GENNADIUS OF MARSEILLES

Fifth-century priest and theological writer of un-known origin; d. Marseilles, between 492 and 505. Gennadius is the author of a De viris illustribus, written between 467 and 480 as a continuation of a similar work by St. jerome. It contains 101 notices of fourth-and fifth-century Christian writers, nine of which (92 to 100) were added by a later hand. While the biographical detail is limited, these notices are invaluable for their bibliographical information regarding such authors as evagrius ponticus, Gennadius of Constantinople (89), Isaac of Antioch (66), Eutropius of Spain (50), Fastidius of Britain (56), nicetas of remesiana (22), Commodian (15), prosper of aquitaine (84), and maximus of turin (40). Chapter 101 is devoted to his own writings, and lists works against nestorius, pelagius, and Eutyches, none of which have been preserved. His Liber ecclesiasticorum dogmatum gives an indication of Semipelagian leanings, but it appears to have been rewritten during the 6th century. It is probable that the final section of his unpreserved eight books Adversus omnes haereses is contained in the Liber. The pseudo-Augustinian Commentary on the Apocalypse (Patrologia Latina, ed. J. P. Migne, 217 v. 5:2417–52) ascribed to Gennadius is actually a work of caesarius of arles; and the Confessio likewise attributed to his authorship is of much later origin. The information he provided concerning the authors he cited, as well as the Pelagian and early Monophysite controversies, has been the subject of much recent study.

Bibliography: Patrologia Latina, ed. j. p. migne, 217 v. (Paris 1878–90) 58:979–1054, 1059–1120. jerome, De viris illustribus, ed. e. c. richardson (Texte un Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der altchristlichen Literatur 14.1; 1896); De viris illustribus, ed. g. herding (Bibliotheca scriptorum Graecorum et Romanorum Teubneriana 1924). a. feder, Scholastik 2 (1927) 481–514; 3 (1928) 238–243; 8 (1933) 380–399. c. h. turner, ed., Journal of Theological Studies 7 (1905–06) 78–99 8 (1907)

103–114, Liber ecclesiasticorum dogmatum. g. morin, Revue Bénédictine 24 (1907) 445–455. b. czapla, Gennadius als Litterarhistoriker (Münster 1898). j. madoz, Razon y Fe 122 (1941) 237–239. g. bardy, a. grillmeier and h. bacht, Das Konzil von Chalkedon: Geschichte und Gegenwart, 3 v. (Würzburg 1951–54) 2:771–789, Christology. h. a. sanders, ed., Beati in Apocalipsin libri XII (Rome 1930). b. altaner, Patrology, tr. h. graef from the 5th German ed. (New York 1960) 567–568. o. bardenhewer, Geschichte der altkirchlichen Literatur, 5 v. (Freiburg 1913–1932) 4:595–599.

[a. neuwirth]