Noetiaivs, a heretical sect which originated in the earlier part of the 3d century. Its founder, foetus, was a native of Asia Minor, and had embraced the Monarchian doctrine that there is no distinction between the persons of the Godhead. This he made the starting point of his system, saying: " There is one God, the Father, who is invisible when he pleases, and visible when he pleases; but the same, whether visible or invisible, begotten or unbegotten." The Monarchian Praxeas had held that the suffering of the Lord was confined to the human nature, and made a distinction between Christ and Jesus. But Noëtus boldly avowed the doctrine of the Pa-tripassians, that the Father suffered in his own person and nature. He was a presbyter at Smyrna, and there declared his doctrine. Being summoned before the synod, he denied or evaded; but afterward, having gained a few adherents, he openly avowed his belief before a second meeting of the synod, and was excommunicated, about the year 230. He then gathered a body of followers, and formed a school for the propagation of his views. Epi-gonus disseminated the heresy in Rome, where one of his disciples named Cleomenes succeeded in making a convert of the bishop Zephyrinus, who gave a wavering adhesion to the heresy during his long episcopate.

The sect had a good number of members, and its doctrines prepared the way for Sabellianism. There seems to have been no attempt to maintain a separate episcopal succession after the death of Zephyrinus.