Athinganoi

The Athinganen ( gr Ἀθίγγανοι, Athinganoi " untouchables " ), were a Gnostic sect of the 9th century in Phrygia, today's Western Anatolia. About it little is known, Timothy of Constantinople Opel called them Melchisedechiten. As a day of rest in the week, they knew well the Sabbath, which they may also in connection with the Jewish faith brings (see the article on Hellenistic Judaism ). The peculiarity touch any other faiths or not to let him touch is said to have given rise to its name. In general they seem numerous do's and don'ts related to have possessed to physical purity.

Your persistence over the 9th century, it is not safe. It is sometimes assumed that they were scattered after the destruction of Tephrike (today Divriği in the province of Sivas in Turkey) on Armenia, Asia Minor and the Balkans. The word atsínganoi, the Byzantines described the Roma migrants with, and to be descended from the German word Gypsy and its equivalents in other European languages ​​(Greek Tsinganos, Turkish çingene, bulgar. Tsigan, French tsiganes etc.), possibly a corrupted form of the name Athinganen.