A Roman by birth, Leo 121 was the son of Raduald (Radoald 3): Lib. Pont. 105. 1 ("Leo, natione Romanus, ex patre Radualdo"). This suggests that he was born at Rome but was of Lombard descent. He inherited a house from his parents, which later he had converted into a nunnery: Lib. Pont. 105. 58 ("fecit ipse mitissimus in ede propria, quam ipse a fundamentis fieri disposuit, quam ex iure parentorum suorum sibi etenim accesse videbatur, monasterium ancillarum Dei"), cf. 105. 25 and Duchesne, Lib. Pont. I, p. 137, n. 38. He was sent by his parents to learn his letters and to study the Scriptures at the monastery of St Martin near St Peter's at Rome: Lib. Pont. 105. 2. He attracted the attention of pope Gregory IV, (Gregorios 82; AD 827-844), who took him into his service in the Lateran palace and made him a subdeacon: Lib. Pont. 105. 3 ("eum ... ut suo semper servitio familiariter permaneret, Lateranensi patriarchio esse praecepit; subdiaconum quoque eum ob suae famam vitae laudabilis fecit"). Gregorios 82's successor, Sergius II (Sergios 60), ordained Leo 121 to the priesthood and appointed him priest of the titulus of the Sancti Quattuor Coronati, which post he still held at the time of Sergios 60's death (in 847): Lib. Pont. 105. 4, cf. 41 (he was a priest there until he became bishop). He was universally judged to be the right candidate for the papacy in the critical situation prevailing at Sergios 60's death, when the Saracens were raiding and plundering close to Rome; he was taken from the church where he was priest and escorted to the Lateran palace: Lib. Pont. 105. 5-6. His consecration as bishop of Rome took place before the authorisation of the (Frankish) emperor could be obtained, because of the dangers that threatened Rome: Lib. Pont. 105. 8. The date was at Easter (10 April) 847; see Duchesne, Lib. Pont. II, p. 135, n. 2. He was the bishop of Rome for eight years three months and six days: Lib. Pont. 105. 1. Described as a man of great patience and humility, generous, pious, innocent and kindly, a lover of justice and an enthusiastic guide to the ordinary people, a tireless student of Scripture and regular in vigils and prayers; said to combine the cunning of the serpent with the simplicity of the dove, he was a saintly man, fond of religious company, and one who fed the poor but neglected himself: Lib. Pont. 105. 2. These are all standard terms of praise. He was an effective preacher and deeply learned in the Scriptures: Lib. Pont. 105. 18, 26. He made many donations to churches at Rome, which are listed in Lib. Pont. 105. 9-11, 13-16, 21-24, 27-29, 35-37, 43-46, 55-67, 75-76, 83-98, 93-98, 104-109. He was very active as a builder, both ecclesiastical and secular, and was concerned with the defence of cities. He restored the monasterium Corsarum: Lib. Pont. 105. 25. He restored the monastery of SS Stephen and Cassian near the shrine of St Laurence: Lib. Pont. 105. 30. He also built a shrine of St Leo at St Peter's, as well as a shrine of St Peter himself: Lib. Pont. 105. 31-34. He restored his former church of the Sancti Quattuor Coronati and that of St Barbara: Lib. Pont. 105. 41-42. He built the Church of St Maria Antiqua, later called Nova, near the Via Sacra: Lib. Pont. 106. 22, 107. 37. He restored the walls, gates and towers of Rome in 848 and 849 ("duodecima et quidem instante indictione"): Lib. Pont. 105. 38-40. With the support of the (Frankish) emperor Lothar (Lotharios 1) (who had initiated the matter while Sergios 60 was still bishop of Rome, in 846; see Duchesne, Lib. Pont. II, p. 137, n. 46), he carried through a programme to fortify the area of Rome which included St Peter's; the work began in his second year (848) and was concluded in his sixth (852); the completion was celebrated with ceremonies on 27 June 852, and Leo 121 gave the district the name of Leoniana: Lib. Pont. 105. 68-74. To maintain the defences of Portus, he settled a number of fugitives from Corsica there, under terms agreed with the (Frankish) emperors Lothar and Louis (Lotharios 1 and Lodoïchos 1): Lib. Pont. 105. 77-81. He restored the walls and gates of the cities of Ameria and Horta: Lib. Pont. 105. 82. He found a new and safer site for the city of Centumcellae and built there a new home for the inhabitants, with the help of the magister militum Petrus (Petros 97); the work was completed in 854 (the second indiction and the eighth year of Leo) and dedicated on 15 August; Leo called the place Leopolis: Lib. Pont. 105. 99-103. He replaced the gold cross of Charlemagne (Karoulos 1) which had been stolen from the Lateran palace under pope Paschal (Paschalis 5): Lib. Pont. 105. 17. He allegedly expelled a noxious serpent from its lair near the basilica of St Lucia in Orphea: Lib. Pont. 105. 18-19. He was present at a fire in the Saxon district which destroyed homes and other buildings until he miraculously quenched it: Lib. Pont. 105. 20. When the Saracens again threatened Italy, he visited the Roman army assembled at Ostia and encouraged it: Lib. Pont. 105. 50-51. In his seventh year, on 8 December 853, he convened a Council at Rome which attempted to restore standards of clerical conduct and which also deposed the priest Anastasius (Anastasios 25): Lib. Pont. 105. 90-92. Early in 855 he welcomed Lodoïchos 1 to Rome and heard with him the enquiry into charges brought by Daniel 8 against Gratianus (Gratianos 2): Lib. Pont. 110-112. Shortly afterwards the emperor left and a few days later Leo died, on 17 July ("kal. Aug. XVI"); he was buried in St Peter's: Lib. Pont. 105. 113, cf. 106.4, 107.4 (his death). A horse of his was later used by pope Benedict III (Benediktos 7) (to testify to Benediktos 7's right to the see of Rome): Lib. Pont. 106. 18. He had appointed Benediktos 7 priest of the titulus of St Callistus: Lib. Pont. 106. 2. He condemned and deposed two priests, Ioannes 317 and Hadrianos 12, for criminal misconduct: Lib. Pont. 106. 14.

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