SOZOMEN, the name of a famous 5th-century church his torian. Hermias Salamanes (Salaminius) Sozomenus (c. 40o 443) came of a wealthy family of Palestine. He tells us that he was brought up under monkish influences. After studying law in Beira he settled down as an advocate in Constantinople, where he wrote his about the year 44o. The nine books begin with Constantine (323) and come down to. the death of Honorius (423). The work, dedicated to Theodosius II., has reached us only in a mutilated condition, at least half a book being wanting. It is a plagiarism of the ecclesiastical historian Socrates (q.v.), but Sozomen has referred to the principal sources used by Socrates (Rufinus, Eusebius, Athanasius, Sabinus, the collections of epistles, Palladius), and has not unfrequently sup plemented Socrates from them. The whole of the ninth book is drawn from Olympiodorus. Sozomen wished to present a picture in which monasticism should be brought into still stronger prominence.
Sozomen also wrote an Epitome of History from the Ascension of Christ to the defeat of Licinius (323) which is not now extant. (See his History, i. I.) For bibliography see the article on the church historian, SOCRATES. Most of the editions and discussions named there cover Sozomen as well (the volume of Hussey's edition containing Sozomen appeared in 186o). The latest English translation, revised by Hartranft, is
published in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2nd series, vol. ii. In addition see Nolte in the Tubing. Quartalschr. (1861), P. 417 sqq.; C. de Boor, "Zur Kenntniss der Handschriften der Griech. Kirchenhistoriker," in Zeitschrift fiir Kirchengeschichte, vi. 478 sqq.; Sarrazin, "De Sozomeni historia num integra sit," in the Commenta tiones philologae jenenses, i. 165 sqq.; Rosenstein, "Krit. Untersuch ungen fiber d. Verhaltniss zwischen Olympiodor, Zosimus and Sozo men," in Forsch. z. deutschen Gesch., vol. i.; Batiffol, "Sozomene et Sabinos," in Byzant. Zeitschr. vii. 265 sqq.