The Nicene Age · AD 313–400 · External witness
George of Laodicea
d. c. AD 361 · Physician-bishop of Laodicea · Homoiousian strategist · Alexandria → Laodicea, Syria
External witness
Who George of Laodicea was
An Alexandrian presbyter deposed early in the quarrel, re-emerged as bishop of Syrian Laodicea and co-architect, with Basil of Ancyra, of the Homoiousian ('like in essence') party — heterodox to Nicaea, horrified by the Anomoeans, drafting the dossiers in between. Epiphanius preserved his party's memoranda whole inside the Panarion; Athanasius kept his name on every list of the deposed. Distinct from his namesake of Cappadocia, the intruded bishop of Alexandria.
Also listed in bishops beyond the great sees and non-christian witnesses.
Common questions
When did George die?
George of Laodicea is dated d. c. AD 361 in the archive, which places George 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.
Which early sources mention George?
George of Laodicea is named in 2 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Athanasius of Alexandria and Epiphanius of Salamis. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was George from?
The archive associates George of Laodicea with Alexandria, Laodicea, Syria. The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.
Who were George’s contemporaries?
The archive links George of Laodicea to 2 other figures, including Basil of Ancyra and Eustathius of Sebaste. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Primary-source mentions (2)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
On the Councils (De Synodis) 17
c. AD 350George, now of Laodicea, who was deposed from the presbyterate at Alexandria, wrote on behalf of the party — a man whose hand was in every formula.Athanasius of Alexandria · 17 · source text
Panarion 73 (the Homoiousian dossier)
c. AD 377George and Basil wrote letters and memoranda in defence of the 'like in essence' — which I have set down here entire, that the reader may judge the party from its own documents.Epiphanius of Salamis · 73 · 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
Place
Places served
The 3 places the sources put George, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route.
- 1Alexandria
- 2Laodicea
- 3Syriaprovince only