Basilideans
Ideology | Defunct
138 CE to 400 CE
The Basilidians or Basilideans are a Gnostic sect founded by Basilides of Alexandria in the 2nd century.
Basilides claims to have been taught his doctrines by Glaucus, a disciple of St. Peter.Of the customs of the Basilidians, we know no more than that Basilides enjoined on his followers, like Pythagoras, a silence of five years; that they kept the anniversary of the day of the baptism of Jesus as a feast day and spent the eve of it in reading; that their master told them not to scruple eating things offered to idols.
The sect had three grades – material, intellectual and spiritual – and possessed two allegorical statues, male and female.
The sect's doctrines were often similar to those of the Ophites and later Jewish Kabbalism.Basilidianism survived until the end of the 4th century as Epiphanius knew of Basilidians living in the Nile Delta.
It was however almost exclusively limited to Egypt, though according to Sulpicius Severus it seems to have found an entrance into Spain through a certain Mark from Memphis.
St. Jerome states that the Priscillianists were infected with it.
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Near East (136–147 CE): Aftermath of Revolt, Exclusion from Jerusalem, and Rise of Gnosticism
Following the catastrophic suppression of the Bar Kokhba Revolt, the Near East enters a period marked by severe Roman restrictions and evolving religious thought. Although Roman persecution of Jews eases somewhat after Emperor Hadrian’s death in 138 CE, strict prohibitions remain in force. Jews are explicitly barred from Jerusalem, permitted entry only once a year on Tisha B'Av, a solemn day commemorating the destruction of both Temples. The devastation of the revolt has left Jewish communities severely diminished, with over half a million casualties and extensive depopulation as thousands are sold into slavery, scattering Jewish populations across the Roman Empire and beyond.
During this same era, new forms of religious expression emerge prominently in Alexandria, a vibrant center of theological thought. Basilides, a key mid-second-century proponent of Gnosticism, claims to transmit secret teachings originally imparted by the Apostles Peter and Matthias. His principal work, the Exegetica, is a biblical commentary composed of twenty-four books, though only fragments survive. Basilides' followers, known as the Basilideans, constitute an influential sect within the broader Gnostic movement, characterized by esoteric interpretations of Christian scripture and teachings that stress mystical knowledge (gnosis) as the key to salvation.
Legacy of the Era
The period from 136 to 147 CE solidifies the ongoing Roman restrictions on Jewish life, reshaping Jewish identity into a diaspora existence. Simultaneously, the growth of sects such as the Basilideans indicates increasing diversity within early Christian thought, setting the stage for enduring theological debates that will profoundly influence religious developments throughout the Roman world.
Basilides, a mid-second-century proponent of gnosticism at Alexandria, claims to follow secret traditions derived from the Apostles Peter and Matthias.
He produces a major work, Exegetica, a biblical commentary in twenty-four books (of which only fragments survive).
His followers form a sect, the Basilideans.