ARISTO

aristo, of pella, a jewish christian writer of the middle of the 2nd century, who like hegesippus (q.v.) represents a school of thought more liberal than that of the pharisaic and essene ebionites to which the decline of jewish christianity mainly led. aristo is cited by eusebius (_hist. eccl._ iv. 6. 3) for a decree of hadrian respecting the jews, but he is best known as the writer of a _dialogue_ (between papiscus, an alexandrian jew, and jason, who represents the author) on the witness of prophecy to jesus christ, which was approvingly defended by origen against the reproaches of celsus. the little book was perhaps used by justin martyr in his own _dialogue with trypho_, and probably also by tertullian and cyprian, but it has not been preserved. the literature is cited in g. kruger's _early christian literature_, pp. 104 f.