Church History (epitome by Photius)

Contents

Reading pages: 0.1–3.8 · 3.9–3.28 · 4.1–6.7 · 7.1–7.15 · 8.1–9.19 · 10.1–11.8 · 12.1–12.14

1. 0.1Photius describes Philostorgius's history: twelve books whose initials spell his name, running from Arius's quarrel with Alexander to Valentinian III, and partisan for the heretics.
2. 1.1Philostorgius's judgment on the four books of Maccabees: the first trustworthy, the second an epitome of Jason of Cyrene, the third fanciful, the fourth a eulogy by Josephus.
3. 1.2Philostorgius praises Eusebius as a historian but faults his belief that God is unknowable.
4. 1.3Philostorgius claims Arius declined the bishopric of Alexandria in favour of Alexander.
5. 1.4Philostorgius blames a presbyter nicknamed Baucalis for starting the dispute between Bishop Alexander and Arius.
6. 1.5Philostorgius on Constantius I's rule in Gaul and his death in Britain, where Constantine succeeded him.
7. 1.6Philostorgius's account of the sign of the cross that Constantine saw before his victory over Maxentius.
8. 1.7Philostorgius claims Alexander of Alexandria and Hosius agreed on the homoousion and the condemnation of Arius before Nicaea.
9. 1.8Philostorgius names Basil of Amasea and Meletius of Sebastopolis among the bishops at Nicaea.
10. 1.9Philostorgius says all at Nicaea signed except Secundus and Theon, and that Eusebius of Nicomedia and his party signed deceitfully at Constantia's advice.
11. 1.10Secundus foretells the exile of Eusebius of Nicomedia, which followed three months after Nicaea.
12. 2.1Philostorgius claims Constantine turned against the Nicene term, that Alexander briefly subscribed, then returned to his own view.
13. 2.2Arius wrote popular songs for sailors, millers and travellers to spread his teaching.
14. 2.3Philostorgius faults Arius for teaching that God is unknowable even to the Son, and names the few Arians who did not hold it.
15. 2.4Philostorgius on Constantine's killing of Crispus and Fausta, and his claim that Constantine was poisoned by his brothers.
16. 2.5Philostorgius's account of Ulfilas: the Gothic captives' conversion, his ordination by Eusebius, his Gothic alphabet and Bible (without Kingdoms), and his Arian sympathies.
17. 2.6Philostorgius claims the Indians taught by Bartholomew, the Homerites, held the Anomoean doctrine.
18. 2.7Philostorgius on the return of Eusebius, Maris and Theognis, their creed, and the deposition of Alexander and Eustathius.
19. 2.8Philostorgius tells of the miracles of Agapetus, an Arian bishop of Synnada.
20. 2.9Constantine marks out the walls of Constantinople, led by a heavenly power, and furnishes it to rival Rome.
21. 2.10On the death of Alexander of Constantinople, Eusebius of Nicomedia is moved to the see of Constantinople.
22. 2.11Philostorgius's hostile account of Athanasius's ordination and of the councils of Tyre, which Photius rejects as lies.
23. 2.12Helena founds Helenopolis where a dolphin brought Lucian the martyr's body ashore.
24. 2.13Lucian the martyr, bound in prison, celebrates the Eucharist on his own breast for his companions.
25. 2.14Philostorgius lists the disciples of Lucian, some of whom lapsed in persecution and repented.
26. 2.15Philostorgius on which of Lucian's disciples kept his doctrine and which, like Theognis and Asterius, departed from it.
27. 2.16Philostorgius's story that Constantine, poisoned by his brothers, left a will demanding vengeance, which Eusebius passed to Constantius.
28. 2.17Philostorgius accuses the Christians of worshipping Constantine's statue on the porphyry column.
29. 2.18After Constantine's death Athanasius returns from Gaul and resumes his see.
30. 3.1Philostorgius on the war between Constantine's sons in which the eldest was killed and his share passed to Constans.
31. 3.2Constantius builds the Great Church and brings the relics of Andrew, Luke and Timothy to the Church of the Apostles.
32. 3.3Constantius expels Athanasius and has George of Cappadocia appointed; Athanasius flees to the West.
33. 3.4Constantius's embassy under Theophilus the Indian to the Homerites of Arabia, whose ruler builds three churches.
34. 3.5Theophilus visits his home island and India, correcting their customs; Philostorgius claims they had always held the Anomoean doctrine.
35. 3.6Theophilus goes on to the Auxumites of Ethiopia; a description of the Red Sea and of the Syrians beyond them, and of his honoured return.
36. 3.7Philostorgius's description of the course of the Tigris to the Persian Gulf.
37. 3.8Philostorgius traces the Euphrates from Mount Ararat, where the ark rested, to its junction with the Tigris.
38. 3.9Philostorgius explains how the Tigris and Euphrates flow underground from Paradise, citing Psalm 24.
39. 3.10Philostorgius locates Paradise in the east and traces the rivers Pishon (the Hyphasis) and Gihon (the Nile) from it.
40. 3.11Philostorgius's catalogue of the wonders of the eastern and southern lands (elephants, unicorns, giraffes, apes, the sphinx, zebras, the phoenix), ending with the excellence of Paradise.
41. 3.12Philostorgius's account of Athanasius's restoration through Constans's threat of war, and of the bishops who came over to him.
42. 3.13Philostorgius claims Flavian of Antioch first introduced the doxology “Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.”
43. 3.14Philostorgius says Arians and Nicenes shared worship except the Eucharist until Aetius brought about a full separation.
44. 3.15Philostorgius's life of Aetius: his poverty and goldsmith's trade, his teachers among Lucian's disciples, his vision, his defeat of the Manichaean Aphthonius, and his medical practice.
45. 3.16Aetius defeats Basil of Ancyra and Eustathius of Sebaste in debate and earns their hatred.
46. 3.17Leontius, now bishop of Antioch, makes Aetius a deacon and teacher; Aetius goes to Alexandria to oppose Athanasius.
47. 3.18Leontius deposes Flavian and Paulinus, followers of the exiled Eustathius.
48. 3.19Aetius refuses ordination as bishop from Secundus and Serras because they communicated with the homoousians.
49. 3.20Eunomius comes to Antioch and is introduced by Secundus to Aetius at Alexandria, becoming his pupil.
50. 3.21Photius notes that Philostorgius wrote a eulogy of Eunomius.
51. 3.22Philostorgius on the death of Constans, Constantina's elevation of Vetranio, and Constantius's mild treatment of him.
52. 3.23Bishop James of Nisibis saves the city from Shapur's siege.
53. 3.24Philostorgius describes the Julian and Succi passes, whose seizure made Constantius suspect Vetranio.
54. 3.25Constantius makes his cousin Gallus Caesar to face the Persians.
55. 3.26The sign of the cross over Jerusalem heralds Constantius's victory over Magnentius, who kills his kin and himself at Lyon.
56. 3.27Basil and Eustathius turn Gallus against Aetius, but Leontius reconciles them; Gallus sends Aetius to keep Julian from paganism.
57. 3.28The praetorian prefect Domitian and the quaestor Montius are killed at Antioch with Gallus's consent.
58. 4.1Gallus is summoned, deposed despite Theophilus's intervention, and executed through the eunuch Eusebius's scheming.
59. 4.2Constantius makes Julian Caesar, marries him to Helena, and sends him to Gaul.
60. 4.3Philostorgius claims Liberius and Hosius signed against the homoousion and Athanasius at Sirmium, after which Liberius returned to Rome and Felix withdrew.
61. 4.4Eudoxius of Germanicia becomes bishop of Antioch; Philostorgius describes his character and his father's martyrdom.
62. 4.5Eunomius declines the diaconate from Eudoxius until Eudoxius adopts the strict Anomoean doctrine.
63. 4.6Basil of Ancyra resents Eudoxius's appointment to Antioch, which he had coveted.
64. 4.7Constantius recalls Theophilus from exile, and Theophilus heals the empress.
65. 4.8Basil of Ancyra has Aetius, Eudoxius and Theophilus exiled and promotes the formula “like in all things”; Eunomius is also banished.
66. 4.9Basil's party promotes the homoiousion and wins over Macedonius and many bishops.
67. 4.10Constantius summons councils at Ariminum and Nicomedia; an earthquake destroys the bishops gathering at Nicomedia, and Ariminum adopts “like according to the Scriptures.”
68. 4.11The council of Seleucia splits: Basil's party affirms “like in essence” and deposes its opponents, who circulate a tome for the heteroousion.
69. 4.12At the council of Constantinople (360) Aetius defeats Basil in debate but is expelled and deposed, and all sign the Western formula “like according to the Scriptures.”
70. 5.1After the council of Constantinople Acacius deposes Basil, Macedonius and Aetius, and fills the vacant sees, Meletius at Antioch among them.
71. 5.2Aetius is moved to Amblada, where, Philostorgius claims, he ended a plague by prayer.
72. 5.3Eunomius becomes bishop of Cyzicus on condition that Aetius be restored within three months.
73. 5.4Philostorgius attributes Constantius's defeat by the Persians to his killing of kinsmen and his exile of the Anomoean leaders.
74. 5.5Constantius exiles Meletius for duplicity and makes Euzoius bishop of Antioch.
75. 6.1Accused of teaching that the Son is unlike the Father, Eunomius defends himself at Constantinople and wins the clergy and people.
76. 6.2Photius condemns Eunomius's Theophany sermon, which taught that Joseph lived with Mary as husband after Christ's birth and that the Son serves the Father and the Spirit the Son.
77. 6.3Eudoxius breaks his promise and presses Eunomius to sign against Aetius; Eunomius refuses and leaves Cyzicus.
78. 6.4Acacius accuses Eunomius before Constantius but fails to appear as accuser; the case is deferred as Julian revolts.
79. 6.5Constantius, marching against Julian, falls ill at Mopsucrenae, is baptized by Euzoius and dies.
80. 6.6Julian, bareheaded, walks before Constantius's coffin.
81. 6.7Julian recalls Aetius and the other exiled bishops.
82. 7.1Under Julian the pagans are given licence to persecute the Christians.
83. 7.2The pagans of Alexandria murder George; Philostorgius blames Athanasius, who then returns to his see.
84. 7.3The statue of Christ at Paneas, set up by the woman healed of a flow of blood, its healing herb, and its destruction under Julian.
85. 7.4Pagans in Palestine burn the relics of Elisha and John the Baptist and sacrifice Christians; Julian sets rival bishops against each other and strips the clergy of privileges.
86. 7.5Eudoxius asks Euzoius to hold a council to restore Aetius; after delay Euzoius agrees.
87. 7.6The Anomoeans ordain Aetius bishop, and Euzoius annuls his condemnation, but Julian's persecution halts further steps.
88. 7.7Julian exiles the future emperor Valentinian for refusing to give up his faith; an earlier portent of flame from his mouth had alarmed Constantius.
89. 7.8Philostorgius on the martyrdom of Babylas of Antioch, who barred an emperor from the church.
90. 7.9Julian's attempt to rebuild the Jerusalem temple to disprove Christ's prophecy is stopped by fire and earthquake.
91. 7.10The deaths of Julian's uncle, Felix, Elpidius and a desecrator of a church, as divine punishments for persecution.
92. 7.11Hadrian renames Jerusalem Aelia to keep the Jews from claiming it.
93. 7.12After Babylas's relics are moved the pagan oracles speak again but are exposed as false.
94. 7.13The terrible deaths of the apostate bishop Heron and of Theotecnus, who went over to paganism.
95. 7.14During Julian's attempt to rebuild the temple a workman finds in a cave a pristine copy of John's Gospel; on the earlier history of Jerusalem as Jebus.
96. 7.15Philostorgius on Julian's Persian campaign and death from a Saracen's spear, cursing the sun; Photius notes that most historians say he cursed Christ.
97. 8.1Jovian becomes emperor and makes peace with Persia; Julian is buried opposite Maximinus in Cilicia.
98. 8.2Aetius and Eunomius set up their own church, ordaining bishops for Constantinople and several provinces.
99. 8.3Philostorgius criticizes Theodosius, a bishop of his own party, for immorality and for teaching that Christ was by nature changeable.
100. 8.4Theodosius and other bishops write to Eudoxius against Aetius's ordination and those he performed; Eudoxius encourages them.
101. 8.5Jovian restores the churches and recalls those Julian had exiled, Valentinian among them.
102. 8.6Candidus and Arrian, Jovian's relatives, oppose Athanasius at court; Jovian stays neutral.
103. 8.7Euzoius rebukes Eudoxius for opposing Candidus and Arrian and for delaying Aetius's restoration.
104. 8.8Jovian proclaims his young son Varronianus nobilissimus at Ancyra and marches on in winter.
105. 8.9Jovian is suffocated at Dadastana; Valentinian is proclaimed and makes Valens his colleague. A note follows on Hypatia and her killing.
106. 8.10Philostorgius on the physicians of his day, criticizing Posidonius for denying demonic possession.
107. 8.11Philostorgius's comparison of Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus and Apollinaris as writers, and his claim that Basil died of grief over Eunomius's reply.
108. 8.12Photius rejects Philostorgius's claim that Basil died after reading Eunomius's reply.
109. 8.13Photius accuses Philostorgius of misrepresenting the Christology of Basil and Gregory and the views of Apollinaris.
110. 8.14Philostorgius rates Apollinaris's work against Porphyry above those of Eusebius and Methodius.
111. 8.15Two biographical claims of Philostorgius that Photius doubts.
112. 8.16Valentinian and Valens came from Cibalis.
113. 8.17Philostorgius lists the leaders of the homoiousian party.
114. 8.18Philostorgius compares Aetius's dialectical power with Eunomius's clarity as a teacher.
115. 9.1Photius dismisses the miracles Philostorgius ascribes to the Anomoean leaders in Book 9.
116. 9.2Philostorgius on Moses' punishment of the magicians Jannes and Jambres.
117. 9.3Under Valens, Eudoxius and Euzoius break their promises to the Anomoeans and revile them publicly.
118. 9.4Aetius retires to Lesbos and Eunomius to Chalcedon, leading their followers without holding sees.
119. 9.5Procopius hides on Eunomius's estate, seizes Constantinople, is betrayed and executed; his betrayer Florentius is burned by the army.
120. 9.6Eunomius obtains the release of prisoners from Procopius; Aetius escapes execution on Lesbos and later dies at Constantinople, buried by Eunomius.
121. 9.7The clergy of Constantinople expel Aetius, and Eudoxius approves.
122. 9.8Eunomius is exiled on suspicion of hiding Procopius but recalled through the bishops of Mursa and Marcianopolis; Eudoxius dies and Demophilus succeeds him.
123. 9.9Philostorgius's family: his mother Eulampia, daughter of the presbyter Anysius, was won over to Eunomius's teaching by his father Carterius.
124. 9.10Demophilus is installed as bishop of Constantinople amid shouts of “Unworthy.”
125. 9.11The prefect Modestus banishes Eunomius to Naxos.
126. 9.12Philostorgius derives the old name of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Mazaca, from Mosoch.
127. 9.13Demophilus can install a bishop at Cyzicus only after anathematizing Aetius and Eunomius; the new bishop preaches the homoousion.
128. 9.14Dorotheus moves to Antioch; Philostorgius criticizes him and Demophilus, who taught that Christ's body was absorbed into the Godhead like milk in the sea.
129. 9.15Pagan oracles foretell an emperor whose name begins “Theod-”; Valens kills Theodore and many innocent people.
130. 9.16On Valentinian I's death Gratian succeeds and accepts the young Valentinian II as colleague.
131. 9.17The Goths, driven by the Huns, cross the Danube; Valens is defeated and burned to death; Gratian makes Theodosius emperor.
132. 9.18The Eunomians appoint bishops for Palestine, and Eunomius and others travel to the East.
133. 9.19Theodosius defeats the barbarians, gives the churches to the Nicenes, and expels the Arian and Eunomian bishops.
134. 10.1The clergy of Antioch seek communion with the Eunomians, who demand that they revoke Aetius's condemnation; the request ends in mutual hostility.
135. 10.2Philostorgius criticizes Arius's teaching that God is only partially knowable, and the councils that declared the Son's generation unknowable.
136. 10.3Philostorgius on the divisions among the Arians over the Son's likeness to the Father, which he says all lead to the homoousion, and on their simony and vices.
137. 10.4The Eunomians rejected other groups' baptism and ordination and baptized with a single immersion into Christ's death.
138. 10.5Arcadius is made emperor; Gratian is killed by Maximus; Photius attributes Philostorgius's hostility to Gratian to his orthodoxy.
139. 10.6Eunomius is exiled by Theodosius to Halmyris, then Caesarea, then his own estate, where young Philostorgius saw and admired him.
140. 10.7Theodosius marries Galla, an Arian, after the death of Placilla; their daughter is Placidia.
141. 10.8Theodosius and Valentinian II defeat and execute the usurper Maximus.
142. 10.9Philostorgius describes a sword-shaped comet seen after Theodosius's victory over Maximus, a portent of coming evils.
143. 10.10Philostorgius says he himself wrote against Porphyry.
144. 10.11A giant in Syria and a tiny man in Egypt, seen at the time of the comet.
145. 10.12Philostorgius on the Wednesday and Friday fast, kept without food until evening, illustrated by the presbyter Eudoxius.
146. 11.1The death of Valentinian II: after a quarrel with Arbogast he is strangled at Vienne and made to look like a suicide.
147. 11.2Arbogast makes Eugenius emperor; Theodosius defeats them at the Frigidus and dies of dropsy, praised by Philostorgius for his zeal against idols but blamed for luxury.
148. 11.3Rufinus and Stilicho rule in the names of Arcadius and Honorius; Rufinus is cut down by the army and his head and hand paraded; Stilicho too is later killed.
149. 11.4The eunuch Eutropius becomes patrician and consul.
150. 11.5Eutropius removes Eunomius to Tyana, forbids his burial beside Aetius, and orders his books destroyed.
151. 11.6The empress Eudoxia, insulted by Eutropius, moves Arcadius to depose and exile him; Eutropius is later tried and beheaded.
152. 11.7Philostorgius describes the unprecedented calamities of his time, which he says the sword-shaped comet foretold.
153. 11.8The invasions of Huns, Mazices and Isaurians, and the revolts of Tribigild and Gainas, whom a heavenly power drove from Constantinople and Fravitta defeated.
154. 12.1Philostorgius's account of Stilicho's fall through Olympius, set against other writers' version.
155. 12.2Alaric invades Greece and Italy, summoned, Philostorgius says, by Stilicho, whom he accuses of plotting against Honorius.
156. 12.3Stilicho's son is killed; Alaric takes the Portus, besieges Rome, sets up Attalus, deposes him, and finally sacks Rome before dying in Campania.
157. 12.4Ataulf, Alaric's successor, marries Placidia, which Philostorgius sees as the union of iron and clay; after Ataulf's murder the Goths return Placidia and Attalus and receive land in Gaul.
158. 12.5Honorius celebrates the resettlement of Rome, mutilates Attalus and exiles him to Lipara.
159. 12.6The usurpers Jovinus, Sebastian and Heraclian are destroyed, showing that God supports the lawful emperor.
160. 12.7Theodosius II succeeds Arcadius, with his sister Pulcheria directing the imperial business.
161. 12.8The eclipse of 418, a cone-shaped light in the sky, and the earthquakes and fire from heaven that followed.
162. 12.9Strange effects of the earthquakes, which Philostorgius takes as signs of divine anger rather than natural events.
163. 12.10Philostorgius argues that earthquakes come from God's will alone, citing the Red Sea, the water from the rock and Naaman's cleansing.
164. 12.11Lucian, Eunomius's nephew, leads the Eunomians of Constantinople and then forms his own splinter group.
165. 12.12Constantius III becomes co-emperor, is refused recognition by Theodosius II, and dies after six months.
166. 12.13After Honorius's death the usurper John is overthrown by Ardaburius and Aspar, and Valentinian III is made emperor.
167. 12.14Aetius the general makes terms with Placidia, ending Photius's epitome; further fragments follow: on Josephus, Photius's verdict on Philostorgius, Leontius, Paneas and the sources of the Jordan, and Apollinaris, Basil and Gregory.