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The Heretics and Schismatics of the Early Church

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Marcion, Valentinus, Arius, Montanus, Donatus, Sabellius and the teachers around them — the losing side of every early controversy, named by the writers who beat them.

75 figures, AD 100 to 400

Almost everything here is known from hostile witnesses. Where a heresiarch’s own words survive, usually as a quotation inside a refutation, the archive gives them; where they do not, the entry says that the account comes from an opponent. Several of these people were bishops in good standing for decades before the label attached.

Judged by the standard of the councils that condemned them, not by any modern one. Figures whose orthodoxy was merely questioned, and figures later rehabilitated, are marked in their own entries rather than filed here.

Who were the heretics of the early church?

  1. 1 Cerinthus fl. c. 90–100 Heresiarch of Asia
  2. 2 Saturninus of Antioch fl. c. AD 120 (death unrecorded) Syrian Gnostic teacher · Disciple of Menander
  3. 3 Carpocrates of Alexandria fl. c. 130 (death unrecorded) Gnostic teacher of Alexandria
  4. 4 Basilides of Alexandria fl. c. 120 – 145 (death unrecorded) Gnostic teacher of Alexandria
  5. 5 Cerdo the Syrian fl. c. 138 – 144 (death unrecorded) Teacher at Rome, repeatedly readmitted and finally expelled ·…
  6. 6 Epiphanes, son of Carpocrates d. c. 155 (aged seventeen) Gnostic author · Object of a posthumous cult
  7. 7 Isidore, son of Basilides fl. c. 150 (death unrecorded) Gnostic teacher · Heir of the Basilidean school
  8. 8 Monoimus the Arab fl. later 2nd century (death unrecorded) Gnostic speculator of the Monad
  9. 9 Valentinus c. 100 – c. 175 Gnostic theologian · Once a candidate for the see of Rome · Founder…
  10. 10 Modestus fl. c. AD 170 (death unrecorded) Anti-Marcionite writer
  11. 11 Miltiades the Apologist fl. c. AD 160–190 (death unrecorded) Apologist · Anti-Montanist writer
  12. 12 Musanus fl. c. AD 170–180 (death unrecorded) Writer against the Encratites
  13. 13 Tatian the Assyrian c. 120 – c. 180 Apologist · Harmonizer of the Gospels (later Encratite)
  14. 14 Philip of Gortyna fl. c. AD 170 (death unrecorded) Bishop of Gortyna, Crete · Anti-Marcionite writer
  15. 15 Rhodo of Asia fl. c. 180 (death unrecorded) Pupil of Tatian · Anti-Marcionite writer
  16. 16 Blastus of Rome deposed c. AD 190 Roman presbyter · Quartodeciman schismatic
  17. 17 Theodotus the Banker fl. c. AD 190–200 (death unrecorded) Adoptionist teacher at Rome · Melchizedekian
  18. 18 Theodotus the Cobbler excommunicated c. AD 190 Byzantine layman at Rome, excommunicated by Victor · Adoptionist…
  19. 19 Natalius the Confessor restored c. AD 199–203 Confessor · Briefly Adoptionist bishop · Penitent
  20. 20 Noetus of Smyrna fl. c. 200 (death unrecorded) Presbyter of Smyrna, expelled · Modalist heresiarch
  21. 21 Praxeas fl. c. 200 (death unrecorded) Confessor, then modalist teacher · Opponent of Montanism
  22. 22 Cleomenes of Rome fl. c. AD 200–215 Head of the modalist school at Rome
  23. 23 Sabellius fl. c. 215 – 220 (death unrecorded) Modalist theologian (Sabellianism)
  24. 24 Tertullian of Carthage c. 155 – c. 220 First theologian of Latin Christianity (later Montanist)
  25. 25 Bardaisan of Edessa c. 154 – 222 Christian courtier of Edessa · Syriac philosopher-theologian (“the…
  26. 26 Artemon (Artemas) fl. c. 230 (death unrecorded) Adoptionist teacher at Rome
  27. 27 Novatus of Carthage fl. c. 250 (death unrecorded) Carthaginian presbyter · Schismatic agitator
  28. 28 Novatian of Rome c. 200 – 258 Presbyter of Rome (later schismatic rival bishop) · First Roman…
  29. 29 Paul of Samosata deposed AD 268; d. thereafter Bishop of Antioch · Adoptionist heresiarch
  30. 30 Mani c. 216 – c. 277 Founder of Manichaeism
  31. 31 Majorinus of Carthage d. c. AD 315 Lector, then rival (Donatist) bishop of Carthage
  32. 32 Maternus of Cologne fl. AD 313–314 (death unrecorded) First documented bishop of Cologne · Judge of the Donatist appeal
  33. 33 Colluthus of Alexandria fl. c. AD 320–330 (death unrecorded) Presbyter-schismatic · Ordainer of a rival line
  34. 34 Reticius of Autun d. c. AD 334 Bishop of Autun · Judge of the Donatist appeal · Latin exegete
  35. 35 Arius c. 256 – 336 Presbyter of Alexandria · Arch-heresiarch
  36. 36 Acesius the Novatianist fl. AD 325 (death unrecorded) Novatianist bishop at Nicaea
  37. 37 Theognis of Nicaea fl. 325 – c. 340 (death uncertain) Arian bishop of Nicaea · Signer under protest
  38. 38 Asterius the Sophist d. c. AD 341 Christian sophist, lapsed in the persecution (‘the Sacrificer’) · Lay…
  39. 39 Eusebius of Nicomedia d. c. 341 Bishop · Leader of the Arian party
  40. 40 Caecilian of Carthage d. c. AD 345 Bishop of Carthage · Vindicated root of the Donatist quarrel
  41. 41 Gregory of Cappadocia d. AD 345 Arian intruder-bishop of Alexandria (339–345)
  42. 42 Paul of Constantinople d. c. AD 351 (strangled at Cucusus) Nicene bishop of Constantinople · Martyr of the Arian ascendancy
  43. 43 Balacius the Dux d. c. AD 353 (thrown by his horse) Arian military commander of Egypt
  44. 44 Donatus of Carthage d. c. 355 Schismatic bishop of Carthage · Founder of Donatism
  45. 45 Theodore of Heraclea d. c. AD 355 Arian bishop of Heraclea · Literalist commentator
  46. 46 Leontius of Antioch d. c. AD 357 Arian bishop of Antioch · 'The Eunuch' · Ordainer of Aetius
  47. 47 Maris of Chalcedon fl. 325 – c. 360 Arian bishop of Chalcedon · Arius's early ally
  48. 48 Patrophilus of Scythopolis bishop from before AD 325; d. c. 360 Bishop of Scythopolis · Leading Arian
  49. 49 Potamius of Lisbon d. c. AD 360 Bishop of Lisbon · Latin author (later Arianising)
  50. 50 Emperor Constantius II d. 3 November 361 Roman Emperor (337–361) · Arianizing sovereign
  51. 51 George of Cappadocia lynched 24 December AD 361 Arian intruder-bishop of Alexandria (356–361)
  52. 52 Aetius of Antioch d. c. 367 Deacon of Antioch · Radical Arian (Anomoian) theologian
  53. 53 Lucifer of Cagliari d. c. 370 Bishop of Cagliari · Rigorist schismatic
  54. 54 Marius Victorinus d. c. 370 Roman rhetorician · Convert · Trinitarian theologian
  55. 55 Theophilus the Indian b. Dibous; sent on embassy c. AD 354; d. after 364 Arian deacon, then bishop · Imperial envoy to Arabia and India
  56. 56 Ursacius of Singidunum fl. 335 – after 371 Illyrian Arian bishop · Valens of Mursa's inseparable partner
  57. 57 Auxentius of Milan d. AD 374 Arian bishop of Milan for twenty years
  58. 58 Marcellus of Ancyra c. 285 – c. 374 Bishop of Ancyra · Anti-Arian theologian
  59. 59 Euzoius of Antioch d. c. AD 376 Arian bishop of Antioch · Deacon condemned with Arius
  60. 60 Photinus of Sirmium d. 376 Bishop of Sirmium · Heresiarch
  61. 61 Emperor Valens d. 9 August AD 378 Roman Emperor of the East (364–378) · Arian persecutor
  62. 62 Lucius of Alexandria d. c. AD 380 (fl. 373–378 in the see) Arian intruder in Athanasius's see · Persecutor of the monks
  63. 63 Titus of Bostra d. c. AD 378 Bishop of Bostra · Hammer of the Manichaeans
  64. 64 Valens of Mursa d. c. AD 378 Illyrian Arian bishop · Court theologian of Constantius
  65. 65 Ulfilas (Wulfila) c. 311 – 383 Bishop & apostle of the Goths · Homoian Arian · Bible translator
  66. 66 Servatius of Tongeren d. AD 384 Bishop of Tongeren · Anti-Arian
  67. 67 Priscillian of Ávila d. c. 385 Bishop of Ávila · First heretic executed by the state
  68. 68 Sympronian fl. c. AD 380s (death unrecorded) Novatianist controversialist
  69. 69 Demophilus of Constantinople d. c. AD 386 Last Arian bishop of Constantinople
  70. 70 Optatus of Milevis d. c. 387 Bishop of Milevis · First anti-Donatist theologian
  71. 71 Apollinaris of Laodicea c. 310 – c. 390 Bishop of Laodicea · Heresiarch of the Incarnation
  72. 72 Parmenian of Carthage d. c. 391 Donatist bishop of Carthage · Target of Optatus
  73. 73 Eunomius of Cyzicus c. 335 – c. 393 Bishop of Cyzicus · Anomoian heresiarch
  74. 74 Auxentius of Durostorum foster-son of Ulfilas; Arian bishop at Milan c. AD 385–395 Bishop of Durostorum · Arian anti-bishop of Milan, as Mercurinus
  75. 75 Palladius of Ratiaria d. c. AD 400 Bishop of Ratiaria · Homoian (Arian) leader

Every name links to its profile: the dates, the office, and every primary source that carries the name. 48 of these 75 have no Wikipedia article — for them this archive may be the fullest sourced record online.

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