ADAMITES

ADAMITES, Adamitae, a sect of ancient heretics who took upon them to imitate the nakedness of Adam; as if man had been reinstated in his original innocence. They assisted in the temples naked and had to do with women in public.

Prodicus was their author, according to the account given by Theodoret. They were, in reality, a branch sprung out of the Carpocratians and Basilidians. See CARPOCRATIAN and BASILIDIAN.



This sect is said to have started up afresh in the 15th century, under Picard, their leader; who pretended to re-establish the Laws of Nature, which, according to him, consisted in two things, viz. Community of Women and Nakedness. These last walked naked in the public places; whereas the former only took off their clothes in their assemblies. There are mentions of Adamites in England. See PRE-ADAMITES.

The critics explain the name Adam, אדם from whence these terms arise, variously; some by Earth. Some of the Greek interpreters explain it Cabalistically: According to them, the א signifies ἀνατολή (Anatole), East; ד, δύσις (Dysis), West; א, ἄρκτος (Arktos), North; and מ, μεσημβρία (Mesembria), South; as being king of the four quarters of the world: or, in that he was to people it; or that he was a little world, μικρόκοσμος (microcosmos).

ADAMITES