Basileides
(Βασιλείδης).
1. A Greek grammarian, who wrote a work on the Dialect of Homer (περὶ λέξεως Ὁμηρικῆς), of which an epitome was made by Cratinus. Both works are lost. (Etymol. Mag. s. v. *)Ari/zhlos.)
2. Of Scythopolis, a Stoic philosopher mentioned by Eusebius (Chron. Arm. p. 384, ed. Zohrab and Mai) and Syncellus (p. 351b.) as flourishing under Antoninus Pius, and as the teacher of Verus Caesar.
3. An Epicurean philosopher, the successor of Dionysius. (D. L. 10.25.)
4. Of Alexandria, was one of the earliest and most eminent leaders of the Gnostics. The time when he lived is not ascertained with certainty, but it was probably about 120 A. D. He professed to have received from Glaucias, a disciple of St. Peter, the esoteric doctrine of that apostle. (Clem. Al. Strom. vii. p. 765, ed. Potter.) No other Christian writer makes any mention of Glaucias. Basileides was the disciple of Menander and the fellow-disciple of Saturninus. He is said to have spent some time at Antioch with Saturninus, when the latter was commencing his heretical teaching, and then to have proceeded to Persia, where he sowed the seeds of Gnosticism, which ripened under Manes. Thence he returned to Egypt, and publicly taught his heretical doctrines at Alexandria. He appears to have lived till after the accession of Antoninus Pius in 138 A. D. He made additions to the doctrines of Menander and Saturninus. A complete account of his system of theology and cosmogony is given by Mosheim (Eccles. Hist. bk. i. pt. 2.5. §§ 1-13, and de Reb. Christ. ante Constant. pp. 342-361), Lardner (History of Heretics, bk. 2.100.2), and Walch. (Hist. der Ketzer. 1.281-309.) Basileides was the author of Commentaries on the Gospel, in twenty-four books, fragments of which are preserved in Grabe, Spicileg, ii. p. 39. Origen, Ambrose, and Jerome mention a " gospel of Basileides," which may perhaps mean nothing more than his Commentaries.
5. Bishop of the Libyan Pentapolis, was a contemporary and friend of Dionysius of Alexandria, to whom he wrote letters "on the time of our Lord's resurrection, and at what hour of that day the antepaschal fast should cease." The letters of Basileides are lost, but the answers of Dionysins remain. Cave says, that Basileides seems to have been an Egyptian by birth, and he places him at the year 256 A. D. (Hist. Litt. sub. ann.) [P.S]
- father of Herodotus the historian's namesake: Hdt. 8.132