The Ante-Nicene Church · AD 180–313

Bacchylus of Corinth

fl. c. AD 190–200 (death unrecorded) · Bishop of Corinth · Paschal controversy · Corinth

The Ante-Nicene Church

Who Bacchylus of Corinth was

Bishop of Corinth in the Paschal crisis under Victor of Rome, who wrote — Jerome says in the name of all the bishops of Achaia — an 'elegant' letter for the Sunday observance. One of the regional voices whose consensus Eusebius mustered to show that the churches, from Gaul to Osrhoene, had answered the question together.

Also listed in bishops beyond the great sees.

Common questions

When was Bacchylus active?

Bacchylus of Corinth is dated fl. c. AD 190–200 (death unrecorded) in the archive, which places Bacchylus in the Ante-Nicene Church (AD 180–313). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.

What did Bacchylus write?

Bacchylus of Corinth has 1 catalogued writing in the archive: Synodal letter on the Pascha. All are lost, known only from later citation.

Which early sources mention Bacchylus?

Bacchylus of Corinth is named in 2 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Eusebius of Caesarea and Jerome. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Where was Bacchylus from?

The archive associates Bacchylus of Corinth with Corinth.

Writings (1)

Synodal letter on the Pascha

In the name of the bishops of Achaia
He wrote an elegant treatise on the passover, in the name of the bishops of Achaia. (after Jerome, On Illustrious Men 44)
Lost — known only from later citation.

Primary-source mentions (2)

Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Ecclesiastical History V.22–23

c. AD 325
…and of the parishes in Corinth, Bacchylus was bishop — among those who issued letters declaring the one accord of the churches.
Eusebius of Caesarea · V.22 · source text

On Illustrious Men 44

c. AD 393
Bacchylus, bishop of Corinth, held renown under the emperor Severus, and wrote, in the name of all the bishops who were in Achaia, an elegant work On the passover.
Jerome · 44 · source text

Connected in the archive

People

Events in this lifetime

Place

Places served

The one place the sources put Bacchylus.

  1. 1Corinth

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