The Legacy of Bishop Martin of Tours and the Works of Sulpicius Severus

In 397 CE, Bishop Martin of Tours dies; later canonized, he will become the patron saint of France. His life and deeds inspire Sulpicius Severus, who, having begun his work while Martin was still alive, will produce the earliest and most enduring biography of the saint. This account will remain the most widely read biography of one of the most revered figures in early Western Christianity.

Sulpicius Severus, an Aquitanian aristocrat, was originally destined for an administrative career and received a classical education. However, following the early death of his wife, he renounced public life and embraced monasticism.

In addition to his biography of Martin, Sulpicius undertakes the writing of a world chronicle of sacred history, the Chronicorum Libri Duo (or Historia Sacra). This work, covering the period from the creation of the world to 400 CE, deliberately omits the events of the Gospels and Acts, explaining that their sacred nature should not be reduced to mere historical narrative. His chronicle, blending Christian perspective with classical literary traditions, will influence later medieval historiography, providing one of the earliest continuous historical accounts from a Christian worldview.