Nuovi elementi per la datazione della "Vita sancti Auxentii" BHG 199

The Life of saint Auxentios (BHG 199) is usually dated to the end of the fifth century; recently, however, Efthymios Rizos and John Hermanin de Reichenfeld on the database The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity suggested to date the work to the sixth century. This paper provides further evidence to confirm this later dating; moreover, it proposes to date the Life to about 518-530, shortly after the death of Bendidianos (510-520), a monk of Mount Skōpa and disciple of Auxentios. He can probably be identified with the anonymous hermit who gave the author of the Life of saint Auxentios the information necessary to write his biography of the saint (VAux, chapter 57).