The Apostolic Fathers · AD 70–130
Clement of Rome
c. 35 – c. 99 · Bishop of Rome · Rome
The Apostolic Fathers
Who Clement of Rome was
Clement, third bishop of Rome after Peter by the old succession lists, was said by Origen to be the fellow-laborer Paul names in Philippians 4:3, “whose name is in the book of life.” Around 96, when the church of Corinth ejected its presbyters in a coup, Clement wrote them a long, grave, affectionate letter in the name of the Roman church — the earliest Christian writing outside the New Testament that can be dated with confidence. It pleads from the Greek Old Testament, from the very order of the cosmos, and from the fresh memory of Peter’s and Paul’s martyrdoms, for humility and restored order. Corinth was still reading it in worship seventy years later.
Also listed in the bishops of Rome.
Common questions
When did Clement live?
Clement of Rome is dated c. 35 – c. 99 in the archive, which places Clement in the Apostolic Fathers (AD 70–130). The dating is traditional and approximate; the archive marks it as uncertain rather than fixing a year the sources do not give.
What did Clement write?
Clement of Rome has 1 catalogued writing in the archive: First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians.
Which early sources mention Clement?
Clement of Rome is named in 5 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Hermas of Rome, Dionysius of Corinth, Irenaeus of Lyon and Tertullian of Carthage. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Clement from?
The archive associates Clement of Rome with Rome.
Writings (1)
First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians
c. 96Love unites us to God; love covers a multitude of sins; love beareth all things, is long-suffering in all things. There is nothing base, nothing arrogant in love.Read the interlinear source text →
Primary-source mentions (5)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
The Shepherd, Vision II.4
c. AD 145Thou shalt therefore write two little books, and shalt send one to Clement… Clement then shall send it to the foreign cities, for this is his duty.Hermas of Rome · source text
Dionysius of Corinth, via Ecclesiastical History IV.23 (his letter still read at Corinth on the Lord's day)
c. AD 170Today we have passed the Lord's holy day, in which we have read your epistle; from it, whenever we read it, we shall always be able to draw advice, as also from the former epistle which was written to us through Clement.Dionysius of Corinth · Ecclesiastical History IV.23 · source text
Against Heresies III.3.3
c. AD 180…in the third place from the apostles, Clement was allotted the bishopric. This man, as he had seen the blessed apostles, and had been conversant with them, might be said to have the preaching of the apostles still echoing, and their traditions before his eyes.Irenaeus of Lyon · III.3.3 · source text
Prescription against Heretics 32 (ordained by Peter)
c. AD 200As the church of Smyrna, which records that Polycarp was placed therein by John; as also the church of Rome, which makes Clement to have been ordained in like manner by Peter.Tertullian of Carthage · Prescription 32 · source text
Apostolic Constitutions VII.46
c. AD 380And Clemens, after Linus's death, the second, ordained by me Peter.The Constitutions' compiler · Apostolic Constitutions VII.46 · source text
Connected in the archive
Remembered as a hearer of Peter and Paul; his letter was treasured by the church of Corinth for generations
People
- Simon Peter
- Paul of Tarsus
- The Didachist (Author of the Didache)
- Clement of Philippi
- The Author of Hebrews
- Linus of Rome
- Anacletus (Cletus) of Rome
- Fortunatus of Corinth
- Claudius Ephebus
- Valerius Bito
- Evaristus of Rome
- Dionysius of Corinth
Events in this lifetime
- AD 44 · Persecution under Herod Agrippa I, AD 44
- AD 49 · The Council of Jerusalem, AD 49
- AD 57 · Paul writes Romans, AD 57
- AD 62 · James the Just stoned, AD 62
- AD 64 · The Great Fire and Nero’s persecution, AD 64
- AD 70 · The fall of Jerusalem, AD 70
- AD 95 · Domitian’s reprisals, AD 95
- AD 96 · Rome writes to Corinth: 1 Clement, AD 96
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Clement.
- 1Rome