Photinus of Sirmium

d. 376 · Bishop of Sirmium · Heresiarch · Ancyra → Sirmium

The Nicene Age

Who Photinus of Sirmium was

A pupil of Marcellus of Ancyra who carried his master’s tendency into open heresy: bishop of Sirmium, he taught a form of adoptionism — that Jesus was a mere man, born of Mary, on whom the divine Word rested, denying his personal pre-existence. So notorious was his teaching that “Photinian” joined “Sabellian” and “Arian” as a standard label of error, and several councils condemned him by name before he was deposed and exiled. He wrote in both Greek and Latin. The century’s representative of the low Christology that made Christ only an inspired man.

Also listed in bishops beyond the great sees and heretics & schismatics.

Common questions

When did Photinus die?

Photinus of Sirmium is dated d. 376 in the archive, which places Photinus in the Nicene Age (AD 313–400).

What did Photinus write?

Photinus of Sirmium has 1 catalogued writing in the archive: Volumes against the nations, and To Valentinian. All are lost, known only from later citation.

Which early sources mention Photinus?

Photinus of Sirmium is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Hilary of Poitiers, Jerome and Augustine of Hippo. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Where was Photinus from?

The archive associates Photinus of Sirmium with Ancyra, Sirmium. The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.

Writings (1)

Volumes against the nations, and To Valentinian

The condemned bishop's shelf — extant for Jerome, gone since

He wrote many volumes, among which the chief are the books against the nations, and to Valentinian. (Jerome, On Illustrious Men 107)

Lost — known only from later citation.

Primary-source mentions (3)

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

On the Councils 38 (the Sirmium condemnations)

c. AD 359

Hilary of Poitiers · On the Councils 38 · source text

On Illustrious Men 107 (Jerome)

c. AD 393

Photinus, of Galatia, bishop of Sirmium, attempted to introduce the heresy of Ebion… He published books in Greek and Latin against the Gentiles, and was condemned by many councils.

Jerome · 107 · source text

On Heresies 44–45 (the Photinians)

c. AD 428

Augustine of Hippo · On Heresies 44 · source text

Connected in the archive

People

Events in this lifetime

Place

Others of Ancyra → Sirmium in the The Nicene Age

Places served

The 2 places the sources put Photinus, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route.

See these places on the atlas →