Manichaeism

=== Critical and polemic sources ===
Until discoveries in the 1900s of original sources, the only sources for Manichaeism were descriptions and quotations from non-Manichaean authors, either Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or Zoroastrian ones. While often criticizing Manichaeism, they also quoted directly from Manichaean scriptures. This enabled [[Isaac de Beausobre]], writing in the 18th century, to create a comprehensive work on Manichaeism, relying solely on anti-Manichaean sources.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k76039w.texteImage |title=Histoire critique de Manichée et du manichéisme |trans-title=Critical history of Manichae and Manichaeism |last=de Beausobre |first=Isaac |publisher=J. Frederic Bernard |year=1734 |volume=1 |location=Amsterdam |language=FR}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k760403 |title=Histoire critique de Manichée et du manichéisme |last1=Beausobre |first1=Isaac de |last2=Formey |first2=S. |publisher=J. Frederic Bernard |year=1739 |volume=2 |location=Amsterdam |language=FR |trans-title=Critical history of Manichae and Manichaeism}}</ref> Thus quotations and descriptions in Greek and Arabic have long been known to scholars, as have the long quotations in Latin by Saint Augustine, and the extremely important quotation in Syriac by [[Theodore Bar Konai]].{{citation needed|date=September 2017}}

==== Patristic depictions of Mani and Manichaeism ====
[[Eusebius]] commented as follows:
{{blockquote|''The error of the Manichees, which commenced at this time.''|In the mean time, also, that madman Manes, (Mani is of Persian or Semitic origin) as he was called, well agreeing with his name, for his demoniacal heresy, armed himself by the perversion of his reason, and at the instruction of Satan, to the destruction of many. He was a barbarian in his life, both in speech and conduct, but in his nature as one possessed and insane. Accordingly, he attempted to form himself into a Christ, and then also proclaimed himself to be the very paraclete and the Holy Spirit, and with all this was greatly puffed up with his madness. Then, as if he were Christ, he selected twelve disciples, the partners of his new religion, and after patching together false and ungodly doctrines, collected from a thousand heresies long since extinct, he swept them off like a deadly poison, from Persia, upon this part of the world. Hence the impious name of the Manichaeans spreading among many, even to the present day. Such then was the occasion of this knowledge, as it was falsely called, that sprouted up in these times.<ref>Eusebius. ''The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilus, Bishop of Caesarea'', Translated from the originals by Christian Frederick Cruse.1939. Ch. XXXI.</ref>}}

==== ''Acta Archelai'' ====
An example of how inaccurate some of these accounts could be can be seen in the account of the origins of Manichaeism contained in the ''[[Acta Archelai]]''. This was a Greek anti-Manichaean work written before 348, most well known in its Latin version, which was regarded as an accurate account of Manichaeism until refuted by Isaac de Beausobre in the 18th century:

<blockquote>In the time of the Apostles there lived a man named [[Scythianus]], who is described as coming "from Scythia", and also as being "a Saracen by race" ("ex genere Saracenorum"). He settled in Egypt, where he became acquainted with "the wisdom of the Egyptians", and invented the religious system that was afterwards known as Manichaeism. Finally he emigrated to Palestine, and, when he died, his writings passed into the hands of his sole disciple, a certain [[Terebinthus]]. The latter betook himself to Babylonia, assumed the name of Budda, and endeavoured to propagate his master's teaching. But he, like Scythianus, gained only one disciple, who was an old woman. After a while he died, in consequence of a fall from the roof of a house, and the books that he had inherited from Scythianus became the property of the old woman, who, on her death, bequeathed them to a young man named Corbicius, who had been her slave. Corbicius thereupon changed his name to Manes, studied the writings of Scythianus, and began to teach the doctrines that they contained, with many additions of his own. He gained three disciples, named Thomas, Addas, and Hermas. About this time the son of the Persian king fell ill, and Manes undertook to cure him; the prince, however, died, whereupon Manes was thrown into prison. He succeeded in escaping, but eventually fell into the hands of the king, by whose order he was flayed, and his corpse was hung up at the city gate.</blockquote>

A. A. Bevan, who quoted this story, commented that it "has no claim to be considered historical".<ref>Bevan, A. A. (1930). "Manichaeism". ''Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics'', Volume VIII. Ed. [[James Hastings]]. London.</ref>

====View of Judaism in the ''Acta Archelai'' ====
According to [[Hegemonius]]' portrayal of Mani, the [[Dimurgos|evil demiurge]] who created the world was the Jewish [[Jehovah]]. Hegemonius reports that Mani said,
{{blockquote|"It is the [[Prince of darkness (Manichaeism)|Prince of Darkness]] who spoke with [[Moses]], the [[Jews]] and their [[kohen|priests]]. Thus the [[Christians]], the Jews, and the Pagans are involved in the same error when they worship this God. For he leads them astray in the lusts he taught them." He goes on to state: "Now, he who spoke with Moses, the Jews, and the priests he says is the [[archon]]t of Darkness, and the Christians, Jews, and pagans (ethnic) are one and the same, as they revere the same god. For in his aspirations he seduces them, as he is not the god of truth. And so therefore all those who put their hope in the god who spoke with Moses and the prophets have (this in store for themselves, namely) to be bound with him, because they did not put their hope in the god of truth. For that one spoke with them (only) according to their own aspirations.<ref>{{cite web |title=Classical Texts: Acta Archelai of Mani |url=http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~iranian/Manicheism/Manicheism_II_Texts.pdf |page=76 |publisher=Iranian Studies at [[Harvard University]]}}</ref>}}