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Although Arianism carries Arius's name, its doctrines did not entirely originate with him. Lucian of Antioch, Arius's teacher and mentor, was accused by Bishop Alexander of being the source for Arius's heretical teachings—not so much that Lucian had taught Arianism ''per se'', but rather that he possessed certain heretical tendencies which he passed on to his pupil, Arius.<ref>Vasiliev, A. [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/vasilief/arianism-council-nicaea.asp Arianism and the Council of Nicaea], from ''History of the Byzantine Empire'', Chapter One. Retrieved on 2010-02-02.</ref> Indeed, the noted Russian historian Alexander Vasiliev refers to Lucian as ''"the Arius before Arius"''.<ref>Vasiliev, A. [http://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/vasilief/arianism-council-nicaea.asp Arianism and the Council of Nicaea], from ''History of the Byzantine Empire'', Chapter One. Retrieved on 2010-02-02.</ref>
While Arius developed a following among some Syrian prelates, an Alexandrian [[synod ]] of some 100 bishops summoned by Bishop Alexander condemned him in 321. He was [[excommunication|excommunicated]], and fled to Palestine. There he entered into a friendship with [[Eusebius of Nicomedia]]. Arius, a proficient writer, produced many compositions in both prose and verse defending his belief, including a poem that he called the ''Thalia''. Most of these writings were destroyed as being heretical, though portions of the ''Thalia'' and a few other Arian texts survive.
==The Council of Nicea==
==Arianism today==
Today, a so-called "Holy Arian Catholic and Apostolic Church" in England claims to proclaim Arius's teachings, even "canonizing" him in 2006. However, this body differs with its namesake on several crucial points, including its rejection of the [[Nativity|Virgin Birth]] and [[Resurrection]] of Christ, which Arius himself never questioned. The Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormon sects are often accused (especially the former) of being Arian; while both certainly exhibit doctrines which tend toward Arianism—which are rejected by the Orthodox Church as being heretical, along with many other teachings—each sect's [[Christology ]] differs somewhat from classic Arian doctrine.
No remnant of any of the Arian sects established in Western Europe or elsewhere is known to exist today.