Bassus

fl. c. AD 240 (death unrecorded) · Host of the discussion on Susanna · Nicomedia

The Ante-Nicene Church

Who Bassus was

The man at whose gathering Julius Africanus heard an argument from the story of Susanna, which prompted his letter to Origen challenging the authenticity of that part of Daniel — and Origen’s long reply. The whole exchange, one of the earliest textual-criticism controversies in the church, happened because of a conversation in Bassus’ house. Distinct from Bassus of Magnesia and from Junius Bassus the urban prefect.

Verified single attestation

Named once, by a source inside the horizon, as the addressee or named party of a surviving work; no other ancient source names him.

Common questions

When was Bassus active?

Bassus is dated fl. c. AD 240 (death unrecorded) in the archive, which places Bassus 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.

Which early sources mention Bassus?

Bassus is named in 1 primary-source passage catalogued here, drawn from Sextus Julius Africanus. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Where was Bassus from?

The archive associates Bassus with Nicomedia.

Who were Bassus’ contemporaries?

The archive links Bassus to 3 other figures, including Sextus Julius Africanus, Origen of Alexandria and Bassus of Magnesia. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.