El género de los de viris illustribus de Jerónimo a Ildefonso de Toledo: su finalidad

From Jerome to Ildephonse, the purpose and intention of thebiographies about illustrious men have changed according to the interests of therespective moments in which these biographies are written: in the fourth century,when the contrast between the Christian culture and the Pagan Culture is ardent,Jerome insists chiefly on writers; he lets the literary criterion prevail. In the fifthcentury, when monastic life flourishes and heresies centring the christologicproblems arise, Gennadius insists particularly on monks who write monastic textsand authors of heresiological writings. In the beginning of the seventh century,when, on the one hand, the memory of Arianism is still vivid in VisigothicHispania and, on the other hand, the consciousness of an Hispania important forthe concordance of the Roman and Latin Western world already emerges, Isidorestill insists on authors of heresiological writings. But he already adds the theme ofthe bishops and authors of Visigothic Spain. And in the middle of the seventhcentury, finally, when the power of the Visigothic Monarchy in Spain has beenconsolidated, with seat in Toledo, Ildephonse is only interested in the bishops withseat in Spain and especially in Toledo.