The Nicene Age · AD 313–400
Gennadius of Marseilles
presbyter of Marseille; writing from the 460s; d. c. AD 496 (held at the timeline’s ceiling) · Presbyter of Marseille · Literary historian · Massilia (Marseille), Gaul
The Nicene Age
Who Gennadius of Marseilles was
A presbyter of Marseille who continued Jerome’s catalogue of Christian writers down to his own day — and in doing so became the sole surviving witness to several authors, among them Fastidius the British bishop and much of what can be said about Theodoret’s bibliography. The archive uses his continuation as a source text and cites him as an authority; he is the latest figure in it, and the outer edge of the citing horizon at roughly 496. Held at the archive’s AD 400 ceiling, as Augustine, Jerome and Chrysostom are.
One attestation only — the work is self-attesting: the author names himself, his office or his circumstances inside his own text, and no independent ancient source describes him.
Common questions
When did Gennadius live?
Gennadius of Marseilles is dated presbyter of Marseille; writing from the 460s; d. c. AD 496 (held at the timeline’s ceiling) in the archive, which places Gennadius 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 Gennadius write?
Gennadius of Marseilles has 1 catalogued writing in the archive: On Illustrious Men (the continuation of Jerome).
Which early sources mention Gennadius?
Gennadius of Marseilles is named in 1 primary-source passage catalogued here, drawn from Gennadius of Marseilles. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Gennadius from?
The archive associates Gennadius of Marseilles with Massilia (Marseille), Gaul. The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.
Writings (1)
On Illustrious Men (the continuation of Jerome)
c. AD 480–496Fastidius, a bishop of the Britons, wrote a book on the Christian life to a certain Fatalis, and another on keeping widowhood sound in doctrine and worthy of God.Read the interlinear source text →
Primary-source mentions (1)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
On Illustrious Men — the closing chapter, in which the author names himself and his own works
c. AD 496[Self-attesting: the continuation states its own authorship in its final chapter.]Gennadius of Marseilles · On Illustrious Men 100 · source text
Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- 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
- AD 367 · Athanasius lists the 27 NT books, AD 367
- AD 372 · The martyrdom of Sabbas the Goth, AD 372
- AD 378 · Queen Mavia’s revolt, AD 378
- AD 380 · The Edict of Thessalonica, AD 380
- AD 381 · The Council of Constantinople, AD 381
- AD 381 · The Council of Aquileia, AD 381
- AD 384 · The Altar of Victory petition, AD 384
- AD 390 · Thessalonica and the penance of Theodosius, AD 390
- AD 397 · Carthage confirms the canon, AD 397
Place
Places served
The 2 places the sources put Gennadius, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route.