The Nicene Age · AD 313–400
Caesarius of Nazianzus
c. 331 – 369 · Physician · Court official · Brother of Gregory the Theologian · Nazianzus → Constantinople
The Nicene Age
Who Caesarius of Nazianzus was
Younger brother of Gregory the Theologian, a brilliant physician trained at Alexandria who rose to be chief doctor at the imperial court in Constantinople — remarkably keeping his post even under Julian the Apostate, who tried and failed to win him back to paganism. He survived an earthquake at Nicaea that his brother read as a divine summons, was baptized late, and died soon after, leaving his estate to the poor. Gregory’s funeral oration for him is a meditation on a Christian who served at the heart of a pagan-leaning court without losing his faith.
Common questions
When did Caesarius live?
Caesarius of Nazianzus is dated c. 331 – 369 in the archive, which places Caesarius in the Nicene Age (AD 313–400). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.
Which early sources mention Caesarius?
Caesarius of Nazianzus is named in 2 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Gregory of Nazianzus. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Caesarius from?
The archive associates Caesarius of Nazianzus with Nazianzus, Constantinople. The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.
Who were Caesarius’ contemporaries?
The archive links Caesarius of Nazianzus to 5 other figures, including Gregory of Nazianzus, Gorgonia of Nazianzus, Emperor Julian the Apostate and Gregory the Elder of Nazianzus. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Primary-source mentions (2)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Letter 7 (his brother's letter to the court physician)
c. AD 370Oration 7 (funeral for Caesarius)
c. AD 380Julian… courted him with every honour; but Caesarius, that noble champion, replied that he was and would remain a Christian, and departed, preferring Christ to all the emperor could give.Gregory of Nazianzus · 7 · source text
Connected in the archive
People
- Gregory of Nazianzus
- Gorgonia of Nazianzus
- Emperor Julian the Apostate
- Gregory the Elder of Nazianzus
- Nonna of Nazianzus
Events in this lifetime
- AD 301 · Hripsime and her company, AD 301
- AD 303 · The Great Persecution begins, AD 303
- AD 303 · The search of the church at Cirta, AD 303
- AD 306 · The Council of Elvira, AD 306
- AD 311 · Galerius’ edict of Serdica, AD 311
- AD 313 · The Edict of Milan, AD 313
- AD 314 · The Council of Arles, AD 314
- AD 320 · Silvanus tried before Zenophilus, AD 320
- AD 325 · The Council of Nicaea, AD 325
- AD 339 · The persecution of Shapur II, AD 339
- AD 343 · The Council of Serdica, AD 343
- AD 361 · Julian’s pagan restoration, AD 361
- AD 366 · Damasus and the catacomb epigrams, AD 366
- AD 367 · Athanasius lists the 27 NT books, AD 367
Place
Places served
The 2 places the sources put Caesarius, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route.