Hydatius of Lemica

Hydatius of Lemica

(Also IDATIUS; LEMICA is more correctly LIMICA.)

A chronicler and bishop, born at the end of the fourth century at Lemica in Galicia (now Ginzo de Limia in Spain); died shortly after 468. On a journey which he took to Jerusalem while still a child, he became acquainted with St. Jerome. About the year 417 he entered the ecclesiastical state, and in 427 was consecrated bishop probably of Aquae Flaviae, now Chaves in Portugal. Subsequently he exercised considerable political influence, as is proved by his mission to Aetius in Gaul to ask for help against the Suevi (431). His "Chronicle", a continuation of that of St. Jerome, runs from the year 379 to 468. While in its first part (379-427) he derives his information from the testimony of others, he narrates the events from 427 onward as a contemporary witness. It is doubtful whether Hydatius is also the author of the "Fasti consulares" for the years 245-468, appended to the "Chronicle" in the only almost complete manuscript in our possession. The Chronicle is printed in Migne, P.L. LI, 873-890, and LXXIV, 701-750; also in "Mon. Ger. Hist.: Auct. Antiq.", XI (ed. Mommsen), 13-36. The "Fasti Consulares" are found in P. L., LI, 891-914, and in "Mon. Germ. Hist.: Auct. Antiq.", IX, 205-247.

GAMS, Kirchengesch. Span., II, i, 465-71; WARD in Dict. Christ. Biog., III, 206- 208; BARDENHEWER-SHAHAN, Patrology (Freiburg, 1908), 614; MOLINIER, Sources de l'histoire de France, I (Paris, 1901), 169 and nos. 613, 621.

N.A. WEBER