Justin, surnamed the Martyr, one of the earliest and most distinguished apologists of the Christian church, was a native of Flavia Neapolis, the ancient Sichem, in Samaria. He was born probably near the year 100 A.D. His father Priscus was a heathen, and Justin was educated in the religion of his father. He became an ardent student of the philosophy of his age, beginning with the school of the Stoics, but finally adhering to that of the Platonists. His conversion to Christianity he ascribes in one place to the firmness of the Christian martyrs, in another to a chance meeting with a venerable stranger, who directed him to the study of the Jewish prophets, and through them to the great Christian teacher whom they foretold. After his conversion he retained the garb of a philosopher, and appears to have wandered from place to place, as we find him disputing at Ephesus and Rome, if not in other cities also. His martyrdom is supposed to have taken place some time between 148 and 165, but the story rests on no sure historical evidence. The works of Justin, although not very voluminous, are highly interesting and important. The only books ascribed to him with certainty are two Apologies for the Christians, the first (the date is a matter of controversy, and has been placed anywhere between 138 and 160) addressed 'to Antoninus Pius,' the second (perhaps an appendix to the first) 'to the Roman senate ;' and a Dialogue with Trypho the Jew (date perhaps between 155 and 164), which professes to be the record of an actual two days' disputation held at Ephesus. These are extant in two MSS. only, which agree very closely with each other ; one is at Paris (date 1364), the other (date 1541) in the Phillipps Library at Cheltenham. The Speech to the Greeks is possibly Justin's ; the other works once ascribed to him are certainly spurious.
The first edition of his works is that of Robert Stephens (Paris, 1551). The Benedictine edition of Justin, by Maran, appeared in 1742 ; and Otto's—the best—at Jena (3 vols. 1842-47 ; 3d ed. 1876 et seq.). There are good translations of Justin in the Library of the Fathers (1861) and Clarke's Ante-Nicene Library (1868), and a popular account in The Christian Fathers. See also monographs by Semisch (Breslau, 1840-42), Aubé (Paris, 1875), Engelhardt (Erlang, 1878), and Bishop Kaye (new ed. 1888) ; and Donaldson, Hist. of Christ, Lit. and Doctrine (vol. ii. 1866).