Gnosticism

Gnosticism is a blanket term for various mystical initiatory religions and sects, which were most prominent in the first few centuries CE. It is also applied to modern revivals of these sects and, sometimes, by analogy to all religious movements based on secret knowledge gnosis, thus leading to confusion.

Notable Gnostics

Roughly in chronological order:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Simon Magus, had Gnostic leanings, could be called proto-Gnostic, although accounts of his life are primarily legendary
• "Leucius Charinus" the legendary author of a cycle of late "Acts" of Apostles.
• Menander
• Saturninus
• Monoimus
• Carpocrates, his wife Alexandra and his son Epiphanes
• Bardaisan of Edessa
• Ptolemy and Colorbasus
• Valentinius, potentially the most famous and influential Gnostic, and author of one of most complex and detailed Gnostic systems known
• Basilides of Alexandria
• Marcion of Sinope, had gnostic tendencies