Witnesses to the influence of Tertullian
(or, Who had read what?)

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This page lists the ancient authors who refer to or quote works by Tertullian.

In CCL I there are 3 A3 tables cross-referencing authors and works against the works of Tertullian, extant and lost. This page is just a sample of that massive collection of data!  Rather than try to reproduce the tables (for which the screen isn't really wide enough), I've collapsed it into the form you see below.  Authors marked with a * are listed in CCL II in the Addenda /Corrigenda.  Suggestions of a better way are welcome.

There are bound to be more than a few typographical errors in here, either of my own or in CCL itself, simply because checking it is a hard business.  If anyone finds an error, I would  very much appreciate you telling me. Naturally I take all this stuff on faith, because I haven't the time to check it.   If you want to look something up, as ever your best bet is to look in Quasten's Patrology first for the author in question.

The works of the author are usually on the left - the works of Tertullian they are quoting on the right.  But sometimes they reverse!   Sorry that there is no consistency (yet).

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Minucius Felix

Octavius (various) = Apologeticum
Octavius  7, 37 = De spectaculis

Cyprian

Jerome tells us that Cyprian never went a day without reading Tertullian, and used him copiously.  However I have no detailed lists.

Discussed in:

  1. Harnack, A., Tertullian in der Litteratur der alten Kirchen, Sitzungsberichte Preuss. Akad. der Wissenschaft. (1895), p. 562.

  2. Diercks, G. F., Tertullianus. De oratione, Bussum (1947), pp. lxxiii ff.

Cyprian (pseudo-)

These are works falsely attributed to Cyprian.

De pascha computus 17 = Ad Nationes I,8
Quod idola dii non sint 8-13 = Apologeticum. 17ff
Ad Novatianum 12-14 = De baptismo I, De praescriptio haereticorum 4 and 42, De cultu feminarum I,3

Novatian

De Carne Christi, De Pudicitia, De Spectaculis, Adversus Praxean, Adversus Marcionem, Apologeticum

Hippolytus

The work labelled Elenchus is also known as Philosophumena and The refutation of all heresies.

Contra Noetum = Adversus Praxean
Elenchus VII, 12, 38 = Adversus Apellaicos
Elenchus VIII, 4, 17 and X, 28 = Adversus Hermogenem

Dionysius of Rome, quoted by Athanasius

Epistula de Decretis Nicaenae Synodi 26

=

Adversus Praxean 11

Pseudo-Tertullian

Adversus omnes haereses = Adversus Praxean
Carmen adversus Marcionem = Adversus Marcionem

Lactantius

De resurr. 13 = De ave phoenice, 169
Ad Nat. II, 14 = Institutiones I, 9
Adv. Prax. 5 = Instit. IV, 9, 1
7 = IV,8,6 ff
8 = IV, 13,5 and IV, 29, 3-6
Ad Scap. 2 = Inst. V, 19, 11 and V, 20, 5
3 = V, 23,1
5 = V, 22, 20
Apol. = Instit. [V, 1, 23 and V, 4, 3]
1 = V, 1, 2-6
3 = IV, 7, 5
14 = I, 10, 3 and III, 20, 15
19 = I, 23,2
21 = IV, 8, 6 and IV, 9, 1 and IV, 29, 3-6
23 = IV, 27
24 = V, 13, 18 and V, 20, 9

Direct quotes only are given; more references can be found by consulting the editions of Lactantius in CSEL XIX and the Apologeticum (CSEL 69).

Eusebius of Caesarea

Historia Ecclesia II,2, 4ff; II, 25, 4; III, 20,9; III, 33,3 ff; V, 5, 6ff = Apologeticum 2 and 5
Chronicon ad annum 2124 = Apologeticum 2

Anonymous, Altercatio Heracliani, p. 142 ff

Adversus Praxean 25, Apologeticum 21

Optatus of Milevi

The single surviving work of this author has no title.

I, 9; IV, 5 = De testimonio animae, Adversus Praxean, Adversus Marcionem
III, 3 = Apologeticum 29-34
V, 3 = Adversus Marcionem V, 13

Zeno of Verona

Tractate (or Homily) I, 9, 1 = Adversus Marcionem IV, 21
Tractate I, 16,4 = De resurrectione carnis 58
Tractate II, 1, 1 = De ieiunio 17, Ad uxorem II,1
Tractate II, 46 = De resurrectione carnis 12

Lucifer of Cagliari

Moriendum esse pro dei filio 4 = De oratione 1 and 3, Apologeticum 21
Moriendum esse pro dei filio 13 = Scorpiace 5

Hilarius of Poitiers

In Mattheam V, 1 = De oratione 17

Pactatus

Fragments II = De praescriptione haereticorum  26

See:
1.  Funk, F. and Diekamp, F., Patres Apostolici, II, Tubingen (1913), p. 398 note 3;
2.  Clavis Patrorum Latinorum note 1152a.

Pacian of Barcelona

Epist. I = De pudicitia, Apologeticum 3
Epist. III, 24 = De patientia 21

Anon, De viro perfecto

De Carne Christi 23

See:
1.  Madoz, J., Vestigios de Tertuliano en la doctrina de la virginidad de Maria, en la carta "ad amicum aegrotum, de viro perfecto", in Estudios Eclesiasticos, XVIII (1944), pp. 187-200

Didymus of Alexandria (= Didymus the Blind)

De Trinitate II, 14 = De baptismo 5-9 (Greek version).   Cf. Bardy, G., Didyme l'Aveugle, p. 234 ff.

Phoebadius

Contra Arrianos = Adversus Praxean.  Cf. Durengues, A. ,La question du "De fide", Agen (1909).

Gregorius Illiberitanus

De Fide = Adversus Hermogenem. Cf. Durengues, A. ,La question du "De fide", Agen (1909).

Potamius of Lisbon

De resurrectione carnis, de paenitentia, de pudicitia, ad nationes, de anima.  Cf. Madoz, J., in Rev. Españ. de teol., VII (1947), pp.103-105.

Anonymous, Collatio Alexandri et Dindimi

Apologeticum.  Cf. Liénard, É. in Revue belge de phil. et d'histoire, XV (1936), p. 8224 ff.

Philastrius

54ff, 126 = De censu animae (fragments).  Cf. Harnack, A., as above, p. 567.
89 = De pudicitia 20

Ambrosiaster

Quaestiones Veteris et Novi Testamenti 44 = Adversus Iudaeos 8
Quaestiones Veteris et Novi Testamenti 114 = Apologeticum 18
Quaestiones Veteris et Novi Testamenti 115 = De fato (fragments).   Cf. Koch, H, Theol. Studien und Kritken, CI (1929), pp. 458 ff.
Quaestiones Veteris et Novi Testamenti 123 = De baptismo 5
Also In Rom. 5, 14 and In 1 Cor. 13, 2

Ps. Ambrosius

Altercatio, p. 229 = De censu animae (fragments)

Chromatius

Tract. 13 ff = De oratione
Expos. orat. dom. (in Sacr. Gelasianum) = De oratione.   Cf. Diercks, G. F., Tertullianus. De oratione, Bussum (1947), pp. lxxxvii-xc.

Salvianus

In De gubernatore dei:

De pudicitia 7 = De gubernatore dei VI, 11, 60
De spectaculis 5-12 = VI, 2, 10; VI, 6, 31; VI, 11, 60
Adversus Marcionem I, 27 = VI, 11, 60
Apologeticum 8, 1 = IV, 17, 85
Apologeticum 9, 19 = VII, 16, 65 ff.
Apologeticum 15, 3 = VI, 11, 60
Apologeticum 38, 4 = VI, 11, 60
Apologeticum 39, 12-13 = VII, 23, 103
Apologeticum 46, 1 = I, 4, 19
Apologeticum 47, 7 = VII, 22, 100
Apologeticum 47, 10 = I, 1, 3

Cf.  Waltzing, J., Tertullien et Salvien, in Le Musée Belge, XIX (1920), pp. 39-43

Pelagius

Vita Christ. 11 = De oratione 13 ff
De castitatis 4, 7 = De anima 25, 5
De castitatis 14, 4 = De anima 30, 4
De malis doctr. 16,5 = De anima 47, 2
De pecc. mer. 10 (quoted by Augustine) = De anima. Cf. Diercks, G. F., Tertullianus. De oratione, Bussum (1947), pp. XC-XCIII.

Jerome

General: De viris illustribus 53, Epistles 5; 58, 10; 60; 62, 2; 82, 2; Chronicon ad a. 2224; In Isaiam, praef.; In Ephes., praef; Contra Rufinum II, 10; II, 19; III, 27; III, 30

Adversus Iudaeos 8 = Chronicon ad a. 2104; In Dan. 9; In Ephes. 11
De carne Christi 6 = In Gal. I, 8
De carne Christi 23 = Adversus Helvid. 17
De baptismo 1 = Epist. 7, 3 and 69, 1 and Adv. Vigil. 8
De baptismo 17 = De viris illustribus 5
De spectaculis 3 = Comment. in ps. 1 (cf. In Matth. 27, 57)
De Spectaculis 27-29 = Epist. 14, 10-11, cf. Büchner, J., Tertull. de spect., p. 159 note 466.
De praescriptio haereticorum 6 = In Gal. 8, 1
De praescriptio haereticorum 36 = Adversus Jovinianum I, 26; In Matth. 20, 22; De mon. 3-6, 8
De praescriptio haereticorum 13-17 = Adversus Jovinianum I, 7-9, 14-16, 18 ff; [epist. 85, 5]; [in Tit. 1, 6]
De ieiunio = Adversus Jovinianum II, 15-17
Ad Nationes = [epist. 70, 5]
Scorpiace = [adversus Vigil. 8]
De corona militis = altercatio Lucif. et orth. 8. Cf. Batiffol, P., in Miscell. Geronimiana, Rome (1920), pp.97-113
De anima = Cf. Waszink, J.H., o.c., p. 633
De cultu feminarum I, 3 = de viris illustribus 4
Ad uxorem = Adversus Helvidium 20
De exhortatione castitatis 12 = epist. 123, 14; [epist. 22, 22]
De virginibus velandis 6 = Adversus Helvidium 17; [epist. 22, 22]
Adversus Praxean 5 = Quaest. hebr. in Genesim I, 1; [de viris illustribus 70]
Adversus Marcionem I, 1 = In Abdiam, praef.
Adversus Marcionem IV, 9 = epist. 48, 18 and 123, 13
De fuga = [de viris illustribus 53]
Apologeticum 2 = Chronicon ad a. 2124
Apologeticum 18 = epist. 107, 1
Apologeticum 46 = Adversus Jovinianum II, 9; [epist. 70, 5]
De exstasi = De viris illustribus 24, 40, 52
Adversus Apelliacos = In Gal. I, 8
De spe fidelium = de viris illustribus 18; In Ezech. XI, 36, 1; In Ephes. 18.  [Note, 2021: this is what the CCSEL 1 says, but In Ephes. 18 is hard to understand.  It should probably be In Isaiam 18.]
Ad amicum philosophum [de angustiis nuptiarum] = epist. 22, 22; 48, 15; Adversus Jovinianum I, 13
De circumcisione = epist. 36, 1
De mundis atque immundis animalibus = epist. 31, 1
De Aaron vestibus = epist. 64, 23
Fragments of other lost works = epist. 85, 5

Cf. Harnack, A., o.c., pp. 568-572.

Rufinus (of Aquileia)

De Adulteratione librorum Origenis = Adversus Marcionem I, 1
(quoted by Jerome in Contra Rufinum 11,8) = Adversus Praxean
Cf. Eusebius of Caesarea = De anima, Adversus Praxean, Apologeticum

Augustine

De Haeresibus 86 = (lost fragments)
De Haeresibus 24 (appendix) = Apologeticum, Adversus Apelliacos (fragments)
Enarrationes in Psalmos 140, 17 = Adversus Praxean 7 (Cf. Enarrationes in Psalmos 39, 26 and Rivière J., Nature et grâce. Sur une citation de Tertullien dans S. Augustin, in Rev. des sciences relig., II (1922) pp. 45-49 )
Epist. 190, 14 = Ad nationes II, 9
De Civitate Dei VII, 1 = De anima 27, 4
De Civitate Dei XIV, 23 = De monogamia
De bono viduitatis liber sive epistola 6,7 = ?
De Genesi ad litteram X, 25 and 44 = De anima

Note: something has gone wrong with the printing in CCL - there are 8 lines of Augustine, but only 7 of Tertullian.  So the references at the bottom may be wrongly assigned - it's not obvious.

Petilianus

Quoted by Augustine in Contra litteras Petiliani II, 92, 202 = Apologeticum 5

Vincentius Victor

Quoted by Augustine in De anima et eius origine = De anima

Evagrius

Adversus Iudaeos, De carne Christi, De resurrectione carnis, De baptismo, De pudicitia, De spectaculis, De praescriptio haereticorum, De corona militis, De idololatria, De anima, De oratione, De virginibus velandis, Adversus Valentinianos, Adversus Marcionem, Adversus Hermogenem, Apologeticum.

Cf. Bratke, E., CSEL XLV (1904), pp. 58-61.

Vincent of Lerins

Commonitorium 18 = Adversus Iudaeos, De praescriptio Haereticorum, Ad nationes, Scorpiace, Adversus Praxean, Adversus Marcionem, Adversus Hermogenem.

Cf.  Madoz, J, Excerpta Vincentii Lirinensis, Madrid (1940), p. 85, note 14.

Gregory of Elvira

Tractatus (unspecified in CCL). 1, 17, 18 = De carne Christi 8 ff. and 47-51, De anima 7,1 and 8, 9, 37, 4
De Fide = Adversus Hermogenem. Cf. Durengues, A. ,La question du "De fide", Agen (1909).

Priscillian

tract. I. p. 22, 5 = Adversus Marcionem III, 18
tract. I, p. 14,3 = Adversus Marcionem IV, 20 and 25
tract. III, p. 47, 18 = De patientia 14
tract. III, p. 44, 19 and 52, 11 = De Cultu Feminarum I, 3 and Adversus Marcionem V, 11

Prudentius

De carne Christ, De Patientia, De anima 24,2 and 45,1 ff, Adversus Praxean, Adversus Marcionem, Apologeticum 25

Cf. Waszink, J. H., Tertullianus. De anima, Amsterdam (1947), p. 308

Leo the Great

Epist. 28 = Adversus Praxean

Cf. Harnack, A., o.c. p. 574 ff.

Claudianus Mamertus

de statu an. I = Adversus Praxean 3

Not in Quasten, apart from a single ref. in vol. IV, so I can't say more about this chap.

Anonymous, 'Praedestinatus'

I, 21 = Adversus Marcionem
I, 26 = De exstasi (fragments)
I, 60 = De carne Christi 6, De censu animae (fragments)
I, 86 = De exstasi
III, prol. = De oratione 2, 6

Most of this is online under the section on Tertullianistae.

Arnobius the Younger

Liber ad Gregoriam 17 and 19 = De oratione 2, 6

Liber Genealogus (Chron. min. I, 195)

Apologeticum 5

I can't find this in Quasten either.

Gennadius

General = De viris inlustibus 15
Dogm. 4 [and 55 (25)] = Adversus Praxean

Fulgentius of Ruspe

De resurrectione carnis, De baptismo, De paenitentia, De patientia, De praescriptio haereticorum, De oratione, De cultu feminarum, Adversus Praxean

Cf. Lapeyre, G, S. Fulgence de Ruspe, Paris (1929) pp. 265 ff.

Fabius Planciades Fulgentius (Fulgentius the Mythographer)

Expositio sermonum antiquorum 16 = De fato (fragments)
Mitologiae praef. = De anima 6, 7
Mitologiae I, 14 = De anima 46, 10

One of the writers of Vandal Africa, and if you follow the link to the fragment it will even take you to Greg Hays' web page with a full bibliography.  Possibly the same as Fulgentius of Ruspe.

Works: Helm, Rudolf, ed.Fabii Planciadis Fulgentii V.C. Opera (Leipzig, 1898, rpr. Stuttgart, 1970)
Translation: Whitbread, Leslie George, tr., Fulgentius the Mythographer (Columbus, Ohio, 1971)

Gelasius

De pudicitia, De monogamia, Adversus Praxean, Adversus Marcionem

Cf. Koch, H., Gelasius in kirchenpolitischen Dienste seiner Vergänger, in Sitzungsberichte Bayer. Akad. der Wissensch.(1935), 6. Heft, pp. 78 ff

Decretum Gelasianum

Refers to all his works without listing them.

Cassiodorus

[Chron. p. 145], [de anima]

Cf. Waszink, J. H., Tertullianus. De anima, Amsterdam (1947), p. 49*.

No list of works etc in Quasten.

Venantius Fortunatus

Expos.
orat. dom.
= De oratione

Cf. Diercks, G. F., Tertullianus. De oratione, Bussum (1947), pp. XC-XCIII

No list of works etc in Quasten.

Isidore of Seville

Patron saint of computer programmers, or so I gather, due to the database-like nature of his compendium, the Etymologies.

De baptismo 4 = Etymologies VI, 19, 49
De baptismo 6 = Etymologies VI, 19, 46
7 = Etymologies VI, 19, 51 ff and VII, 2, 2 ff.
8 = Etymologies VI, 19, 54 and VII, 3, 22
De paenitentia 9 = Etymologies VI, 19, 76 and 79
De spectaculis 5 = Etymologies XVIII, 16, 2 ff.
8 = Etymologies XVIII, 28, 1 ff, 29, 1 and 41, 3
9 = Etymologies XVIII, 27, 1ff; 33; 36, 1ff and 41, 3
10 = Etymologies XVIII, 51
14 = Etymologies XVIII, 16, 1
15 = Etymologies XVIII, 16, 1
De praescriptione haereticorum 6 = Etymologies VIII, 3, 2 ff.
7 = Etymologies VIII, 6, 22 ff
30 = Etymologies VIII, 5, 11
33 = Etymologies VIII, 5, 36
34 = Etymologies VIII, 5, 11 ff.
39 = Etymologies I, 38, 25
De monogamia 5 = Etymologies I, 3, 9
De ieiunio 10 = Etymologies VI, 19, 66
Ad nationes II, 2 = Etymologies VIII, 6, 19 ff.
II, 3 = Etymologies XIII, 1, 2
II, 7 = Etymologies VIII, 11, 36
II, 12 = Etymologies VIII, 11, 29 ff.
II, 13 = Etymologies VIII, 11, 34 ff
II, 15 = Etymologies III, 70, 32
II, 17 = Etymologies IX, 3, 2
Scorpiace 1 = Etymologies XII, 4, 3 and XVIII, 8, 3
De corona 4 = Etymologies II, 10, 2 ff and V, 3, 3 ff
8 = Etymologies III, 21, 6 and IV, 9, 1
10 = Etymologies VIII, 11, 29
De idololatria 3 = Etymologies VIII, 11, 13 ff.
9 = Etymologies VIII, 9, 25 ff.
De oratione 19 = Etymologies VI, 19, 66
23 ff = Etymologies VI, 19, 59
25 = Etymologies VI, 19, 60 ff
De virginibus velandis 5 = Etymologies XII, 1, 1
7 = Etymologies XIX, 23, 8
10 = Etymologies XIX, 23, 7
Apologeticum 3 = Etymologies VII, 14, 1 and VIII, 66
6 = Etymologies XIX, 32, 4
7 = Etymologies V, 27, 26 ff
9 = Etymologies V, 27, 35
17 = Etymologies XIII, 1, 2
18 = Etymologies VI, 3, 5
21 = Etymologies VIII, 11, 35
25 = Etymologies XVIII, 2, 1
38 = Etymologies XVIII, 59
47 = Etymologies VIII, 6, 19 ff
48 = Etymologies XIX, 6, 2

Cf.  Klussmann, Max., Excerpta Tertullianea in Isidori Hispalensis Etymologiis, Hamburg (1892)
Cf. Lawson, A.C., The sources of the De ecclesiasticis officiis of S. Isidore of Seville, in Rev. Bénéd., L (1935) pp. 26-36

Braulio Caes.

epist. 11 = Adversus Valentinianos 12

Anonymous, Antiphonale Compendiense

Adversus Iudaeos 9

Cf. Brou, L., Un passage de Tertullien conservé dans un répons pour la fête de St. Jean-Baptiste, in Ephem. Liturgicae, Anal. hist. ascet., LII (1938), pp. 237-257

Venerable Bede *

See:
1. D'Alès, A., Tertullien chez Bede, Rech. de sciences religieuses, XXVII, 1937, p.620

Peter the Venerable *

Adversus duritiam Iudaeorum, ch. 4 = Adversus Iudaeos, 8

See:
1. Manitius, M., Zu Petrus' von Cluni patristischen Kenntnissen, Speculum III, 1928, pp. 582-586

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Yves-Marie DUVAL, L'affaire Jovinien. D'une crise de la societe romaine a une crise de la pensee chretienne a la fin du IVe et au debut du Ve siecle. Roma: Institutum patristicum Augustinianum (2003). 431 pp. Series: Studia Ephemeridis Augustinianum 83. (Details CTC 2003, 60).
Anthony N. S. LANE, Tertullianus Totus Noster? Calvin's use of Tertullian.  Reformation and Renaissance Review 4 (2002), pp.9-34.  (Details CTC 2003, 64).

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