Anthony the Hermit was a 5th-century monk and anchorite born in the Roman province of Pannonia Valeria. After his father's death, he was raised by the abbot Severinus of Noricum before being sent to Germany to live with his uncle, the bishop Constantius. He eventually sought a solitary life in Italy near Lake Como, where he attracted many followers. Later in his life, he moved to the Abbey of Lérins, where he lived as a monk and gained recognition for his holiness.