episcopal town of Italy, in the Marche of Ancona; seated on the river Monacio, 10 miles north of Ascoli, and 45 south of Ancona. E. Long. 13. 20. N. Lat. 42. 54.

Montanini (Pietro), called Petruccio Perugino, an eminent landscape painter, was born at Perugia in 1619. At first he was instructed by his uncle Pietro Barlotti; but was afterwards placed as a disciple with Ciro Ferri. Yet he did not long adhere to the manner of either of those masters, choosing preferably to study under Salvator Rosa; and he imitated the style of that celebrated painter with exceeding great success. The taste of his landscapes was generally admired; the rocks, situations, torrents, and abrupt precipices, were designed with spirit, and in a grand style; and his figures recommended themselves to the eye by a very uncommon correctness, propriety, and elegance. He died in 1689.

Montanists, Christian heretics, who sprung up about the year 171, in the reign of the emperor Marcus Aurelius. They were so called from their leader, the heretarch Montanus, a Phrygian by birth; whence they are sometimes styled Phrygians and Cataclysims.

Montanus, it is said, embraced Christianity in hopes of rising to the dignities of the church. He pretended to inspiration; and gave out, that the Holy Ghost had instructed him in several points, which had not been revealed to the apostles. Priscilla and Maximilla, two enthusiastic women of Phrygia, presently became his disciples; and in a short time he had a great number of followers. The bishops of Asia, being assembled together, condemned his prophecies, and excommunicated those who dispersed them. Afterwards they wrote an account of what had passed to the western churches, where the pretended prophecies of Montanus and his followers were likewise condemned.

The Montanists, finding themselves exposed to the censure of the whole church, formed a schism, and set up a distinct society under the direction of those who called themselves prophets. Montanus, in conjunction with Priscilla and Maximilla, was at the head of the sect.

These sectaries made no alteration in the creed. They only held, that the Holy Spirit made Montanus his organ for delivering a more perfect form of discipline than what was delivered by the apostles. They refused communion for ever to those who were guilty of notorious crimes, and believed that the bishops had no authority to reconcile them. They held it unlawful to fly in time of persecution. They condemned second marriages, allowed the dissolution of marriage, and observed three lents.

The Montanists became separated into two branches; one of which were the disciples of Proclus, and the other Montanus other of Æschines. The latter are charged with following the heterodoxy of Praxeas and Sabellius concerning the Trinity.