The key text for public apostolic tradition, anti-gnostic argument, and the chain from John to Polycarp to Irenaeus.
Athenagoras of Athens
c. 133 – c. 190 · b. Athens
ApologistTheologian
Quick facts
- Born
- c. 133, Athens
- Died
- c. 190
- Region
- east
- Era
- apologist
- Significance
- Notable(2/4)
- Also known as
- Athenagoras
Highlights
- Main contribution
- Athenian Christian philosopher; addressed his Plea for the Christians (Legatio) to Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, and wrote On the Resurrection of the Dead.
- Primary source
- Athenagoras, Legatio pro Christianis
Athenian Christian philosopher; addressed his Plea for the Christians (Legatio) to Marcus Aurelius and Commodus, and wrote On the Resurrection of the Dead.
Recommended reading near Athenagoras
A cover-visible starting point chosen from the curated reading path, either by this figure or by their era.
Chain to Jesus
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Sources for biography
- Athenagoras, Legatio pro Christianis primary
- Methodius, On the Resurrection (citing Athenagoras) primary
tradition connections(2)
- knew of Justin MartyrAthenagoras' Legatio shares apologetic strategy with Justin; direct dependence is debated but plausible.Quasten, Patrology vol. 1, pp. 229-236
- knew of (incoming) Eusebius of CaesareaAthenagoras is mentioned by Methodius and Philip of Side rather than by Eusebius's HE proper; the link is via the later patrologists who preserved his works.Philip of Side, Hist. Christ. fragm. (in Dodwell) · Methodius, On the Resurrection (cited in Photius, Bibl. cod. 234)
External resources
📖WikipediaFull encyclopedic biography with footnotes and further reading.🔗WikidataStructured data hub linking to library catalogues, archives, and academic sources worldwide.🏛️WikisourcePublic-domain primary texts and translations (search).⛪Catholic Encyclopedia1913 reference — long entries, useful for less-known figures (search for Athenagoras of Athens).