were most distinguished among them. Besides, there met there Thracians and Macedonians, Achaians and Epirots, and even those who dwelt still more distant than these. The most celebrated among the Spaniards[1] took his seat among the rest. The prelate
- Spyridon, or Spiridion, of Trimithus in Cyprus, the shepherd-bishop, who had lost his right eye in the persecution of Maximin. He was said to be a miracle worker.
- Tarcodinatus,* of Ægæ.
- Theodoret,* bishop of Heraclea in Thrace.
- Theodotius,* of Laodicea, who is sometimes called Theodorus.
- Theognis,* of Nice in Bithynia, where the Council was held, who was also soon banished for Arianism.
- Theophilus, bishop of the Goths on the Danube, teacher of Ulfilas.
- Zophyrus,* of Barca.
- Theonas,* of Marmarica in Africa, now called Barca.
- Theophilus, bishop of the Goths on the Danube.
- Tryphillius.
- Vincent or Vincentius, of Rome, one of the pope's legates, a presbyter, as was also
- Vito, alias Victor, another legate of Silvester, the Roman pope, who was too aged to attend in person. This was his twelfth papal year.
- ↑ This was Hosius, bishop of Cordova. Gibbon thinks he pre-
Most of the bishops were Greeks. The Latins were Hosius, Cecilian of Carthage, Marcus of Calabria, Nicasius of Dijon, Domnus of Stridon, Victor and Vincent.
As to the exact number of bishops at the Council, the best authorities differ considerably. In another place (book i. chap. 11), Theodoret, quoting from Eustathius, states it as 270. Athanasius makes the number 318 in two places in his writings, which is the number given by Jerome in his Chronicon. Epiphanius, likewise, twice gives the same number. Hilary and Rufinus give the same. Sozomen says there were "about 320." Marius Victorinus, who lived nearly at the same time, states the number to have been 315. Socrates calls it 300 in his copy of Eusebius Pamphilus' account, although the latter, himself, sets it at only 250. Valesius says, that in the Greek collection of the canons of Nice, the notation of the time is prefixed thus:—"The canons of the 318 holy fathers, convened at Nice, in the consulate of the most illustrious Paulinus and Julianus, on the 636th year from Alexander, on the 19th day of the month Desius, before the 13th of the Kalends of July." The number of bishops probably varied at different periods of the Council, some arriving and others leaving.
