ancient heretics, the followers of Ba- Basilipum Basilides, an Egyptian, who lived near the beginning of the second century. He was educated in the Gnostic school, over which Simon Magus presided; with whom he agreed that Christ was a man in appearance, that his body was a phantom, and that he gave his form to Simon the Cyrenian, who was crucified in his stead. We learn from Eusebius, that this hierarch wrote 24 books upon the gospel, and that he forged several prophets; to two of which he gave the names Barcaba and Barcoth. We have still the fragment of a Basildian gospel. His disciples supposed there were particular virtues in names; and taught with Pythagoras and Plato, that names were not formed by chance, but naturally signified something.—Basilides, to imitate Pythagoras, made his disciples keep silence for five years.

In general, the Basildians held much the same opinions with the Valentinians, another branch of the Gnostic family. They asserted, that all the actions of men are necessary; that faith is a natural gift, to which men are forcibly determined, and should therefore be saved though their lives were ever so irregular. Irenaeus and others assure us, they acted consistently with their principle; committing all manner of villanies and impurities, in confidence of their natural election. They had a particular hierarchy of divine persons, or Æons. Under the name Abraxas, they are said to have worshipped the supreme God, from whom as a principle, all other things proceeded. There are several gems still subsisting, inscribed with the name Abraxas, which were used by the Basildians as amulets against diseases and evil spirits. See Abraxas and Abrak.

Basilippum (anc. geog.), a town of Bætica in Spain; now Cantillana, a citadel of Andalusia, above Seville on the Guadalquivir.