Epiphanius of Salamis
Bishop of Salamis on Cyprus. Heresiologist; author of the Panarion ('Medicine Chest') against 80 heresies. Vigorous opponent of Origenism.
Why Epiphanius matters
Epiphanius wrote the Panarion — 'medicine chest' — a catalogue of eighty heresies with descriptions and refutations. It's the early church's heresiology reference book. Read it and you find out what dozens of forgotten Gnostic and Jewish-Christian groups actually believed, because Epiphanius quoted them at length to refute them. Without him, our knowledge of second and third century Christian diversity collapses. He was also a hardliner — anti-Origen, anti-icon, anti-anyone-who-disagreed-with-him — and his judgement is often unfair. But as a source he's irreplaceable. Half of what we know about lost heretical movements we know because Epiphanius hated them and kept the receipts.
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Common questions
- Who was Epiphanius of Salamis?
- Epiphanius of Salamis (310–403) — Bishop of Salamis on Cyprus. Heresiologist; author of the Panarion ('Medicine Chest') against 80 heresies. Vigorous opponent of Origenism.
- Who did Epiphanius of Salamis meet?
- Jerome and Paula of Rome.
- Who did Epiphanius of Salamis oppose?
- Origen of Alexandria, John Chrysostom, and Apollinaris of Laodicea.
Sources for biography
- Epiphanius, Panarion primary
- Jerome, De Viris Illustribus 114 primary
- Socrates Scholasticus, Hist. Eccl. 6.10-14 primary
documented connections(5)
- met (incoming) JeromeJerome and Epiphanius were close allies in the Origenist controversy.Jerome, Epistulae 51, 57, 82
- opposed Origen of AlexandriaEpiphanius led the late-fourth-century campaign against Origenism.Epiphanius, Panarion 64
- opposed (incoming) John ChrysostomChrysostom and Epiphanius clashed over Origenism at Constantinople in 403.Socrates Scholasticus, Hist. Eccl. 6.10-14 · Sozomen, Hist. Eccl. 8.14-15
- opposed Apollinaris of LaodiceaEpiphanius devotes Panarion 77 to refuting the Apollinarians.Epiphanius, Panarion 77
- met (incoming) Paula of RomeJerome's epitaph for Paula recounts her hosting Epiphanius in Rome and visiting him at Salamis on her journey east.Jerome, Epistula 108.6-7