The Nicene Age · AD 313–400
Alexander of Alexandria
d. c. 328 · Bishop of Alexandria · Opponent of Arius · Alexandria
The Nicene Age
Who Alexander of Alexandria was
Bishop of Alexandria who, about 318, condemned the teaching of his own presbyter Arius that the Son was a created being — “there was a time when he was not” — igniting the greatest doctrinal war in Christian history. He excommunicated Arius in a synod, circulated encyclical letters warning the churches, and carried the case to the Council of Nicaea in 325, where his young deacon Athanasius assisted him and the Creed vindicated his stand. He died three years later, having (Theodoret says) named Athanasius his successor. The bishop who first drew the line the Creed would make permanent.
Also listed in the bishops of Alexandria.
Common questions
When did Alexander die?
Alexander of Alexandria is dated d. c. 328 in the archive, which places Alexander in the Nicene Age (AD 313–400). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.
What did Alexander write?
Alexander of Alexandria has 1 catalogued writing in the archive: Encyclical Letter on the Arian heresy.
Which early sources mention Alexander?
Alexander of Alexandria is named in 4 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Arius, Eusebius of Caesarea, Epiphanius of Salamis and Socrates Scholasticus. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Alexander from?
The archive associates Alexander of Alexandria with Alexandria.
Writings (1)
Encyclical Letter on the Arian heresy
c. 319They say that the Son was not always; that He came into being from things not existing… that He is neither by nature the Father’s true Word, but is called Word and Wisdom only by grace.Read the interlinear source text →
Primary-source mentions (4)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Arius to Eusebius of Nicomedia (the adversary's own complaint: 'the bishop attacks and persecutes us')
c. AD 318He drives us from the city as atheists, because we do not concur with him.Arius · Letter to Eusebius of Nicomedia · source text
Life of Constantine II.64–72 (the emperor's letter 'to Alexander and Arius')
c. AD 339Victor Constantinus, Maximus Augustus, to Alexander and Arius.Eusebius of Caesarea · Life of Constantine II.64 · source text
Panarion 69 (the Arian dossier built around his stand)
c. AD 375Ecclesiastical History I (Socrates) & Theodoret I.3
c. AD 439Alexander… attempted at first to quiet the matter by admonition; but when he saw the pest spreading, he convened a council of many bishops and excommunicated Arius and his adherents.Socrates Scholasticus · I.3 · source text
Connected in the archive
People
- Arius
- Athanasius of Alexandria
- Hosius of Cordova
- Peter of Alexandria
- Achillas of Alexandria
- Secundus of Ptolemais
- Meletius of Lycopolis
- Colluthus of Alexandria
- Alexander of Constantinople
- James of Nisibis
- Eustathius of Antioch
Events in this lifetime
- AD 260 · Gallienus’ edict of toleration, AD 260
- AD 268 · Antioch deposes Paul of Samosata, AD 268
- AD 272 · Aurelian awards the Antioch church, AD 272
- AD 301 · Hripsime and her company, AD 301
- AD 303 · The Great Persecution begins, AD 303
- AD 303 · The search of the church at Cirta, AD 303
- AD 306 · The Council of Elvira, AD 306
- AD 311 · Galerius’ edict of Serdica, AD 311
- AD 313 · The Edict of Milan, AD 313
- AD 314 · The Council of Arles, AD 314
- AD 320 · Silvanus tried before Zenophilus, AD 320
- AD 325 · The Council of Nicaea, AD 325
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Alexander.