Anthimus, bp. of Tyana
Anthimus, bp. of Tyana, a contemporary of St. Basil bp. of Caesarea in
Cappodocia (Basil. Ep. 58). In 372 he joined in subscribing a circular letter
addressed by the Oriental bishops to those of Italy and Gaul (Ep. 92). But
dissensions broke out between them. (1) When the civil province of Cappadocia
was divided and Tyana became the capital of the second division, Anthimus, insisting
that the ecclesiastical arrangements should follow the civil, claimed metropolitan
rights over several of Basil's suffragans. Herein he was assisted by the disaffection
which prevailed in Basil's province. He was even bold enough to attack Basil on
a journey, and plunder a train of mules laden with supplies of money and provisions
for the bp. of Caesarea. Basil, thinking to establish an invincible outpost against
his aggressive antagonist, consecrated his friend Gregory bp. of Sasima, a town
not far from Tyana and one over which Anthimus claimed metropolitan rights. So long
as Gregory remained there, he staunchly resisted alike the enticements and the menaces
of Anthimus; but he soon resigned the see which he had unwillingly occupied. [Gregory
Nazianzen.] A peace was patched
up between Basil and Anthimus, apparently by the intercession of Gregory. This happened
in the year 372 (Greg. Naz. Or. xliii. i. pp. 813 seq.; Ep. 47, 48,
49, 50, ii. pp. 42 seq.; Carm. ii. pp. 696 seq.). (2) A certain Faustus
had applied to Basil to consecrate him to an Armenian see; but as he did not produce
the proper authority, the consecration was deferred. Faustus immediately applied
to Anthimus, who at once complied with his request, thus setting canonical rules
at defiance (Basil, Ep. 120, 121, 122). A reconciliation, however, seems
to have been effected, as Basil afterwards spoke of Anthimus in very friendly terms
(Ep. 210, τὸν ὁμόψυχον ἡμῶν). Except
in connexion with Basil and Gregory, nothing is known of this prelate. (See Tillemont,
Mém. eccl. ix. pp. 174 seq., 196 seq.; Garnier, Vit. Bas. Op. iii.
pp. cxi. seq., pp. cxxiii. seq.)
[L.]