Arius

Arius was a leader of the Christian church in Alexandria, Egypt at the time of the Council of Nicaea. His particular view of Christianity was fiercely controversial, and represented the major schism in the church at that time. He and his followers contended that God preceded Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. This view was opposed by the eventual "winners" of the Council, who believed in a "holy trinity" of three constituent parts, neither of which preceded the other.

Erimem and Peri met him and became convinced that his views were not being fairly heard by either the Emperor Constantine or the Council. Erimem was particularly affected by the leader, whom she called a "man of honour". She strongly disagreed with the Fifth Doctor's decision not to try to change history in Arius' favour. To her, a Pharaoh, Arius was not "history" but "future", and she found his argument and his view of Christianity more appealing than that of the other side of the argument.

When she was smuggled into the Council by the Doctor, she vastly exceeded her authority to openly plead Arius' case — something that only ended in her removal from Council and the Doctor being upbraided by Constantine for creating disharmony. (AUDIO: The Council of Nicaea)