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Notable Valentinian Personalities

Adelphius
Agathopous
Alexander
Ambrose
Aquilinus
Ardesianus
Axionicus
Beron
Candidus
Cleobulus
Demostratus
Epiphanes
Flavia Sophe
Flora
Florinus
Helix
Herakleon
Julius Cassian
Kolarbassos
Leucius
Marcus
Philokomos
Prodicus
Ptolemy
Rheginus
Secundus
Theodotus
Theotimus
Theudas

 


Adelphius

Rome, mid to late 3rd century

He was a Valentinian who joined Plotinus' Neoplatonist school in Rome about 263 AD. Along with Aquilinus, Adelphius lead a Valentinian circle within the Neoplatonist school. In about 268 AD, Plotinus wrote "Against the Gnostics" (Enneads II:9) in order to curb their growing influence. The Valentinian character of his teaching is clear from Plotinus. (See articles in Wallis, 1992).


Agathopous

Alexandria? mid 2nd century

Agathapous was an early disciple of Valentinus, likely at Alexandria. He was the addressee of an Epistle to Agathapous of which a brief excerpt survives. Nothing else is known about him.


Alexander

Libya, early 3rd century

He was one of the most renowned Valentinian teachers of the third century. He is mentioned by both the orthodox writer Tertullian and the pagan philosopher Porphyry. Based on what Tertullian says of him, Alexander's Christology is rather similar to that of Ptolemy. None of his writings survive.


Ambrose

Alexandria, early third century

Ambrose was an independently wealthy merchant. He was the financial benefactor of both Valentinian teachers and orthodox Christian teachers such as Origen.


Aquilinus

Rome, mid to late third century

He was a Valentinian who joined Plotinus' Neoplatonist school in Rome about 263 AD. Along with Adelphius, Aquilinus lead a Valentinian circle within the Neoplatonist school. In about 268 AD, Plotinus wrote "Against the Gnostics" (Enneads II:9) in order to curb their growing influence. The Valentinian character of his teaching is clear from Plotinus. (See articles in Wallis, 1992).


Ardesianus

Edessa? late 2nd and early third centuries

Ardesianus is described by Hippolytus as an eastern Valentinian teacher. Many scholars have assumed that Hippolytus is mistakenly accusing the Syrian Church Father Bardaisan of being a Valentinian. However, Hippolytus may instead be referring to some otherwise unknown Valentinian teacher.


Axionicus

Antioch, late 2nd and early third centuries

He was such a formidable proponent of Valentinian teaching that Tertullian describes him as "doing honor to the memory of Valentinus". It is likely that excerpts of his writings survive in the Gospel of Philip, a Syrian anthology of Valentinian sources.


Beron

Rome, early third century

According to Hippolytus, Beron was a dissident Valentinian who taught that "the flesh assumed to Himself by the Word became capable of working like works with the deity by virtue of its assumption, and that the deity became susceptible of suffering in the same way with the flesh by virtue of the exinanition" (Against Beron and Helix). He seems to have been closely associated with another teacher named Helix.


Candidus

Athens, early third century

Perhaps the most important Valentinian teacher at Athens, he was also a renowned champion of Valentinian teachings. In 229, he debated Origen, the famous orthodox theologian at that time. A record of their debate circulated in the ancient world but has been lost.


Cleobulus

Alexandria or Syria? second century?

He is mentioned in connection with Theodotus in the long version of Ignatius' Epistle to the Trallians. Nothing else is known about him.


Demostratus

Lydia, third century

He is mentioned briefly by Porphyry (Life of Plotinus) in conjunction with Philokomos and Alexander as a source of the Valentinian teaching spread in the Neoplatonist school by Adelphius and Aquilinus.


Epiphanes

?

Epiphanes may or not be historical. A passage in Irenaeus which is normally translated as "Another prominent teacher among them..." can also be translated as "Epiphanes, a teacher among them..." (AH 1:11:3). The teachings about the Tetrad which follow are also recounted almost word for word in the account of Marcus' system (AH 1:15:1). If the former translation is correct, then it is likely that the "prominent teacher" is actually Marcus. If Epiphanes did exist, he is not to be confused with the Carpocratian teacher of the same name.


Flavia Sophe

Rome, late 3rd century

She was a Valentinian woman whose tomb inscription survives. The inscription reads, "Thou, filled with longing for the paternal light, Sister and spouse, my Sophe, Annointed in the baths of Christ with immortal sacred salve, Hasten to glimpse the divine features of the Aeons, The great angel of the great council, the true Son; Thou camest into the bridal chamber and deathless climbed Into the bosom of the Father." (translation from Gnosis by Robert Haardt)


Flora

Rome, mid 2nd century

She was an educated convert to whom Ptolemy addressed his letter on the Law. Nothing else is known about her.


Florinus

Rome, late second century

Originally from Smyrna in Asia Minor (modern Turkey), he was a well known Valentinian teacher. He became a presbyter at Rome around 200 AD. He likely received the position as a concession to the Valentinians who formed a substantial portion of the Roman congregation. When 'orthodox' fanatic Irenaeus of Lyon found out about the appointment, he wrote a heated letter to the bishop of Rome demanding that Florinus be dismissed. It is unclear whether Irenaeus got his way. Florinus wrote a treatise "On the Eight" which is now lost.


Helix

Rome, early third century

Along with Beron, Helix was one of the leaders of a Valentinian faction which was involved in a dispute with other Valentinians over christology. They taught that Jesus' human nature shared to a certain extent in divinity and that his divine nature shared in his suffering. The orthodox teacher Hippolytus wrote the treatise 'Against Beron and Helix' to refute their views.


Herakleon

Rome, mid to late second century

Originally from Sicily, he later moved to Rome where he became a disciple of Valentinus. He was one of the most important Biblical exegetes of his day. His writings were very well regarded even by orthodox theologians such as Origen and Clement of Alexandria. He wrote a extensive commentary on the Gospel of John, parts of which survive. Excerpts from other works are preserved by Clement of Alexandria. Some modern scholars have attempted to identify him as the author of the Tripartite Tractate. However, this is unlikely.


Julius Cassian

Alexandria, late 2nd or early 3rd century

Julius was a Valentinian who split with the remainder of the school over the issue of marriage. He completely rejected marriage as sinful while most Valentinians did not. A few quatations from his writing On Continence survive in Clement of Alexandria. Some have attributed the Testimony of Truth found at Nag Hammadi to him. However, this cannot be proven.


Kolarbassos

Kolarbassos appears to be a historical fiction. The name is derived from Hebrew kol-arba ("all is four") and was used by some Valentinians to designate the first Four Aeons. The teacher Marcus claimed a vision in which he was taught by the original Four (Kolorbassos) in the form of Silence. The orthodox teachers Hippolytus and Irenaeus misunderstood this and believed that Kolorbassos was a person.


Leucius

Syria, late 2nd century

According to tradition, Leucius is the compiler of the Acts of John, a collection of legends about the apostle. He incorporated traditional Valentinian materials into the Acts of John. The best known of these materials are the so-called "round dance" and a revelation of the mystery of the Cross.


Marcus

Alexandria, Lyon, Asia Minor mid to late 2nd century

One of the most important of Valentinus' disciples at Alexandria was Marcus. Like his teacher, he undertook a great deal of missionary work. His activity in Lyon brought him into conflict with Irenaeus who was the bishop there. Irenaeus portrays Marcus as a philandering magician. However, these charges are unfounded and seem to have their origin in Irenaeus' personal antagonism towards his rival. Marcus claimed to have had a vision of the divine feminine in the form of Silence. He details this vision in a work that Irenaeus transmits almost intact. Numerology plays an important role in Marcus' teaching. Extensive quotes from several of his writings survive in Irenaeus of Lyon.


Philokomos

Rome? third century

He is mentioned briefly by Porphyry (Life of Plotinus) in conjunction with Demostratus and Alexander as a source of the Valentinian teaching spread in the Neoplatonist school by Adelphius and Aquilinus.


Prodicus

Alexandria? late second century

He is mentioned twice by Tertullian in connection with Valentinus. His disciples were known to Clement of Alexandria. He rejected prayer and taught that the elect, being "lords of the Sabbath", had no need of the written Law (Clement of Alexandria in Stromateis III: 30).


Ptolemy

Rome, mid second century

He was the most important of Valentinus' early disciples at Rome. He was the one who developed Valentinus' ideas into a consistent theological system. Ptolemy may be identical with the martyr of the same name. After Ptolemy converted a wealthy Roman woman to Christianity, her husband denounced him to the authorities. He was imprisoned about 160 AD and eventually executed. A description of his systematic theology is preserved by Irenaeus. A Letter to Flora also survives.


Rheginus

Alexandria? second or third century

He is the addressee of the Treatise on Resurrection. Nothing else is known about him.


Secundus

Rome, mid 2nd century

He was one of Valentinus' earliest disciples at Rome. Nothing else is known about him apart from a very brief outline of some of his teachings by Irenaeus (Against Heresies 1:11:2). His ideas are quite similar to those of his contemporaries such as Ptolemy. None of his writings survive.


Theodotus

Alexandria, mid to late 2nd century

He was one of the earliest followers of Valentinus at Alexandria. After Valentinus departed for Rome, he became the leading teacher of the Alexandrian school. No other details are known about his life. A substantial portion of his writings are preserved in the Excerpts of Theodotus.


Theotimus

Rome? late second century

Very little is known about him. Tertullian mentions that Theotimus wrote a work entitled "On the Images of the Law". This work appears to be lost unless it is to be identified with the passages quoted by Irenaeus in regard to Valentinian Old Testament interpretation (Against Heresies 1:17:1-18:3). These passages are often attributed to Marcus.


Theudas

Alexandria, late first to early second centuries

He was Valentinus' teacher at Alexandria. According to Valentinian tradition, Theudas had been a disciple of Saint Paul and transmitted a secret Pauline tradition to Valentinus. Nothing else is known about this enigmatic figure. He is not to be confused with Theodotus, a later disciple of Valentinus.

 

Content authored by David Brons