The Nicene Age · AD 313–400
Acacius of Caesarea
d. c. AD 366 · Bishop of Caesarea · 'The One-Eyed' · Chief of the Homoians · Caesarea Maritima
The Nicene Age
Who Acacius of Caesarea was
Eusebius's pupil and successor at Caesarea, one-eyed and — his enemies said — correspondingly sharp-sighted in intrigue: the manager of the Homoian triumph of 359–360, who at Seleucia junked 'essence' language altogether and then filled the East's sees with his men, Meletius of Antioch among them, to his lasting embarrassment. He wrote much (Jerome catalogues seventeen volumes on Ecclesiastes), swung with every reign, and died in possession — the century's great survivor.
Also listed in bishops beyond the great sees and roman emperors.
Common questions
When did Acacius die?
Acacius of Caesarea is dated d. c. AD 366 in the archive, which places Acacius in the Nicene Age (AD 313–400). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.
What did Acacius write?
Acacius of Caesarea has 2 catalogued writings in the archive: The creed of the Acacians (Seleucia, 359) and Antithesis against Marcellus, the Life of Eusebius, and the rest. 1 of these is lost, known only from later citation.
Which early sources mention Acacius?
Acacius of Caesarea is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Athanasius of Alexandria, Jerome and Theodoret of Cyrus. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Acacius from?
The archive associates Acacius of Caesarea with Caesarea Maritima.
Writings (2)
The creed of the Acacians (Seleucia, 359)
His party's declaration, preserved by AthanasiusWe acknowledge the Son to be like the Father, according to the apostle: who is the image of the invisible God. (via On the Councils 29)Read the interlinear source text →
Antithesis against Marcellus, the Life of Eusebius, and the rest
The one-eyed scholar's shelf — seventeen books on Ecclesiastes among it — all goneHe wrote seventeen volumes on Ecclesiastes and six of Miscellaneous Questions, and a Life of his master Eusebius. (after Jerome, On Illustrious Men 98)Lost — known only from later citation.
Primary-source mentions (3)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
On the Councils (De Synodis) 12; 29
c. AD 350Acacius and his fellows at Seleucia put forward another paper of faith, presuming to reject the 'coessential' and the 'like in essence' alike, and to confess only that the Son is like the Father — in will, not in substance.Athanasius of Alexandria · 12 · source text
On Illustrious Men 98
c. AD 393Acacius, called the One-eyed, bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, wrote seventeen volumes on Ecclesiastes and six of Miscellanies — in the reign of Constantius he had such influence that he made Felix bishop of Rome in the place of Liberius.Jerome · 98 · source text
Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret II.26–27
c. AD 449Acacius, the disciple and successor of Eusebius of Palestine, led those who rejected both the 'coessential' and the 'like in essence' — the party thence called Acacian.Theodoret of Cyrus · II.26 · source text
Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 301 · Hripsime and her company, AD 301
- AD 303 · The Great Persecution begins, AD 303
- AD 303 · The search of the church at Cirta, AD 303
- AD 306 · The Council of Elvira, AD 306
- AD 311 · Galerius’ edict of Serdica, AD 311
- AD 313 · The Edict of Milan, AD 313
- AD 314 · The Council of Arles, AD 314
- AD 320 · Silvanus tried before Zenophilus, AD 320
- AD 325 · The Council of Nicaea, AD 325
- AD 339 · The persecution of Shapur II, AD 339
- AD 343 · The Council of Serdica, AD 343
- AD 361 · Julian’s pagan restoration, AD 361
- AD 366 · Damasus and the catacomb epigrams, AD 366
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Acacius.