Modern English edition · 360 AD
Life of Anthony
The biography that launched Christian monasticism. Athanasius tells the extraordinary story of Anthony the Great, the Egyptian hermit whose radical commitment to Christ transformed the church.
One free account opens 250+ books and saves your place on every device. Google sign-in or an email link. No card.
You’re on the list — we’ll email you if this goes to print.
Included with your free account
This book, and 250+ more, free to read
A free account opens the whole library to read online, on your phone or at your desk. Open a book on one device and it is waiting at the same page on the next. The PDF and EPUB of every book are yours to keep, and audiobooks play in the same app.
- 250+ modernized editions Not samples. The whole work, free.
- Your place, on every device Phone, tablet or desktop, same page.
- 131 audiobooks From $4.99 each, or all of them with a $50 gift.
- PDF and EPUB included Download any book to keep.
About this book
The Life of Anthony, written by Athanasius of Alexandria around 360 AD, is one of the most influential biographies ever written. This account of Anthony the Great, the Egyptian hermit who withdrew to the desert to pursue God, effectively launched the monastic movement that would shape Christianity for centuries. When Augustine read this book, it played a pivotal role in his conversion, illustrating the work's extraordinary power to inspire radical commitment to Christ.
The narrative follows Anthony from his youth as a wealthy Egyptian Christian through his progressive withdrawal from society. After hearing the Gospel command to sell all and follow Christ, Anthony distributed his inheritance to the poor and began his ascetic journey. He moved from living on the outskirts of his village to dwelling in tombs, then to an abandoned fort in the desert, and finally deep into the wilderness, each step representing a deeper commitment to solitary devotion.
Athanasius portrays Anthony's life as a continual battle against demonic forces. The vivid descriptions of Anthony's spiritual warfare—demons appearing as wild beasts, beautiful women, and terrifying monsters—became defining images of the Christian struggle against evil. Yet Anthony emerges victorious through prayer, fasting, and faith in Christ, demonstrating that even the fiercest spiritual attacks can be overcome through reliance on God.
The biography presents Anthony not as a world-denying pessimist but as a man who achieved remarkable spiritual joy and practical wisdom through his ascetic discipline. Despite living in solitude, Anthony became a spiritual father to countless disciples, a counselor to church leaders, and even an advisor to emperors. His teaching emphasized the importance of self-knowledge, the guarding of one's thoughts, and the centrality of Christ in all things.
Athanasius uses Anthony's life to defend orthodox Christianity against Arianism, the heresy he fought throughout his career. Anthony is portrayed as a stalwart defender of the Nicene faith, demonstrating that true spirituality and doctrinal orthodoxy go hand in hand. The work thus serves both as inspiring biography and theological polemic.
For modern readers, the Life of Anthony raises profound questions about the nature of Christian discipleship. While few are called to Anthony's extreme asceticism, his single-minded pursuit of God challenges comfortable forms of Christianity. The work invites readers to consider what radical commitment to Christ might look like in their own circumstances, making it as spiritually provocative today as when first written.
About the author
Athanasius of Alexandria
Athanasius of Alexandria (296-373 AD) was one of the most significant theologians in Christian history and a pivotal defender of Nicene orthodoxy against Arianism. Born in Alexandria, Egypt, he attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 as a young deacon and became Bishop of Alexandria in 328. His defense of Christ's full divinity led to his exile five times by various emperors sympathetic to Arianism, spending over seventeen years in banishment. Despite persecution, Athanasius never wavered in his convictions, earning the epithet "Athanasius contra mundum" (Athanasius against the world). Besides the Life of Anthony, his major works include On the Incarnation and his Orations Against the Arians. His theological influence was immense, helping establish the orthodox understanding of Christ's nature that prevails to this day. He is venerated as a saint and Doctor of the Church.
“Updated Works has been an incredible blessing to my Christian life and ministry… remarkably faithful to the original authors while making these timeless treasures understandable for modern readers.”
