A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

FLAVIANUS. I FLAVIANUIS. 17
rate under their own bishop, and had not united tius, Bibl. cod. Y2, 96, pp. 12, 80, 81, ed. Bekkerwith the second secession under Meletius. Pauli- Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. viii. p. 291, x. pp. 347,
nus was, at the death of Valens, the Eustathian 695; Cave, Hist. Lit. vol. i. p. 277, ed. Oxford,
bishop, and contested with Meletius the rightful oc- 1740-43.)
cupation of the see. The orthodox church through- 2. Of ANTIOCH. According to Evagrius he was
out the Roman empire was divided on the question, originally a monk of Tilmognon, in Coele-Syria;
the Western and Egyptian churches acknowledg- and, as appears from Theophanes, afterwards-being Paulinus, and the Asiatic, and apparently the came a presbyter and apocrisiarius of the church
Greek churches, recognising Meletius. To termi- at Antioch. lie was promoted to the see of
nate the schism it was agreed upon oath, by those Antioch by the emperor Anastasius I. on the death,of the clergy of Antioch who were most likely to of Palladius, in the year 496, or 497, or 498,
be appointed to succeed in the event of a vacancy, according to calculations or statements of Baronius,
that they would decline accepting such appointment, Victor Tununensis, and Pagi respectively: the
and agree to recognise the survivor of the present last date, which is also given by Tillemont, is proclaimants. Flavian was one of the parties to this bably correct. The church throughout the whole
agreement: but many of the Eustathians refused Byzantine empire was divided by the Nestorian and
to sanction it; so that when Meletius died, while Eutychian controversies and the dispute as to the
attending the Council of Constantinople, A. D. 381, authority of the Council of Chalcedon: and the
Flavian, who was also attending the Council, and impression that Flavian rejected the authority of
was elected to succeed him, with the general ap- that council may perhaps have conduced to his
proval of the Asiatic churches, felt himself at liberty elevation, as the emperor countenanced the Eutyto accept the appointment. chian party in rejecting it. But if Flavian was
The imputation of perjury, to which Flavian thus ever opposed to the council, he gave up his former
subjected himself, apparently aggravated the schism; views after his elevation to the bishopric.
and when Paulinus died, A. D. 388 or 389, his His period of office was a scene of trouble,
party elected Evagrius to succeed him; but on his through the dissensions of the church, aggravated
death after a short episcopate [EVAGRIUS, No. 1], by the personal enmity of Xenaias or Philoxenus,
no successor was chosen; and the schism was bishop of Hierapolis, in Syria, who raised the cry
healed, though not immediately. Flavian managed against him of favouring Nestorianism. Flavian
to conciliate Theophilus, bishop of Alexandria, and endeavoured to refute this charge by anathemaby his intervention, and that of Chrysostom, now tizing Nestorius and his doctrine; but Xenaias,
bishop of Constantinople, A. D. 397-403, he was not satisfied, required him to anathematize a
acknowledged by the Roman and other Western, number of persons now dead (including Diodorus
churches. of Tarsus, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of
On occasion of the great sedition at Antioch, Cyrus, and others), who were suspected, justly or
A. D. 387, Flavian was one of those who interceded not, of Nestorianism, declaring that if he refused
with the emperor, Theodosius the Great, for the to anathematize them, lie must remain subject to
pardon of the citizens. He set out on this mission the imputation of being a Nestorian himself.
in spite of the infirmities of age, the inclemency of Flavian refiused for a time to comply; but pressed
the weather, and the illness of his only sister, who by the enmity of Xenamias and his supporters, aind.
was at the point of death; and used such diligence anxious to satisfy the emperor, who supported his
as to reach Constantinople before the authentic opponents, he subscribed the Henoticon or Edict of
tidings of the disturbance. Ecclesiastical writers Union of the late emperor Zeno; and having assemascribe the pardon of the citizens very much to his bled the bishops of his province, he drew.up a synointercession, but Zosimus, in his brief notice of the dal letter, and sent it to the emperor, owning the
affair, does not mention him. authority of the three councils of Nice, ConstantiFlavian was held in much respect, both during nople, and Ephesus, and silently passing over that
and after his life. Chrysostom, his pupil and of Chalcedon, and pronouncing the required anafriend, speaks of him in the highest tenrms. Theo- thema against the prelates enumerated by Xenaias.
dore of Mopsuestia was also his pupil. Flavian He also sent to the emperor a private assurance of
died, A. D. 404, not long after the deposition of his readiness to comply with his wishes. (A. D.
Chrysostom, to which he was much opposed, but 508 or 509.) Victor Tununensis states that
which was sanctioned by his successor in the see Flavian and Xenalas presided over a council at.
of Antioch.. Constantinople A. D. 499, when the obnoxious
Of his writings only some quotations remain; prelates and the Council of Chalcedon itself were
they are apparently from his sermons, and are pre- anathematized: but his account seems hardly
served in the Eranistes of Theodoret. Photius trustworthy.
mentions his Letters to the Bislhops of Osroine and The enemies of Flavian were not, however,.
to a certain Armenian Bishop, respecting the rejec- satisfied. They required him distinctly to anation, by a synod over which Flavian presided, of thematize the Council of Chalcedon, and all who.
Adelphius, a heretic, who desired to be reconciled held the doctrine of the two natures. [EUTYto the church; Photius speaks also of a Confession aHss.] This he refused to do, and in a confesof' Faith, and a Letter to the Emnperor Theodosius, sion of faith which he drew up, supported the
written by him. ( Chrysostom, Ilo1zil. cum ordi- authority of the council in the repudiation both of.
natus esset lresbyt., Homil. III. ad Pop. Antioch., Nestorius and Eutyches, but not in its definition
4'c.; Facund. Def. Triuam Cap. ii. 2; Socrat. Hist. of the true faith. The cry of Nestorianism was.
ueccles. v. 5, 10, 15; Sozom. Hist. Eccl. vii. 11, 15, again raised against him; and new disturbances
23, viii. 3, 24; Theodoret, Hist. Eccl. ii. 24, iv. were excited; and the Isaurian, and apparently2.5, v. 2, X, 23, Eranist. Dial. i. ii. iii. Opera, vol. some other Asiatic churches, broke off from comiv pp. 46, 66, 160, 250, 251, ed. Schulze, Halae, munion with Flavian. A synod was held A. D.
1769-74; Philostorg. I-ist.. Eccl. iii. 18; Pho- 510 at Sidon, to condemn the Council of Chal