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Why did St. Jerome travel to Antioch in the 370s?

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José de Ribera: Saint Jerome — St. Jerome *Saint Jerome*, oil on canvas by José de Ribera (Jusepe de Ribera, Lo Spagnoletto), c. 1638–40; in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

St. Jerome traveled to Antioch in the 370s as part of a broader journey through the East following the disbanding of his ascetic circle in Aquileia around 373.1

His arrival in Antioch in 374 was initially motivated by a need for rest, as he was fatigued by his travels and experiencing inner conflict. Later, after a period spent as a hermit in the desert of Chalcis, Jerome returned to Antioch specifically to seek clarity regarding ecclesiastical and theological controversies. During his time in the desert, he had become suspected of harboring heretical views, and he believed that the resolution to these theological disputes lay in maintaining oneness with the Roman bishop. Upon returning to Antioch, he was won over to the party of Bishop Paulinus by his host, the priest Evagrius.1