Athanasius Banished Again, and the Violence of Macedonius

The emperor was deceived by the slanders of the heterodox and changed his mind. Against the decrees of the Council of Sardica, he exiled the bishops he had earlier restored. Marcellus was deposed again, and Basil took back the bishopric of Ancyra. Lucius was thrown into prison and died there. Paul was condemned to banishment for life and was taken to Cucusus in Armenia, where he died. I have never been able to find out for certain whether he died a natural death. It is still said that he was strangled by the followers of Macedonius. [a]

As soon as Paul was sent into exile, Macedonius seized the government of his church. He had the help of the several communities of monks he had organized at Constantinople, and of his alliances with many of the neighboring bishops, and, it is said, he began a persecution against those who held Paul’s views. First he drove them out of the church, and then he forced them to enter into communion with himself. Many died of wounds received in the struggle. Some were stripped of their possessions, some of their rights as citizens, and others were branded on the forehead with an iron, to mark them as disgraced. When the emperor heard of these things he was displeased, and he laid the blame for them on Macedonius and his followers.