ARCHBISHOP

a bishop of the first cla , who superintends the conduct of other bishops. Archbishops were not known in the east till about the year 320; and though there were some soon after this, who had the title, yet it was only a personal honour, by which the bishops of considerable cities were distinguished. It was not till of late that archbishops became metropolitans, and had suffragans under them. A than as i us appears to have been the first who used the title archbishop, which he gave occasionally to his predece or. Gregory Nazianzen, in like manner, gave it to A than as i us; not that either of them was entitled to any jurisdiction, or even any precedency, in virtue of this title. Among the Latins, Isidore Hi spa lens is is the first who speaks of archbishops.