the Geography of early Christianity

[MrMacSon]

and I think the epistles of Peter were also from 'Asia'.

[MrMacSon]

Polycrates of Ephesus (fl. c.130–196) was an Early Christian bishop who resided in Ephesus.

Polycrates_of_Ephesus
Roberts and Donaldson noted that Polycrates "belonged to a family in which he was the eighth Christian bishop; and he presided over the church of Ephesus, in which the traditions of St. John were yet fresh in men's minds at the date of his birth. He had doubtless known Polycarp, and Irenaeus also. He seems to have presided over a synod of Asiatic bishops (A.D. 196) which came together to consider this matter of the Paschal feast. It is surely noteworthy that nobody doubted that it was kept by a Christian and Apostolic ordinance."[1]

Polycrates is best known for his letter addressed to the Roman Bishop Victor who was attempting to find a consensus about the proper date to celebrate Easter, see also Quartodecimanism.

• " ... the parishes of all Asia, as from an older tradition, held that the fourteenth day of the moon, on which day the Jews were commanded to sacrifice the lamb, should be observed as the feast of the Saviour's passover ... But it was not the custom of the churches in the rest of the world ... the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them. He himself, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following words the tradition which had come down to him." Eusebius, Church History, Book V, Chaps 23 and 24

Pope Victor attempted to cut off from the common unity Polycrates and others for taking this stance, but later reversed his decision after Irenaeus and others interceded.[4] It is unclear what happened to Polycrates after his letter.

Polycrates' letter has been used as proof against the argument that the Churches in Asia Minor accepted the authority of the bishops at Rome.

1 The Ante-Nicene Fathers, 1885; translated by Roberts and Donaldson

[MrMacSon]

Here is what Eusebius records that Polycrates wrote,

• We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away. For in Asia also great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again on the day of the Lord's coming, when he shall come with glory from heaven, and shall seek out all the saints. Among these are Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who fell asleep in Hierapolis; and his two aged virgin daughters, and another daughter, who lived in the Holy Spirit and now rests at Ephesus; and, moreover, John, who was both a witness and a teacher, who reclined upon the bosom of the Lord, and, being a priest, wore the sacerdotal plate. He fell asleep at Ephesus. And Polycarp in Smyrna, who was a bishop and martyr; and Thraseas, bishop and martyr from Eumenia, who fell asleep in Smyrna. Why need I mention the bishop and martyr Sagaris who fell asleep in Laodicea, or the blessed Papirius, or Melito, the Eunuch who lived altogether in the Holy Spirit, and who lies in Sardis, awaiting the episcopate from heaven, when he shall rise from the dead?
  
  All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven. I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said ' We ought to obey God rather than man'...I could mention the bishops who were present, whom I summoned at your desire; whose names, should I write them, would constitute a great multitude. And they, beholding my littleness, gave their consent to the letter, knowing that I did not bear my gray hairs in vain, but had always governed my life by the Lord Jesus. - (Eusebius. The History of the Church, Book V, Chapter XXIV, Verses 2-7 . Translated by A. Cushman McGiffert. Digireads.com Publishing, Stilwell (KS), 2005, p. 114).

Note that Polycrates:

• 1) Claimed to be a follower of the teachings passed on from the Apostle John
  2) Claimed that he was being faithful to the teachings of the Gospel
  3) Relied on the position that teachings from the Bible were above those of Roman-accepted tradition
  4) Claimed that he was being faithful to the teachings passed down to him
  5) Was then the spokesperson for many in Asia Minor
  6) Claimed he and his predecessors observed the time of unleavened bread
  7) Refused to accept the authority of Roman tradition over the Bible
  8) Refused to accept the authority of the Bishop of Rome -- he preferred to be separate (cf. Revelation 18:4)
  9) Claimed that his life was to be governed by Jesus and not opinions of men

http://www.cogwriter.com/polycrates.htm
.

The falling asleep thing is interesting - 'soul-sleep'? death?
.

[Peter Kirby]

From Polycrates' letter:

All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the Gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. And I also, Polycrates, the least of you all, do according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have closely followed. For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth. And my relatives always observed the day when the people put away the leaven. 7. I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said ‘We ought to obey God rather than man.’”

Hereditary offices were quite familiar to the people of Asia Minor, including religious offices which were valuable and jealously guarded and passed on from father to son, as I detailed in this post:

http://peterkirby.com/johns-priestly-pe ... rates.html

In mainland Greece, priests were elected to their office and served limited terms. In Asia, while some places followed the practice of mainland Greece or oscillated between the two options, there arose a practice of appointing priests for life. These appointments were highly prized, not least for being lucrative, and they were controlled through a combination of heredity and the sale of the office by the cult of a temple.

Thus, Beate Dignas writes (Economy of the Sacred in Hellenistic and Roman Asia Minor, p. 256):
As a rule, the priests bought their posts for life, which is expressed by terms such as mexri biou, ews zhn, ews zwhs, xronon osn am bioi, tom bion ton autou, dia biou, etc. Some of the priesthoods were even hereditary, being assigned dia genous. Exceptions to the rule – a priesthood of the Roman demos and the goddess Roma sold (loutron). We learn that, as was common, foreign initiates paid considerably more for the priestly service than citizens did.

In many cults, tables for the gods were set aside in combination with regular sacrifices. It is remarkable that often the priest took as his or her own what was on these tables. A decree concerning the hereditary priesthood of Asclepius in Pergamum, for example, assigns not only the gera to the priest and his descendants but also ‘the right leg and the skin and all the other trapezomata set aside for the gods’. Sometimes, the priest received a fixed part of this, a fourth or a half. Even when a careful distinction was made between the two recipients god and priest, we might infer that in practice priestly and divine share merged…

While we rarely find a description of the actual duties of a priest, “One of the new Coan contracts thus shows surprising detail in its descriptions of the priest’s daily tasks: he had to make sure that there was fire on the altars, that incense was burned, that the temple was opened during the day, and that the precinct was not used for pasture.” (ibid.)

Ephesus was one of the cities where the sale of the priesthood took place, as “the Roman proconsul of Asia in AD 44, Paullus Fabius Persicus, criticized the Ephesian practice of selling priesthoods ‘as if at an auction’ and complained that ‘the best candidates’ were not appointed.” While the proconsul was heeded, we do not know if the change was permanent. The cult of the temple derived significant income from these sales, which would otherwise be lost if priests were assigned annually by election. Sale of the priesthood in Asia continued until approximately the 3rd century AD.

Recall this:

For seven of my relatives were bishops; and I am the eighth.

So when I read this bit of Polycrates' letter, I think of (for example) the family of Ananus the elder and how he had 5 sons and 1 son-in-law take the high priesthood, for a total of 7 immediate family members holding the high priesthood in Jerusalem. Most of them (6 of them) took office in an uninterrupted period from AD 6 to AD 43, while the last one held office in AD 63.

My point here is that it seems likely that during the middle of the second century, the Christian bishopric of Ephesus was handed down through seven family members until it reached the 8th, Polycrates, who may have been the youngest of his brothers.

(Perhaps that is why he is constantly calling himself "least"? It also explains why he is of such advanced age--he couldn't have office until all his brothers had passed away.)

Perhaps this single family held the episcopate of Ephesus for the entire period after the death of "John" (the elder?).

[Tradition states that a "Timothy" and a "Gaius" were bishops of Ephesus, in that order, and they are found in the Pauline letters, but who knows? Even if they were, Polycrates may have belonged to the same family.]

http://www.alanknox.net/2008/12/was-tim ... f-ephesus/

Notice that Aune gives Eusebius of Caesaria as the source of this early tradition. In fact, he references Eusebius’ Church History (Ecclesiastical History) 3.4.6. What exactly does Eusebius say about Timothy?
Timothy, so it is recorded, was the first to receive the episcopate of the parish in Ephesus, Titus of the churches in Crete. (Eusebius Ecclesiastical History 3.4.6)
In fact, Eusebius does not cite his source for this information concerning Timothy. In many other instances, Eusebius specifically indicates which sources he used for his history. In fact, Eusebius’ writings contain quotations or references to many sources that no longer exist in another form. We know this because he tells us these sources.
But, when it comes to Timothy being the first bishop of Ephesus, Eusebius does not give us a source. He simply says, “So it is recorded”. Where was it recorded? We don’t know because he doesn’t tell us.
Aune suggests that Eusebius bases this tradition on 1 Timothy 1:3Open in Logos Bible Software (if available). What does that text say?
As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine… (1 Timothy 1:3 ESVOpen in Logos Bible Software (if available))
1 Timothy 1:3Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) does not say that Timothy was the bishop of Ephesus. In fact, Timothy is never called a bishop or a pastor or an elder. (The same could be said of Titus as well.)
However, Paul may have called Timothy an apostle (1 Thessalonians 1:1Open in Logos Bible Software (if available); 2:6Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)), and he encourages Timothy to be a good deacon (1 Timothy 4:6Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)).
In fact, while Paul leaves Timothy in Ephesus (1 Timothy 1:3Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)), we do not know that Timothy was still in Ephesus when Paul wrote his second letter to him. Whether Timothy received Paul’s second letter at Ephesus or not, Paul did not expect Timothy to remain there (2 Timothy 4:13Open in Logos Bible Software (if available)).
Why does it matter whether or not Timothy was a bishop in Ephesus?
Whenever there is a discussion concerning senior or solo pastors, those in favor tend to point to Timothy as the scriptural example. Whenever there is a discussion of “calling” pastors from outside the local body, those in favor tend to point to Timothy as the scriptural example.
But, we must remember, that the evidence for Timothy being a pastor/bishop/elder, much less THE pastor/bishop/elder, of Ephesus is based on one line that Eusebius wrote almost 300 years later without citing his source

[Peter Kirby]

If you read through the Church History, you will find that Eusebius pays special attention to four 'episcopal sees' and gives lists for them from the beginning:

Rome
Jerusalem
Antioch (of Syria)
Alexandria

Other cities receive incidental comments.

... for whatever that is worth.

[MrMacSon]

My point here is that it seems likely that during the middle of the second century, the Christian bishopric of Ephesus was handed down through seven family members until it reached the 8th, Polycrates, who may have been the youngest of his brothers.

(Perhaps that is why he is constantly calling himself "least"? It also explains why he is of such advanced age--he couldn't have office until all his brothers had passed away.)

Perhaps this single family held the episcopate of Ephesus for the entire period after the death of "John" (the elder?).

Maybe the same might apply to James the Less and St James the Greater, and other entities in and out of the NT.

[Peter Kirby]

Maybe the same might apply to James the Less and St James the Greater, and other entities in and out of the NT.

There is not exactly a 'James the greater' (so-called) in the Gospel of Mark, but there is a 'James the little' -- "Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James the less [o mikros, the little] and of Joseph, and Salome." (Mark 15:40)

There is also another James and Joseph mentioned as the sons of Mary here:

"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him." (Mark 6:3)

It seems quite possible that James the little, brother of Joseph and son of Mary, (=Mark 15:40) may be identified as the youngest of the sons of Mary (=Mark 6:3), also including Joseph, Judas, and Simon.

[Or it might be a contrast with James son of Zebedee, as commonly assumed.]

[MrMacSon]

... but there is a 'James the little' -- "Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James the less [o mikros, the little] and of Joseph, and Salome." (Mark 15:40)

There is also another James and Joseph mentioned as the sons of Mary here:

"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him." (Mark 6:3)

It seems quite possible that James the little, brother of Joseph and son of Mary, (=Mark 15:40) may be identified as the youngest of the sons of Mary (=Mark 6:3), also including Joseph, Judas, and Simon.

[Or it might be a contrast with James son of Zebedee, as commonly assumed.]

It's hard to know. The final conclusion, below, is spurious & disingenuous

4. James, the son of Mary, brother of Joseph (or Joses) — Mark 15:40 (where he is called ò mikros "the little", not the "less", as in the D.V., nor the "lesser"); Matthew 27:56. Probably the son of Cleophas or Clopas (John 19:25) where "Maria Cleophæ" is generally translated "Mary the wife of Cleophas", as married women are commonly distinguished by the addition of their husband's name.

The identification of James (3), the brother of the Lord and James (4), the son of Mary, and probably of Cleophas or Clopas offers some difficulty. This identification requires the identity of Mary, the mother of James (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40), with Mary the wife of Cleophas (John 19:25), and, consequently, the identity of Alpheus (2) and Clopas (4). As Clopas and Alpheus are probably not two different transcriptions of the same Aramaic name Halpai (see CLEOPHAS), it must be admitted that two different names have been borne by one man.

On the whole, although there is no full evidence for the identity of James (2), the son of Alpheus, and James (3), the brother of the Lord, and James (4), the son of Mary of Clopas, the view that one and the same person is described in the New Testament in these three different ways, is by far the most probable.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08280a.htm

[Tenorikuma]

On the topic of James, I was just reading the fourth-century commentary on Galatians by Marcus Victorinus, and he affirms what I've heard only a few modern scholars argue (I think Carrier is one), that Gal. 1:19 in the Greek really means "other than the disciples, I saw only James the Lord's brother." He goes on to explain that this James was not one of the disciples.

[MrMacSon]

.
If we take a preliminary look at the time period 50AD - 180AD/CE, by key region,
and by key known 'Church Fathers' or people originating from or active (flourishing; fl.) in those key regions (even if they died later than 180AD/CE);
we get an outline like this -

• the color coding is to highlight where each person was most active
  ie. even those that originated from Palestine/Judea/Syria were not active there.
  • • • • • • • http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/c ... thers.html

Anatolia/Asia/Greece

• Paul & the Pauline writers (+/- across the Aegean; Corinth, Philippi, Thessalonika, etc)
  
  • Metropolis_of_Corinth
    
    • Dionysius,_Bishop_of_Corinth
  • Silas/Silvanus (though; Silas is the Greek version of the Aramaic "Seila" which, in turn, is a version of the Hebrew "Saul")
    • the Teachings of Silvanus, a Nag Hammadi text, is pseudonymously attributed to him

• John-the-Evangelist -the-Apostle (Ephesus), and his followers
  
  • Polycarp of Smyrna (c.70-c.155)

• • • Polycarp's letter to the Philippians acknowledges letter from Ignatius

• • • Iraeneus*, Smyrna/Lyon/Rome/Lyon (d. c. 202)
      • priest Lyon 161-180 during Marcus Aurelius persecutions
        Against Heresies (c. 180) v Valentinus
        influenced Victor re Quartodeciman dispute

• • Papias of Hierapolis (c. 70-163 AD/CE d. Smyrna); a student of John
  • • Kirby considers the fragment X of the Roberts-Donaldson collection of fragments to be completely suspect as the alleged words of Papias.
      
      mentions John/s, Mark, & Matthew; but not Luke or Paul. Also Peter, James, Phillip, Thomas, Judas, Aristion, Revelation, himself(3rd person, ?), Irenaeus(?), Methodius, and Hippolytus, the Alexandrians Pantaenus & Clement; Ammonius; Gregory Theologus and Cyril
      No mention of Jesus !! but 4 uses of 'Christ'

• Marcion of Sinope (c. 85 – c. 160) taught by Cerdo? (in Rome?)

• Melito of Sardis (d. 180) - [wiki]Melito's canon[/wiki]; & Fragments of Melito of Sardis, the philosopher

• Polycrates_of_Ephesus (fl. c.130–196)

• Apollinaris Claudius

• The First Epistle of Peter (1:1–2) is addressed the “elect resident aliens” scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.

• The Book of Revelation (The Apocalypse of John) begins with John, on the island of Patmos in the Aegean, addressing a letter to the "Seven Churches of Asia"

• Pontus (place) lots of "Christians"(?) - Pliny-the-Younger

Antioch of Pisidia see http://www.earlywritings.com/forum/view ... 991#p36991 and http://www.earlywritings.com/forum/view ... 727#p36727

• The Province of Galatia was established in 25 BC and Antioch became a part of it. To support the Roman struggle against the Homonadesians logistically, the construction of a road called the Via Sebaste [the 'Emperoro's Road], the centre of which was Antioch, was started by the governor of the Province of Galatia, Cornutus Arrutius Aquila. 'During the reign of Augustus, eight colonies were established in Pisidia, but only Antioch [of Pisidia] was honoured with the title of Caesarea and given the right of the Ius Italicum [Italian law], maybe because of its strategic position and rose to be a Roman capital city allegedly with the name 'Colonia Caesareia Antiocheia'.
  Latinisation during the Roman period was best applied in Antioch [of Pisidia]. The city was divided into seven quarters called "vici" all of which were founded on seven hills like in Rome. The formal language was Latin until the end of the 3rd century.

Antioch - where?? Syria? or Pisidia, central Anatolia? or Commagene in southwest Anatolia?z

• Ignatius Theophorus, supposedly 'of Antioch' (via Asia Minor going to 'matryrdom in Rome) (c.35 or 50 – c.108 CE)
  
  • 5 of his 7 extant letters are to churches in Asia Minor/Anatolian cities http://silouanthompson.net/library/earl ... /ignatius/
    The sixth letter was to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna. The final letter begs the Christians in Rome not to try to stop his martyrdom.

• Theophilus of Antioch (d. 181) Apology to Autolycus in 3 Books; 1st mention of notion of the Trinity, but no mention of Jesus Christ
  
  • born near Tigris & Euphrates rivers, so either born in Anatolia or in Persia (Apologia ad Autolycum i. 14, ii. 24.)
  • could Theophilus 'of Antioch' have been born near or in Antiochia in Commagenez (which became Samosata)

• Tatian (c.120 – c.180 AD/CE)
  • Assyria -> Rome (-> Greece or Alexandria; may have influenced Clement) Irenaeus remarks (Haer., I., xxvlii. 1, Ante-Nicene Fathers, i. 353) that after the death of Justin, Taitan was expelled from the church for his Encratitic (ascetic) views (Eusebius claims he founded the Encratitic sect), as well as for being a follower of the gnostic leader Valentinius. Epiphanius relates that Tatian established a school in Mesopotamia, the influence of which extended to Antioch in Syria[?], and was felt in Cilicia and especially in Pisidia. The early development of the Syrian church furnishes a commentary on the attitude of Tatian in practical life eg. for Aphraates ( Aphrahat (c280-c345) ?) baptism conditions the taking of a vow in which the catechumen promises celibacy. This shows how firmly the views of Tatian were established in Syria, and it supports the supposition that Tatian was the missionary of the countries around the Euphrates.
    
    http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/tatian.html

z Antiochia in Commagene (Ancient Greek: Αντιόχεια τῆς Κομμαγηνῆς) served as the capital for the Hellenistic kingdom of Commagene from c. 160 BC until it was surrendered to Rome in 72. Located in southeast Turkey on the upper Euphrates River, it became known as Samosata. It was a civil metropolis from the days of Emperor Hadrian and the terminus of several military roads.


Palestine/Judea/Syria

• Justin Martyr (100 – 165 AD) Samara/Judea->Ephesus (where he studied Stoic & Platonic philosophy)->Rome
  • Apology in 2 parts; 1st to Emperor Pius & issons (who's reply he is alleged to have forged); 2nd to the Senate of Rome.
  • Dialogue with Trypho. Maybe wrote the 'Hortatory Address to the Greeks'
  • started his own Christian school in Rome.
  • taught Tatian (c.120 – c.180 AD/CE); see above.

• Hegesippus (c.110 – c.180 AD/CE d. Jerusalem(?)) residence unclear, traveled thru Corinth to Rome(?)

• Simon Magus; unknown dates(?); Gitta, Samaria. a convert to Christianity; baptised by Philip the Evangelist,
  • via Alexandria to Rome
    confrontation with Peter is recorded in Acts 8:9–24

• • Cerdo fl. 138AD; a Syrian Gnostic; a follower of Simon Magus. -> Rome; a Simonian
    • a contemporary of Hyginus (significance?). Taught Marcion(?) Expelled.

• • [wiki]Menander_(gnostic)[/wiki] (taught the Alexandrian Basilides; listed below) (Josephus's Apion 1 has Menander the Ephesian, early 2ndC BC)

• Theophilus, bishop of Caesarea Maritima (d. 195); teacher of Clement of Alexandria. Known for his opposition to the Quartodecimans.

• Beryllus, Bishop of Bostra, southern Syria,

Rome

• Clement of Rome (d. 99CE) - wrote 1 Clement to the church at Corinth re a dispute
  Pope Hyginus (died c. 142)
  Pope Anicetus (d. 168) discussed passover with Polycarp
  Pope Victor I
  Tacitus' Annals reference to 'Chrestians' - May have been written when Tacitus was in Asia Minor/Anatolia
  Seutonius mention of Chrestus in the Life of Claudius

Alexandria

• Basilides (fl. 117-138 AD); Gnostic, claimed to have inherited his teachings from Matthew ??

• Valentinus / Valentinius (c.100 – c.160) essentially a Gnostic
  • Valentinus was born in Phrebonis in the Nile delta and educated in Alexandria, an important and metropolitan early Christian centre. There he may have heard the Christian philosopher Basilides and certainly became conversant with Hellenistic Middle Platonic philosophy and the culture of Hellenized Jews like the great Alexandrian Jewish allegorist and philosopher Philo. Clement of Alexandria records that his followers said that Valentinus was a follower of Theudas; a follower of St. Paul the Apostle.[4] Valentinus said that Theudas imparted to him the secret wisdom that Paul had taught privately to his inner circle [A significant problem is that Theudas is alleged to have died 46AD, and was he ever in Alexandria??] ... Valentinus taught first in Alexandria and went to Rome about 136 AD, during the pontificate of Pope Hyginus, and remained until the pontificate of Pope Anicetus. ... according to a tradition reported in the late fourth century by Epiphanius, he withdrew to Cyprus, where he continued to teach and draw adherents. He died probably about 160 or 161 AD.
    
    • Iraeneus's Against Heresies (c. 180) v Valentinus
    • Tertullian's Adversus Valentinianos
    • [wiki]Ptolemy_(gnostic)[/wiki] = Ptolemaeus Gnosticus
      • principal writer of the Italian or Western school of Valentinian Gnosticism, which was active in Rome, Italy, and Southern Gaul.

• Catechetical School of Alexandria (fl. after 180 AD/CE ??)

• • Pantaenus (d. c200)

• • Clement of Alexandria (c150-c215; fl. > 180 ??)
    • Three of Clement's major works have survived in full, collectively referred to as the trilogy:
      
      • the Protrepticus (Exhortation) – written c. 195.
        the Paedagogus (Tutor) – written c. 198.
        the Stromata (Miscellanies) – written c. 198 – c. 203.
      Clement probably died in Caesarea, Cappadocia.

There are no mentions of people or 'Fathers' going to or based in Alexandria before 180 AD/CE that I am, at this stage, aware of* (maybe Tatian at the end of his life); despite a. Hadrian's alleged letter of ~ 134AD/CE mentioning Christians; or b. Simon Magus going to Rome via Alexandria

* The most serious gap in our knowledge of primitive church history is our almost total ignorance of the history of Christianity in Alexandria and Egypt . . . until about the year 180 (the episcopate of Demetrius).

Harnack, A. http://www.ccel.org/ccel/harnack/mission.html Mission and Expansion of Christianity in the First Three Centuries

Gaul/Lyon

• Iraeneus*, Smyrna/Lyon/Rome/Lyon (d. c. 202)
  • priest Lyon 161-180 during Marcus Aurelius persecutions
    Against Heresies (c. 180) v Valentinus
    influenced Victor re Quartodeciman dispute
  • Irenaeus's writings, with those of Clement of Rome and Ignatius, are taken as among the earliest signs of the developing doctrine of the primacy of the Roman see.[2] Irenaeus is the earliest witness to recognition of the canonical character of all four gospels.[4]
    
    2 "Caesar and Christ" (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1972)
    4 Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament, p. 14. Anchor Bible; 1st edition (1997). ISBN 978-0-385-24767-2.

Africa/Carthage

• Tertullian (c.155 – c.240 AD/CE) - fl. after 180(?)

.