PRIMASIO. — Bishop of Hadrumetum (Byzacena), who lived in the sixth century and died shortly after 552. In the “Three Chapters controversy,” he followed the conflicting decisions of Pope Vigilius of Rome, condemning and then accepting the edict of the emperor Justinian de tribus capitulis (544). Consequently relegated to a monastery, he was rewarded, after adhering to it, with the dignity of primate of Byzacena (Victor of Tunnuna, Chron. ad ann. 552, ed. Mommsen, in MGH, Chronica minora, II, p. 203). P. met his compatriot Junilius in Constantinople, who aroused his interest in Greek exegesis.
Thus, through the translation made by Junilius (v.) of the biblical introduction by Paul of Nisibis, P. became acquainted with Antiochene exegesis. P. is the author of a commentary on the Apocalypse, which is based on the exegesis of St. Augustine and Tyconius. Alongside Beatus, his work is one of the principal sources for reconstructing Tyconius’s lost commentary (v.) on the Apocalypse. P. also completed St. Augustine’s work De haeresibus (Cassiodorus, Instit. div. litt., 9; Isidore of Seville, De vir. ill., 22), but this work has not been preserved.