Priscillian

Late Roman bishop

PersonhumanQ347010

Also known as Priscillian of Avila · Priscillianus

Born: 340
1
Sources
1.Stated in Encyclopædia Britannica OnlineRetrieved 2024-10-30
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Died: 385
5
Sources
1.Stated in Integrated Authority FileRetrieved 2015-10-17
2.Stated in Encyclopædia Britannica OnlineRetrieved 2017-10-09
3.Stated in Dictionnaire de spiritualitéRetrieved 2017-10-09
4.Stated in Brockhaus EnzyklopädieRetrieved 2017-10-09
5.Stated in Catalogue of the Library of the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Birthplace: Hispania
Place of death: Trier
Occupation: writer
, presbyter
, bishop
1
Sources
1.Stated in Integrated Authority FileRetrieved 2026-04-20
View statement on Wikidata ↗
+1 more
Positions held: Roman Catholic Bishop of Ávila(until 0385)
Languages spoken, written or signed: Latin

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

Priscillian was a wealthy nobleman of Roman Hispania who promoted a strict form of Christian asceticism. He became bishop of Ávila in 380. Certain practices of his followers were denounced at the Council of Zaragoza in 380. Tensions between Priscillian and bishops opposed to his views continued, as well as political maneuvering by both sides. Around 385, Priscillian was charged with sorcery and executed by authority of the Emperor Maximus. The ascetic movement Priscillianism is named after him, and continued in Hispania and Gaul until the late 6th century. Tractates by Priscillian and close followers, which were thought lost, were discovered in 1885 and published in 1889.

Overview

Named after them

1 linked to Priscillian in Wikidata

PPriscillianismpre-Islamic Christian sect in Spanish Iberia

All data

99 statements · 19% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Sex or gender: male
Time period: Roman Empire
Cause of death: decapitation
Name in native language: Priscilianus
Religion or worldview: Christianity
Priscillianism
Convicted of: heresy
Copyright status as a creator: copyrights on works have expired applies to jurisdiction: worldwide
Writing language: Latin
Manner of death: capital punishment

On other databases

73 identifiers linking Priscillian across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

19%

externally sourced

Source last edited October 10, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

Suggest a fact or correction

Links

Use this data

curl https://aidb.si/api/v1/entities/Q347010

API docs, limits & keys

Cite this page

AIDB. (2026). Priscillian (Q347010). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/priscillian-Q347010