Nicolaus Cabasilas

The Patrologia Graeca, published in 161 volumes between 1857 and 1866 by Jacques Paul Migne, is an extensive compilation of Greek texts. It features the works of both Eastern Church Fathers and early Western authors who wrote before Latin became dominant in the 3rd century. This collection includes foundational texts such as those by the Apostolic Fathers, Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and the Cappadocian Fathers.

The compilation is organized chronologically, beginning with the earliest Christian writers and extending to the period of the Fall of Constantinople. The second series, which forms the bulk of the collection, presents the original Greek text alongside a Latin translation on facing pages. When Greek originals were lost, extant fragments were integrated into the Latin text. An intended supplementary index volume was unfortunately never published due to a fire destroying the printer's plates.

The Patrologia Graeca encompasses a vast array of writings, spanning from the earliest Christian figures up to the Fall of Constantinople. It includes not only theological treatises but also historical accounts, commentaries, and philosophical works. The collection is meticulously arranged, generally following chronological order of the authors. This extensive compilation provides scholars and interested readers with access to a wide range of primary source material from the Greek-speaking Christian tradition and associated secular writers. The inclusion of both Greek and Latin texts in the primary series facilitates comparative study and deeper engagement with the material.

Within its 161 volumes, the Patrologia Graeca features the writings of numerous influential figures. Early volumes include works by Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Hermas, and Ignatius of Antioch. Later volumes delve into the writings of prominent theologians and philosophers such as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and the Cappadocian Fathers (Basil the Great, Gregory of Nazianzus, Gregory of Nyssa). The collection also contains extensive works by figures like Eusebius of Caesarea, Athanasius, John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria, Theodoretus of Cyrus, John of Damascus, Maximus the Confessor, and Photius of Constantinople, covering a broad spectrum of theological and philosophical thought across centuries.

Published by J. P. Migne's Imprimerie Catholique in Paris, the Patrologia Graeca was issued in 161 volumes between 1857 and 1866. The first series contained only Latin translations, while the second series, which is more commonly referenced, provides the original Greek text side-by-side with a Latin translation. The volumes are bound as 166 physical books due to some volumes being split into multiple parts. Although an important index and supplement volume was planned, it was never completed due to a fire that destroyed the printing plates. This monumental work remains a cornerstone for the study of early Christian literature and thought in Greek.