De Viris Illustribus (
On Illustrious Men) is a collection of short
biographies of 135 authors, written in
Latin, by the 4th-century Latin Church Father
Jerome. He completed this work at
Bethlehem in 392-3 CE. The work consists of a prologue plus 135 chapters, each consisting of a brief biography. Jerome himself is the subject of the final chapter. A Greek version of the book, possibly by the same Sophronius who is the subject of Chapter 134, also survives. Many biographies take as their subject figures important in Christian
Church history and pay especial attention to their careers as writers. It "was written as an apologetic work to prove that the Church had produced learned men." The book was dedicated to
Flavius Dexter, who served as high
chamberlain to
Theodosius I and as
praetorian prefect to
Honorius. Dexter was the son of
Saint Pacianus, who is eulogized in the work.