The Ante-Nicene Church · AD 180–313
Germanus
fl. c. AD 250–260 (death unrecorded) · Bishop · Critic of Dionysius of Alexandria · Egypt
The Ante-Nicene Church
Who Germanus was
A bishop who accused Dionysius of cowardice for fleeing the persecution instead of facing it. The charge mattered enough that Dionysius wrote a whole letter answering it, quoting his own movements in detail — so one of the fullest first-person narratives of the Decian and Valerianic persecutions exists only because Germanus attacked the man who wrote it.
Also listed in bishops beyond the great sees.
Common questions
When was Germanus active?
Germanus is dated fl. c. AD 250–260 (death unrecorded) in the archive, which places Germanus 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 Germanus?
Germanus is named in 2 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Eusebius of Caesarea. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Germanus from?
The archive associates Germanus with Egypt.
Who were Germanus’ contemporaries?
The archive links Germanus to 2 other figures, including Dionysius the Great and Aemilianus. 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.
Ecclesiastical History VI.40.1
c. AD 325[Dionysius’ Letter to Germanus, written in his own defence against the charge of flight.]Eusebius of Caesarea · Ecclesiastical History VI.40.1 · source text
Ecclesiastical History VII.11.1–19
c. AD 325[Dionysius again answers Germanus, quoting the record of his trial before Aemilianus.]Eusebius of Caesarea · Ecclesiastical History VII.11.1–19 · source text
Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 190 · The Quartodeciman controversy, AD 190
- AD 202 · Perpetua and Felicity martyred, AD 202
- AD 235 · Maximinus Thrax targets the clergy, AD 235
- AD 250 · The Decian persecution, AD 250
- AD 251 · The Novatianist schism, AD 251
- AD 257 · The Valerian persecution, AD 257
- AD 260 · Gallienus’ edict of toleration, AD 260
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Germanus.
- 1Egyptprovince only