ASTERIUS, of Cappadocia, sophist and teacher of rhetoric in Galatia, was converted to Christianity about the year 300, and became the disciple of Lucian, the founder of the school of Antioch. He is best known as an able defender of the semi-Arian position, and was styled by Athanasius the "advocate" of the Arians. He is last heard of at the synod of Antioch in 341.