Salvia'nus
an accomplished ecclesiastical writer of the fifth century.
Although never raised to the episcopal dignity, he is styled by Gennadius, "the master of bishops."
He was born somewhere in the vicinity of Treves, a city with which he was evidently well acquainted.
It is uncertain whether he was educated in the true faith, but he certainly was a Christian at the period of his marriage with Palladia, a pagan lady of Cologne, the daughter of Hypatius and Quieta; for he not only speedily convinced his wife of her errors, but after the birth of a daughter, Auspiciola, persuaded her to adopt some of the leading observances of a monastic life. Having, in consequence of this step, incurred the displeasure of his father-in-law, whom, however, after a lapse of seven years, he succeeded in appeasing, and eventually in converting, he removed to the south of France, and became a presbyter of the Church at Marseilles. Here he passed the remainder of his life, enjoying the friendship of the most distinguished among the holy men of that country, among others of Eucherms, bishop of Lyons, to whose sons, Salonius and Veranus, he acted as preceptor.
The period of his death is uncertain, but he was still alive when Gennadius compiled his biographies, that is, about A. D. 490.
Works
The following works by this author are still extant: --
Published under the name of Timotheus, about A. D. 440.
Further Information
It was first printed in the Antidotum contra diversaos onmnium fere Saeculorum Haereses of Io. Sichardus, fol. Basel, 1528, under the title Timothei Episcopi ad Ecclesiam Catholicam toto Orbe diffusam et Salviani Episcopi Massiliensis in Librum Timothei ad Salonium Episcopum praefatio.
Written during the inroads by the barbarians upon the Roman empire, A. D. 451-455.
Editions
It was first printed by Frobenius, Basel, fol. 1530, with the title
D. Salviani Massyliensis Episcopi de vero Judicio et Providentia Dei ad S. Salonium Episcopum Viennensem Libri VIII. cura Io. Alexandri Brassicani Jureconsulti editi ac eruditis et cum primis Utilibus Scholiis illustrati.
Extra work erroneously attributed to Salvianus
To Frobenius 1530 is appended a tract by some unknown person, attributed erroneously to Salvianus:
Anticimenon (i. e.
ἀντικειμένων) Libri III. in quibus Quaestiones Veteris ac Novi Testamenti de Locis in Speciem pugnantibus.
addressed to friends upon familiar topics.
Editions
These were first printed in the edition of the collected works published by P. Pithoeus, 8vo. Paris, 1580.
Lost Works
Besides the above, the following, now lost, are mentioned by Gennadius : --
Editions
The best editions of the collected works of Salvianus are those of P. Pithoeus, 8vo. Paris, 1580, frequently reprinted;
of Rittershusius, 8vo. Altorf. 1611;
and, much superior to either, that of Baluzius, 8vo. Paris, 1663, 1669, 1684; of which the last may be regarded as the standard.
The different pieces will be found also in the Bibliotheca Patrum Maxima, vol. viii. p. 339, fol. Lugd. 1677; and
in the Bibliotheca Patrum of Galland, vol. x. p. 1, fol. Venet. 1774.
Further Information
Gennadius,
de Viris Illust. 67 ; Schönemann,
Bibliothec. Patrum Lat. vol. 2.39 ; Bähr,
Geschichte der Röm. Litterat. suppl. Band. 2te Abtheil. § 39; see also Heyne,
Opuscula Academica, vol. vi.
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W.R]
