BARDESANES, a Syrian of Edessa, in Mesopotamia, born about A.D. 154. After his conversion to Christianity he became eminent for his zeal against heretics, and wrote many books against them. He at first embraced the errors of Valentinus, but afterwards laboured to refute them. His followers, who were called Bardesanists, went further than their master, and denied the incarnation of Christ, and the resurrection. His dialogues against Marcion, and his treatise On Fate, are much commended. (Euseb. iv. 30; Jerome, c. xxxix.)