Volume 34 of Ancient Christian Writers By Palladius The two most important source documents for the history of early monasticism in Egypt, where monasticism had its beginnings, are the celebrated Life of St. Anthony and the Lausiac History by Palladius. This second book, presented here, was written about 60 years after the first, in about 417. The title of the book derives from the name of the person to whom it was dedicated.
The historical value of both these works lies largely in the fact that the author of both these works had for a time himself lived the monastic life in the desert and knew firsthand whereof he spoke.
