ancient heretics, who maintained most of the errors of Simon Magus, Saturninus, and the Manichaeans. They took their name from their leader Cerdon, a Syrian, who went to Rome in the time of Pope Hyginus, and there abjured his errors, but in appearance only; for he was afterwards convicted of persisting in them, and accordingly cast out of the church again. Cerdon asserted two principles, the one good and the other evil. This last, according to him, was the creator of the world, and the god who appeared under the old law. The first, whom he called unknown, was the father of Jesus Christ, who, he taught, was incarnate only in appearance, and was not born of a virgin; nor did he suffer death but in appearance. He denied the resurrection, and rejected all the books of the Old Testament, as proceeding from an evil principle. Marcion, his disciple, succeeded him in his errors.