Ambrogio (ca. 340-397) was born in Treviri into a wealthy Christian senatorial family. He devoted himself to Roman law, eventually becoming consularis of a vast region with Milan as its capital. Thanks to his reputation as a righteous and just administrator, he was called to the office of bishop in 374, even though he was not yet baptised. At the height of the Roman Empire’s political and religious crisis, Ambrose realised that the Church had to perform certain tasks in a vicarious function to the State, providing a model of administration that has survived to the present day.