Anthony of Antioch was an early Christian priest who lived during the late third and early fourth centuries. Seeking a life of total devotion to God, he lived as a hermit in the desert, where he practiced celibacy and sustained himself on plants and roots. He rejected the standard Roman lifestyle to pursue spiritual solitude, avoiding visitors to maintain his focus. His life of asceticism ended when he was martyred in Antioch during the Diocletianic Persecution.