The order in which he presents the material is typical of a style of classical biography, especially those of the Latin saints.
In a relatively brief Chapter One, Possidius gave scant attention to Augustine’s birth, early education and conversion, as this was not central to his theme of Augustine as a Father of the Church.
In Chapter Two of Vita S. Augustini (“Life of Saint Augustine”) by Possidius, there is a report of Augustine’s abandoning his role in rhetoric at Milan and preparing for baptism.
Chapter Three covers Augustine’s return to Africa, and Chapter Four tells of Augustine’s being propelled to priesthood by an eager congregation at Hippo.
Chapter Five examines Augustine’s life in a community at Hippo as soon as he became a priest.
This involved his founding of his monastery for clerics in the church grounds at Hippo (and not either a hermitage in the countryside and/or a hermitage in Hippo, as some fourteenth-century Augustinians and Augustinian Canons Regular wrote.)
In a way that led to speculation by Augustinians and others in the late Middle Ages, Possidius did not say that this was the first community founded by Augustine in Hippo; possibly he expected that, with his not saying otherwise, this was self-evident.
When he became a bishop about five years later, Augustine continued to reside in this community, at least for as long as his life as a bishop did not interfere too much with the community’s routine and equilibrium.
Possidius makes absolutely no mention that Augustine composed his monastic Rule, and this ever afterwards has allowed doubts – generally thought to be groundless – about authenticity of the Rule as having come from Augustine’s hand.
Possidius then focused on Augustine’s theological battles against the Manicheans, Donatists, Arians and Pelagians. He then reported Augustine’s writing of his Retractationes (“Retractions”), and his death and burial.
The chronological approach adopted by Possidius then slackens, and the remainder of Life of Augustine offers a description of Augustine's mores (habits and behaviour).
Possidius describes Augustine's way of dealing with cases brought before him the the episcopal court; his political activism with secular authorities re injustice and the reduction of sentences upon convicted persons ( justice and peace); his attendance at church councils; his rules re style of dress and table behaviour; almsgiving; management of church finances; instruction of the clergy; precautions against scandal; visitation of widows and orphans, the sick and the dying. (Continued on the next page.)
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