However, this idea is flawed as authors writing immediately after Orosius ’ s death use the name Paulus.

In fact, even Casimiro Torres Rodríguez, one of the main scholars of Orosius ’ s life, indicates that Paulus might be his Christian name and Orosius his native name, a theory that cannot be entirely dismissed.

This idea is supported by Orosius ’ s own works and two letters written by Saint Augustine, the 166th and the 169th.

In any case, any discussion of Orosius ’ s youth is pure speculation and conjecture because, as discussed above, there is little knowledge regarding this period of his life.

The visit to Palestine had a double purpose: Orosius wanted to discuss a number of theological topics with Saint Jerome, particularly those relating to the soul ’ s origins, and Saint Augustine wanted closer ties with the thinker and to gather information regarding the Priscillianists, Origenists and the Pelagian heresy.

In reality, it would seem that Orosius ’ s main task was to assist Jerome and others against Pelagius, who, after the synod of Carthage in 411, had been living in Palestine, and finding some acceptance there.

Orosius met with Pelagius on Saint Augustine ’ s behalf and he represented the orthodox party against the Pelagians at the Synod of Jerusalem that was held in June 415.

Orosius ’ s first act on meeting Saint Jerome was to hand him the correspondence that he had brought from Saint Augustine.

This marks both the start of his return journey and, from our current perspective, a new epoch in Orosius ’ s life that is lacking in sources of information for its study.

Given that Saint Stephen ’ s relics were uncovered on 26 December 415, Orosius must have departed from Palestine after that date.

The idea for Orosius ’ s great work, Historiae Adversus Paganos, was born during this reencounter with Saint Augustine.

Support for these dates comes from the fact that the Liber Apologeticus does not mention Orosius ’ s work as a historian, and the prologue refers to Book XI of the City of God by Saint Augustine, which was not published until 416.

This lack of information regarding Orosius could be due to cooling of relations with Saint Augustine, who never makes any clear unambiguous references to Orosius ’ s " Histories " once they have been published.

Gennadius of Massilia considers that Orosius lived at least until the end of the Roman emperor Flavio Honorio ’ s mandate, which lasted until 423.

There are other theories, from a sudden death to a range of legends that talk of Orosius ’ s final arrival in Hispania and his founding of a monastery near to Cabo de Palos where he ended his days, although this latter idea now seems improbable.

The Commonitorium and the Histories are a response, at least in their origins, to the direct influence that Saint Augustine exercised over Orosius. Although Paulus Orosius ’ s most important book was the Historiae Adversus Paganos, his other two surviving books must also be taken into account: Commonitorium and Liber Apologeticus.

Its chronology is littered with the same grey areas as Orosius ’ s biography.

The second chronological limit is 415, which is traditionally considered to be the date when Augustine ’ s book Liber ad Orosium contra Priscillianistas et Origenistas was published, in which Augustine replies to Orosius ’ s Commonitorium.

It not only describes Orosius journey to Africa, but also summarises the beliefs of Priscillianism and Origenism, and it asks for Saint Augustine ’ s advice regarding these theological issues, thereby exposing some of Orosius ’ s theological doubts.

In order to meet with them Orosius travelled to cities on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, such as Hippo Regius and Alexandria.

Orosius did not just discuss theological matters with Saint Augustine, in fact he also collaborated with him on the book The City of God.

Basically the problem is that it is not completely certain if he used this name or if he was simply called Orosius and whether Paulus has been added with the passing of time.

Despite the scarcity of sources, if his date of birth is accepted as that given above or at least within the window between 375 and 385 it can be seen that Orosius grew up during a period of cultural flourishing along with Hydatius and the Ávitos.

The classical theories suggest that Orosius belonged to a family with good social standing, which would have allowed him to gain a good education.

This date means that Orosius had a window of 5 years for his collaboration with Saint Augustine before he travelled to Palestine.

In his book Commonitorium, which was published in 414, Orosius talks of his arrival, his meeting with Saint Augustine etc.

What is certain is that once Orosius had left the Iberian Peninsula he was certain that his destination was Hippo ( now Annaba in Algeria ), and a meeting with Saint Augustine, who was the greatest thinker of his time.

In 415 Saint Augustine entrusted Orosius with the task of travelling to Palestine to meet with the thinker Saint Jerome who at that time was living in Bethlehem.

Orosius had a confrontation with the Archbishop of Jerusalem, John II at the synod, in which Orosius was accused of heresy in front of the entire conclave.

In fact, this idea has recently been given a new lease of life by M. P. Annaud-Lindet, although with the proviso that Orosius wrote the book during his return journey from Palestine.

The book is the result of a theological debate during which Archbishop John II accused Orosius of heresy due to his idea that man cannot remain free of sin, not even with the help of divine intervention.

The date of the book is not our main focus here, what is more important is Orosius ’ s objective in responding to Saint Augustine ’ s request by writing a book aimed at proving that Rome ’ s decadence – it should be remembered that Rome was sacked by Alaric I in 410 – had nothing at all to do with the fact that the Romans had relatively recently converted to Christianity.

Caesar himself mentions few place-names ; and although the battle is called after Pharsalos, four ancient writers – the author of the Bellum Alexandrinum ( 48. 1 ), Frontinus ( Strategemata 2. 3. 22 ), Eutropius ( 20 ), and Orosius ( 6. 15. 27 ) – place it specifically at Palaepharsalos.

Orosius uses the so-called " succession of the four world empires theory " throughout his works, which traced world history based on the premise that out of the ruins of one great civilization another arose.

In fact, during the narration of their histories the four empires develop in the same way and there are a number of striking parallels between them that are markedly different from Rome, which Orosius praises.

Although the battle of 48 BC is called after Pharsalos, four ancient writers-the author of the Bellum Alexandrinum ( 48. 1 ), Frontinus ( Strategemata 2. 3. 22 ), Eutropius ( 20 ), and Orosius ( 6. 15. 27 )-place it specifically at Palaepharsalos.

Whatever the truth of the matter this subject has been widely studied and the most current theory is probably that of Pedro Martínez Cavero, another important Orosius scholar.

* Born in Tarragona: this theory has been put forward because in his Histories Orosius talks of " Tarraconem nostra " ( our Tarragona ).

* Originated in La Coruña ( Brigantia ): this is a relatively new theory solely based on the fact that Orosius twice mentioned it in the geographical section of his Histories.

* Originated in Brittany: like the previous theory the supporting data for this theory rests on the fact that Orosius had some knowledge of this area.

* A recent theory, proposed by Casimiro Torres Rodríguez, states that Orosius briefly stayed in Stridon a second time while trying to return to Spain, which he was unable to do and he wrote the book during a third stay in Stridon.

* A third, older, theory, posed by T. von Mörner and G. Fainck, says that Orosius undertook the work before he travelled to Palestine.

Torres Rodríguez ’ theory refers to patriotism is the sense that Orosius places special emphasis on the events that took place in Hispania.

On the other hand, in 2005 García Fernández made an explicit allusion to Torres Rodríguez ’ theory when he stated that it was an exaggeration to characterize Orosius ’ s historical methodology as “ patriotic ”.