Dialogue on the Life of John Chrysostom
A defence of John Chrysostom written soon after his death in the form of a conversation between a bishop and a Roman deacon. Its author was one of John’s supporters and suffered exile for it. It is the fullest account of his deposition, banishment and death.
Read the text at tertullian.org ↗The translator’s introduction (tertullian.org) ↗
The work is cast as a dialogue held at Rome between an eastern bishop and a deacon named Theodore, shortly after news of John’s death in 407 had arrived. It is transmitted under the name of Palladius, bishop of Helenopolis in Bithynia, the author of the Lausiac History, and is generally accepted as his. Palladius belonged to John’s party, went to Rome to plead his cause and was himself exiled.
The author knew many of the people involved and quotes documents, among them John’s letter to Innocent of Rome and the exchange of messages with the synod at the Oak. He is also an advocate. The dialogue is written to clear John and to blacken Theophilus of Alexandria, and its account of motives should be read as that of one side. The church historians Socrates and Sozomen, who were less committed, tell the same events with more criticism of John’s manner.
Cited in
- AD 398 to AD 407, firm date