Priscillian:- his trial, condemnation and death

The revolt against the unpopular emperor Gratian in 383 led to his capture and murder. The military commander from Britain, Magnus Maximus, acclaimed as Augustus by his troops, entered Trier as the emperor of the western provinces. The opportunity was quickly sized by Ithacius of Ossonuba, at that time a refugee in Trier, to present grave criminal charges against the Priscillianists. Maximus directed that these should be referred to a synod at Burdigala (Bordeaux).

The Synod of Bordeaux 

At the synod to which the Priscillianist bishops and their followers were ordered to attend, bishop Instantius was found guilty and deposed from his see (and later exiled). Priscillian, realising that he too would be found guily, appealed directly to the emperor at Trier. (1)

The Trials at Trier

The date of the trial of Priscillian before the secular court in Trier, and his subsequent death, has not been verified with any degree of certainty. Chadwick does not rule out the late autumn of 385, but feels that the summer of 386 is the most probable date (2). The initial trial took place with bishop Ithacius as chief prosecutor. When Priscillian and his companions were found guilty, the question of sentence was referred to the emperor. At this point Ithacius withdrew from the prosecution, necessitating a retrial. This took place under Patricius, a treasury official, pointing up the comment in S. Severus that Maximus "wanted the heretics property" (3)
In the usual procedure at a trial on the charge of malignant witchcraft, torture was used to extract a confession. It is likely that this was the case when Priscillian confessed under 'juridical examination' 'to his interest in magical studies, to having held nocturnal gatherings of (loose) women, and to having prayed naked'. (4)

The sentences of the Priscillianists

At the end of the second trial Priscillian was beheaded together with the priests Felicissimus and Armenius, Latronianus (a poet mentioned by St. Jerome) and the woman Euchrotia. In the 'inquisition' initiated in Spain by Maximus (5) the deacon Aurelius and Asarivus (or Asarbus) were beheaded. The layman Tiberianus lost all his property by confiscation and was exiled, along with the bishop Instantius to the Isles of Scilly. (6)
It is of interest that the condemned were found guilty and put to death for the practise of sorcery and magic and NOT for heresy, that being outside the remit of a secular court.

The reasons why Priscillian's teaching was so violently rejected by orthodox catholic bishops both at the time, and during the following years, needs further reflection.


(1) Sulpicius Severus Chron.ii.49. 5-6.
(2) Chadwick, Priscillian of Ávila. page132 - 138
(3) Sulpicius Severus Dial.iii.11. 10-11. quoted in Chadwick, op.cit. page 144
(4) Chadwick, op. cit. page 139
(5) Sulpicius Severus, Dial.iii.11.
(6) Chadwick op.cit. page 144