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Anatolics. a. D. 270. 141
' and Carus. lie was exceedingly well skilled in arithmetic,
' geometry, astronon)y, grammar, rhetoric, logic. The
' greatness of his capacity may be perceived from his work
' concerning Easter, and from his ten books of institutions
' of *" arithmetic'
Probus reigned from 276, to August 282 ; Carus the
remainder of that year, and all 283. Nevertheless, Cave has
placed Anatolius as flourishing about the year 270, and not
much amiss; Eusebius, whom he succeeded, having died,
as is'' supposed, in 269 or 270; though some^ think not
before 272.
Anatolius is placed in Jerom's Chronicle at the third year
of Probus, the year of Christ 278, after this manner :
' Anato-
' lius, "^bishop of Laodicea, well acquainted with all the
' principles of the philosophers, is now much celebrated.'
Nor did Jerom forget Anatolius* in his letter to Magnus.
Jerom undoubtedly Mas indebted to Eusebius for what he
knew of this person. Now tlierefore we will see what Eusebius
himself writes of him in his Ecclesiastical History.
He says 'that^ Anatolius was an Alexandrian, and bishop
' of Laodicea after Eusebius ; and that for eloquence, and for
' skill in philosophy and the Greek literature, he was the most
' eminent person of his time ; being a complete master of
' arithmetic, geometry, and likewise of logic, natural philo-
' sophy, and rhetoric : for the sake of which qualifications,
' as is said, he was desired by the people of Alexandria to
' set up a school for the Aristotelian philosophy.'
When that request was made we cannot say exactly ; but,
if ever, undoubtedly before he left Alexandria, and was
advanced to the episcopal office. Nor is there any certain
information given us of his complying with that request
though Fabricius in'' one place scruples not to say, without
hesitation, that he set up such a school at Alexandria.
Anatolius and his friend Eusebius performed signal ser-
'' They who desire to see what learned moderns say of AnatoHus may consult
Cav. H. Lit. T. i. TiUem. Mem. Ec. T. iv. P. ii. p. 637 643. Fabr.
Bib. Gr. T. ii. p. 274, &c. T. v. p. 277. " See Tillem. Mem. Ec. T.
iv. p. ii. p. 641. Basnag. Ann. 269. n. ix. ^ Pagi Ann. 269. n. ix.
* Anatolius, Laodicenus epi^copus, philosophorum disciplinis eruditus, plu-
rimo sermone celebiatur. Chr. p. 177. ^ Ep. 83. al. 84.
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