name. ("Waldalenus" at Wikipedia). Onamastic evidence suggests that one daughter was the Aquilina who married Amalgar and had a son Waldalenus.

Flavia outlived her husband and founded a convent of nuns at Besançon, where her son Donatus was bishop. ("Waldalenus" at Wikipedia).

- Justin Swanstrom, September 26, 2010