Basilides

Basilides (Βασιλείδης) was an early Christian religious teacher in Alexandria, Egypt during the reign of Hadrian (117-138). He may have been previously a disciple of Menander at Antioch, together with Saturnilus. Basilides was a pupil of an alleged interpreter of St. Peter named Glaucias. The Acta Archelai state that for a time he taught among the Persians. He is believed to have written over two dozen books of commentary on the Christian Gospel ... more

Basilides (Βασιλείδης) was an early Christian religious teacher in Alexandria, Egypt during the reign of Hadrian (117-138). He may have been previously a disciple of Menander at Antioch, together with Saturnilus. Basilides was a pupil of an alleged interpreter of St. Peter named Glaucias. The Acta Archelai state that for a time he taught among the Persians. He is believed to have written over two dozen books of commentary on the Christian Gospel (now all lost) entitled Exegetica, making him one of the earliest Gospel commentators. Only fragments of his works are preserved that supplement the knowledge furnished by his opponents. His theology was identified as a "dualistic" heresy by later detractors and is commonly associated by modern scholarship with early Christian Gnosticism. The followers of Basilides, the Basilidians, formed a movement that persisted for at least two centuries after him—Epiphanius, at the end of the fourth century, recognized a persistent Basilidian Gnosis in... less