Sozomen, Church History 2.25.1-2.25.3
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/457
Context
Salaminius Hermias Sozomenos, or Sozomen, was an ecclesiastical
historian of the first half of the 5th century. Born to a wealthy Christian family in
the region of Gaza, he learned classical and sacred literature under the guidance of
local monks, studied law at Beirut, and spent his career at Constantinople during the
reign of Theodosius II. His extant history, which depends significantly on the works by
Eusebius, Rufinus, and Socrates, surveys the events of the church from the conversion of
Constantine to the accession of Valentinian III, but the ending is either unfinished or
possibly damaged. In this passage, Sozomen describes the conflict between the
Athanasius, patriarch of Alexandria and resolute defender of Nicene Orthodoxy, and the
opposing faction of Arians and Meletians. Athanasius did not attend the Synod at
Caesarea in 334 C.E., thus dodging the attacks of Eusebius of Caesarea, among others,
but was compelled to attend the First Synod of Tyre in 335, called by the emperor
Constantine to address the accusations against Athanasius. After a subsequent inquest
before the emperor held in November at Constantinople, Athanasius was largely exonerated
but condemned for threatening to cut off the grain supply from Egypt to the capital, and
thus exiled to Trier in 336-337.
Text
(1) Ἀθανασίῳ δὲ πάλιν αἱ τῶν ἐναντίων ἐπιβουλαὶ ἀνεκίνουν πράγματα καὶ
μῖσος παρὰ τῷ βασιλεῖ κατεσκεύαζον καὶ κατηγόρων ἐπήγειρον πλῆθος. παρ’ ὧν ὀχλούμενος ὁ
βασιλεὺς σύνοδον γενέσθαι προσέταξεν ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς
Παλαιστίνης. εἰς ἣν κληθεὶς οὐχ ὑπήκουσεν, Εὐσεβίου τοῦ τῇδε ἐπισκόπου καὶ
τοῦ Νικομηδείας καὶ τῶν ἀμφ’ αὐτοὺς δείσας τὴν σκαιωρίαν. ἀλλὰ τότε μὲν καίτοι συνελθεῖν
ἀναγκαζόμενος ἀμφὶ τοὺς τριάκοντα μῆνας (2) ἀνεβάλλετο· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα σφοδρότερον
βιασθεὶς ἧκεν εἰς Τύρον. Ἔνθα δὴ συνελθόντες πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνὰ τὴν ἕω ἐπισκόπων ἐκέλευον
(3) αὐτὸν τὰς εὐθύνας ὑπέχειν τῶν κατηγορουμένων.1
Textual Note
Ed. Bidez and Hansen 1995Translation
(1) The plots of those opposing Athanasius again stirred up troubles
for him, excited the hatred of the emperor [Constantine I] against him, and incited a
multitude of accusers. Troubled by them, the emperor ordered that a council be held at
Caesarea Palestinae. Athanasius was summoned there but he did
not comply, fearing the machinations of Eusebius, bishop of the city, of Eusebius,
bishop of Nicomedia, and of their party. But then for 30 months, although pressed to
attend, (2) he kept delaying. At the end of that period, however, he was forced more
urgently and went to Tyre. There were assembled many bishops of the East, who commanded
(3) him to undergo the examinations of his accusers.2
Translation Note
Adapted from Hartranft 1890Works Cited
- 1 Sozomen, Kirchengeschichte, ed. Joseph Bidez and Günther Christian Hansen, 2nd ed., Griechischen christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei Jahrhunderte (Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, 1995), bk: 2, ch: 25.1-25.3.
- 2 Sozomen, Sozomenus: Church History from A.D. 323-425, in Socrates, Sozomenus: Church Histories., trans. Chester David Hartranft, repr. of American ed., A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church. Second Series 2 (New York: Christian Literature Publishing, 1890), 179–427, p: 275.
How to Cite This Entry
Joseph L. Rife, “Sozomen, Church History 2.25.1-2.25.3,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/457.
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Bibliography:
Joseph L. Rife, “Sozomen, Church History 2.25.1-2.25.3.” In Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, edited by Joseph L. Rife., edited by Joseph L. Rife. Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project, 2023. Entry published June 30, 2023. https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/457.About this Entry
Entry Title: Sozomen, Church History 2.25.1-2.25.3
Authorial and Editorial Responsibility:
- Joseph L. Rife, general editor, Vanderbilt University
- Joseph L. Rife, editor, Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia
- David A. Michelson, Daniel L. Schwartz, and William L. Potter, technical editor, “Sozomen, Church History 2.25.1-2.25.3”
- Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Sozomen, Church History 2.25.1-2.25.3”
Additional Credit:
- Testimonium edited by Joseph L. Rife
- TEI record created by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium translated by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium transcribed by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium identified by Joseph L. Rife
- Editorial review by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium edited by Joseph L. Rife
- TEI record created by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium translated by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium transcribed by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonium identified by Joseph L. Rife
- Editorial review by Joseph L. Rife