A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

(Λεόντιος), literary.

1. Of ANTIOCH. Leontius was born in Phrygia, and was a disciple of the martyr Lucianus; and having entered the church was ordained presbyter. In order to enjoy without scandal the society of a young female, Eustolius or Eustolia, to whom he was much attached, he mutilated himself; but, notwithstanding, did not escape suspicion, and was deposed front his office. On the deposition, however, of Stephanus or Stephen, bishop of Antioch, he was by the favour of the Emperor Constantius and the predominant Arian party appointed to that see, about 348 or 349. He was one of the instructors of the heresiarch Aetius [AETIUS], to whom, according to Philostorgius, he expounded the writings of the prophets, especially Ezekiel ; but, after appointing him deacon, he was compelled by the opposite party under Diodorus [DIODORUS, No. 3] and Flavian [FLAVIANUS, No. 1] to silence and depose him. Leontius died about A. D. 358.

Of his writings, which were numerous, nothing remains except a fragment of what Cave describes,

we know not on what authority, as Oratio in Passionem S. Babylae, which is cited in the Paschal Chronicle in the notice of the Decian persecution. In this fragment Leontius distinctly asserts that both the Emperor Philip, the Arabian, and his wife, were avowed Christians. (Socrat. H. E. 2.26; Sozomen, H. E. 3.20; Theodoret. H. E. 2.10, 24; Philostorg. H. E. 3.15, 17, 18; Athanas. Apolog. de Fuga sua, c. 26, Hist. Arianor. ad Monachos, c. 28, Chron. Pasch. vol. i. pp. 270, 289, ed. Paris, pp. 216, 231, ed. Venice, pp. 503, 535, ed. Bonn; Cave, Historia Litteraria, vol. i. p. 211, ed. Oxon. 1740-43; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. 8.324.)