Primian (Primianus) was an early Christian Bishop of Carthage, and leader of the Donatist movement in Roman North Africa. Seen as a moderate by some in his faction, he was a controversial figure in a time of fragmentation of the Donatists, a reactionary branch of Christianity.
He was the Bishop of Carthage, and hence the leader of the Donatist movement in Roman North Africa.[1] [2] [3]
He had succeeded Parmenian as bishop in about 391,[4] winning a tightly fought election for the role.[5] His rival, Maximian, a relative of the founder of their movement, saw him as a lax and conformist appeaser.
The rivalry did not end with the election. In 393 a council was called by Maximian where forty of the sixty-five Donatist bishops sided with Maximianus over Primian,[6] causing a split in the Donatist ranks. He was accused of readmitting the Claudianist faction back to the Donatist movement.[7] Three years of proceedings in the Roman civil courts saw Primian retake Maximianist-held basilicas in Musti, Assuras and Membressa.[8] A number of the bishops split with Primian to follow Maximianus, forming their own short-lived schism.
Primian attended the Council of Bagai, at which he is said to have taunted his opponents.[9] He also attended the Council of Carthage (411),[10] where he made comment condemning the actions of Cyprian, the Donatist bishop of Tubursica, for immorality.[11] [12]