# Akouas

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{{Short description|Manichaean leader}}
{{Manichaeism sidebar}}
'''Akouas''' (or '''Acuas''') was an important figure in early [Manichaeism](/source/Manichaeism). He has been identified with another Manichaean figure from Iranian sources named '''Mar Zaku'''.<ref>Iricinschi, Eduard & Holger M. Zellentin (eds.) ''Heresy and Identity in Late Antiquity'': "the Nomen Manichaeorum and Its Uses in Late Antiquity." Page 149.</ref>

==Identity==
Akouas was an early disciple of [Mani](/source/Mani_(prophet)), and was sent by him to preach in the Western [Sassanid Empire](/source/Sassanid_Empire).<ref>Anderson, Graham. ''Sage, Saint and Sophist: Holy Men and Their Associates in the Early Roman Empire.'' Routledge, 1994.</ref> [Epiphanius of Salamis](/source/Epiphanius_of_Salamis) reported that Akouas was a military veteran ("veteranus"), leading [Samuel N. C. Lieu](/source/Samuel_N._C._Lieu) to suggest he may have been a [Roman](/source/Roman_Empire) prisoner of war who discovered Manichaeism during his "enforced stay" in the Sassanid Empire.<ref name="Lieu">[Lieu, Samuel N.C.](/source/Samuel_N._C._Lieu) ''Manichaeism in the Later Roman Empire and Medieval China: a Historical Survey.'' Pages 68-69. Manchester University Press, 1985.</ref>

==Significance==
[Epiphanius of Salamis](/source/Epiphanius_of_Salamis) stated that Akouas was the first to bring Manichaeism to his hometown of [Eleutheropolis](/source/Bayt_Jibrin) in [Palestine](/source/Palestine_(region)). He stated that Manichaeans there were known as "Akouanitans" (or "Acuanites") due to his influence.<ref name="Lieu" /> [John of Damascus](/source/John_of_Damascus) later described Manichaeans as being referred to as "Aconites."<ref>Chase, Frederic H. (ed.) ''Saint John of Damascus: Writings''. Page 127. CUA Press, 2000.</ref>

Epiphanius dates Akouas' preaching in Eleutheropolis to the reign of [Aurelian](/source/Aurelian) (273-274). According to [Samuel N. C. Lieu](/source/Samuel_N._C._Lieu), this places Akouas "among Mani's second generation of disciples whom Mani sent to consolidate the work of Adda and [Patik](/source/Pattig)" in Rome's eastern provinces.<ref name="Lieu" />

== See also ==
*[Mar Ammo](/source/Mar_Ammo)

==References==
{{reflist}}

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Category:Manichaeans
Category:Manichaeism
Category:3rd-century people

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Akouas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akouas) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akouas?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.