Eusebius: Ecclesiastical History, Books I–X

NPNF historical edition · Translated text

Book VII — Chapter XIV — The Bishops that flourished at that Time.

Chapter XIV.—The Bishops that flourished at that Time.

At that time Xystus ^{Edition note 1} was still presiding over the church of Rome, and Demetrianus, ^{Edition note 2} successor of Fabius, ^{Edition note 3} over the church of Antioch, and Firmilianus ^{Edition note 4} over that of Cæsarea in Cappadocia; and besides these, Gregory ^{Edition note 5} and his brother Athenodorus, ^{Edition note 6} friends of Origen, were presiding over the churches in Pontus; and Theoctistus ^{Edition note 7} of Cæsarea in Palestine having died, Domnus ^{Edition note 8} received the episcopate there.

He held it but a short time, and Theotecnus, ^{Edition note 9} our contemporary, succeeded him. He also was a member of Origen’s school. But in Jerusalem, after the death of Mazabanes, ^{Edition note 10} Hymenæus, ^{Edition note 11} who has been celebrated among us for a great many years, succeeded to his seat.

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Edition notes

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Edition note 1

On Xystus II., see chap. 5, note 5.

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Edition note 2

On Demetrianus, see Bk. VI. chap. 46, note 12.

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Edition note 3

On Fabius, see Bk. VI. chap. 39, note 7.

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Edition note 4

On Firmilianus, see Bk. VI. chap. 26, note 3.

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Edition note 5

Gregory Thaumaturgus, bishop of Neo-Cæsarea in Pontus from about 233–270 (?). Upon Gregory, see Bk. VI. chap. 30, note 1.

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Edition note 6

On Athenodorus, see ibid. note 2.

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Edition note 7

On Theoctistus, see Bk. VI. chap. 19, note 27.

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Edition note 8

Of the life and character of Domnus we know nothing. So far as I am aware he is mentioned only here. His dates are uncertain, but his predecessor, Theoctistus, was still bishop in the time of Stephen of Rome (254–257; see above, Bk. VI. chap. 19, note 27), while he himself became bishop before the death of Xystus of Rome, as we may gather from this chapter, i.e. before August, 258 (see chap. 5, note 5), so that between these dates his accession must be placed. Eusebius’ words in this passage will hardly admit an episcopate of more than one or two years; possibly he was bishop but a few months.

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Edition note 9

The dates of Theotecnus are likewise uncertain. Eusebius in Bk. VII. chap. 32, says that he was acquainted with Pamphilus during the episcopate of Agapius (the successor of Theotecnus), implying that he first made his acquaintance then. It is therefore likely that Agapius became bishop some years before the persecution of Diocletian, for otherwise we hardly allow enough time for the acquaintance of Pamphilus and Eusebius who did so much work together, and apparently were friends for so long a time. Pamphilus himself suffered martyrdom in 309 a.d. Theotecnus was quite a prominent man and was present at the two Antiochian synods mentioned in chaps. 27 and 30, which were convened to consider the heresy of Paul of Samosata.

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Edition note 10

On Mazabanes, see Bk. VI. chap. 39, note 5.

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Edition note 11

According to the Chron. of Eusebius, Hymenæus was bishop of Jerusalem from 265–298. It is expressly stated in the Chron. that the dates of the earlier Jerusalem bishops are not known (see Bk. V. chap. 12, note 1); but with the dates of the bishops of the latter part of the third century Eusebius can hardly have been unacquainted, and that Hymenæus was bishop at any rate as early as 265 is proved by chaps. 27 and 30 (see the note on Mazabanes referred to just above). The dates given in the Chron. may therefore be accepted as at least approximately correct.

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