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| Translator's Biographical Notice.
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Theonas of
Alexandria.
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Translator’s Biographical
Notice.
[a.d. 300.] Of this
Theonas we know extremely little. Eusebius1283
| 1283
Hist. Eccl., vii. 32. | tells us that Maximus, who had held
the episcopal office at Alexandria for eighteen years after the death
of Dionysius, was succeeded by Theonas. That bishopric, we also
learn, he held for nineteen years. His date is fixed as from
about 282 to 300 a.d. The only thing of
his that has come down to our time is his letter to Lucianus, the chief
chamberlain,1284
| 1284
Præpositus cubiculariorum. | and a person
in high favour with the emperor. This epistle, which is a letter
of advice to that individual on the duties of his office, was first
published in the Spicilegium of Dacherius, and again in
Gallandi’s Bibliotheca. The name of the emperor is
not given, neither does the letter itself tell us who the Bishop
Theonas was who wrote it. Hence some have, without much reason,
supposed another Theonas, bishop of Cyzicus, as the author. And
some, such as Cave, have thought the emperor in question was
Constantius Chlorus. But the whole circumstances suit Diocletian
best.1285
| 1285
See Neander’s Church History, vol. i. p. 197
(Bohn). [Christians began to be preferred for their
probity. Diocletian’s reign at first gave the Church a long
peace (see vol. iv. p. 126) of well-nigh ten years.] | Some
infer from the diction of the epistle, as we have it, that it is a
translation from a Greek original.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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