MASSIMIANO di CARTAGINE. – Donatism (v.), in which he was a deacon, at Carthage.
In disagreement with his bishop Primian, and condemned by him, he stirred up others against him; these, having assembled at Carthage in the number of 43, condemned him. The sentence was confirmed at another Council, of more than 100 bishops, at Cebarsussi. After Primian was deposed, M. had himself ordained in his place, but a Council of 310 bishops at Bagai (April 394) acquitted Primian, instead condemning M. and the 12 who had ordained him, while granting the others a period in which to return to the unity of the sect. The “Primianists” then appealed to the authorities to have the churches handed over to them by the “Maximianists” (a house in Carthage was taken from M. himself), who were especially strong in Byzacena and Tripolitania.
Some resisted and were persecuted, such as Salvio of Membresa. Two, Felician of Musti and Pretextatus of Assuras, were forced to yield to the violence of Optatus of Thamugadi, but were reinstated, even though a Rogatus had already been ordained in place of the latter (he later became Catholic and was mutilated by having his tongue and one hand cut off). St. Augustine, to whom we owe this information, made highly skilful use of the origin of this schism, of the fact that the “Primianists” did not hesitate to appeal to the authorities, and of the fact that they did not dispute the validity of the Baptism conferred by the “Maximianists,” in reproaching the Donatists for the contradiction between what they censured in the Catholics and their own conduct toward these other dissidents.