Antony (or Anthony; d. 356 CE) was an Egyptian ascetic, desert monk, and monastic teacher. He is considered the first hermit and the father of monasticism (Monasticism, Egyptian). The most important – but also problematic – source on Antony is his Vita written shortly after his death by Bishop Athanasius of Alexandria (d. 373 CE).
Antony needs to be described from three different perspectives:
1. as historical figure who was probably the author of a seri…