ARISTIDES, Apology of, a popular Christian theology written by Marcianus Aris tides, an Athenian philosopher, in the 2d cen tury A.D. (according to Eusebius, Hist. eccl. IV, 3). Little was known of the work until 1891 when Harris and Robinson published a complete Syriac version and proved at the same time that the greater part of the apology is contained in the legend of Barlaam and Joso phat extant in many Greek manuscripts and numerous translations. Since that time much attention has been paid to the work. It is ad dressed to Antonius Pius and has points of contact with the 'Kerygma) of Peter, the 'Shepherd) of Hermas, the 'Didache) and Jus tin, but more especially with the letter to Diognetus. After speaking of the true idea of God (chap. I) it takes up the origin of those nations which followed error and those which followed truth. The barbarians are treated in Chapters III-.VII; the errors of the Hellenes in VIII-XIII, with an excursus on the Emtians (XII). Chapter XIV is devoted to the Jews; and XV-XVII speak of the Christians, especial ly of their life and customs, in an attractive and instructive manner. Through the 'Apology' the name of Aristides gained a certain literary popularity among the Armenians. A homily
'On the Call of the Thief and the Answer of the Crucified' (Luke xxiii, 42-43) and a frag ment of a letter 'To All are ascribed to him. Other names from the old Christian literature besides that of Aristides were applied to the literary frauds in Armenia from the 5th to the 7th century (cf. Conybeare, F. C., in The Guardian, 18 July 1894). The Greek and Syriac texts (the latter from a manuscript of Mount Sinai) were published by Harris and Robinson in 'Texts and Studies' (Vol. I, Cambridge 1891), translation of which appeared by Kay, D. M. in 'Ante-Nicene Fathers' (Vol. IX, pp. 259-79), and the Ar menian text by the Mechitarists at Venice in 1878). Consult Harnack, 'Litteratur' (Vol. I, p. 96, 1893) ; Harris, J. R., 'The Newly Rocov ered Apology of Aristides, its Doctrine and Ethics' (London 1891); Picard, M., 'L'Apolo gie d'Aristide) (Paris 1892); Seeburg, R., 'Der Apologet Aristides' (Erlangen 1894) ; Robin son, J. A., 'Apology of Aristides' (Edinburgh 1896) ; Kriiger, 'History.'