of Palladius may evidence its common use in the 4th century as applied to Saint Pachomius.

By the end of the 5th century, the term had begun to be used in the patriarchate of Jerusalem for someone who had the oversight of all the monks of a region or diocese. Similar to an abbot visitor, the archimandrite would visit the monasteries under his charge to see that the monks were keeping a serious religious life, to draw attention to abuses, straighten out difficulties