What is "naassenes"

n. (plural of Naassene English)

The Naassenes (Greek Naasseni, possibly from Hebrew נָחָשׁ naḥash, snake) were a Christian Gnostic sect from around 100 AD known only through the writings of Hippolytus of Rome.

The Naassenes claimed to have been taught their doctrines by Mariamne, a disciple of James the Just. The retention of the Hebrew form shows that their beliefs may represent the earliest stages of Gnosticism. Hippolytus regards them as among the first to be called simply "Gnostics", alleging that they alone have sounded the depths of knowledge.