The Apostolic Age · AD 4–70

Bartholomew the Apostle

d. c. 68–71 (trad., Albanopolis) · Apostle of the Twelve · Galilee → Armenia (trad.)

The Apostolic Age

Who Bartholomew the Apostle was

Bar-Talmai, “son of Talmai,” named in all four apostle-lists and, since the ninth century commonly identified with Nathanael of Cana — the guileless Israelite of John 1 — an identification possible but unprovable, and recorded rather than adopted: this archive holds Nathanael of Cana as a separate figure, since no source before the ninth century equates them. Eusebius preserves the one hard early datum: when Pantaenus reached “India” in the late second century he found believers who had the Gospel of Matthew in Hebrew letters, “left by Bartholomew, one of the apostles.” The dominant tradition carries him to Armenia and a flaying at Albanopolis, whence the knife of his iconography.

Common questions

When did Bartholomew die?

Bartholomew the Apostle is dated d. c. 68–71 (trad., Albanopolis) in the archive, which places Bartholomew in the Apostolic Age (AD 4–70). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.

Which early sources mention Bartholomew?

Bartholomew the Apostle is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Eusebius of Caesarea, Jerome of Stridon and The Hieronymian compilers. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Where was Bartholomew from?

The archive associates Bartholomew the Apostle with Galilee, Armenia (trad.). The sources record more than one location, so the places are listed in the order the record moves through them.

Who were Bartholomew’s contemporaries?

The archive links Bartholomew the Apostle to 5 other figures, including Philip the Apostle, Matthew the Apostle, Thomas the Apostle and Pantaenus of Alexandria. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.

Scripture record

Primary-source mentions (3)

Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.

Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History V.10

c. AD 325
Pantaenus… is said to have found there, among some who knew Christ, the Gospel according to Matthew, which had anticipated his arrival; for Bartholomew, one of the apostles, had preached to them.
Eusebius of Caesarea · V.10 · source text

On Illustrious Men 36 (Pantaenus finds his Hebrew Matthew)

c. AD 392
He found that Bartholomew, one of the twelve apostles, had preached the advent of the Lord Jesus according to the gospel of Matthew.
Jerome of Stridon · On Illustrious Men 36 · source text

Martyrologium Hieronymianum (feast of Bartholomew the apostle)

c. AD 450
The Hieronymian compilers · calendar entry · source text

Names proposed by later tradition

Bartholomew = Nathanael of Cana

The identification, commonly made since about the ninth century, that Bar-Talmai — a patronymic — is the surname of the Nathanael whom Philip brought to Christ in John 1. Possible but unprovable; recorded on both figures’ pages and adopted on neither.

Connected in the archive

People

Events in this lifetime

Place

Places served

The 11 places the sources put Bartholomew, in the order the record moves through them. This is what the sources attest, not a reconstructed route. 10 stops are marked with the company: the source places this figure’s company there rather than naming the figure at it.

  1. 1GalileeWith him through the towns of Galileewith the companyMark 1:39; Matthew 4:23
  2. 2NazarethCame into his own country, and his disciples followed himwith the companyMark 6:1
  3. 3CapernaumThe house at Capernaum, where he taught the Twelvewith the companyMark 9:33
  4. 4BethsaidaWithdrew there with the Twelve; the five thousand fedwith the companyLuke 9:10
  5. 5TyreWithdrew into its borders; the disciples came to himwith the companyMark 7:24; Matthew 15:23
  6. 6SidonReturned by Sidon to the sea of Galileewith the companyMark 7:31
  7. 7Caesarea PhilippiOn the road he asked the disciples who men said he waswith the companyMark 8:27
  8. 8JerichoWent out of Jericho with his discipleswith the companyMark 10:46
  9. 9BethanyLodged there with the Twelve through Passion weekwith the companyMark 11:11–12
  10. 10JerusalemEntered the temple with the Twelve; the upper roomwith the companyMark 11:11; 14:17
  11. 11ArmeniaBy the tradition of his later missionTraditional; see the profile

See these places on the atlas →