The Apostolic Fathers · AD 70–130
Evaristus of Rome
d. c. 107 · Bishop of Rome · Rome
The Apostolic Fathers
Who Evaristus of Rome was
Clement’s successor, fourth in the Roman line: “In the third year of Trajan, Clement… departed this life, and Evaristus received the episcopate” — Eusebius allotting him about eight years, into the persecution years that took Ignatius through Rome. The later notices (a Bethlehem-born Jew; a martyr) are unverifiable accretions of the sixth-century book of popes; the archive records the attested tenure and lets the silence stand.
Also listed in the bishops of Rome.
Common questions
When did Evaristus die?
Evaristus of Rome is dated d. c. 107 in the archive, which places Evaristus 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.
Which early sources mention Evaristus?
Evaristus of Rome is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Irenaeus of Lyon, Eusebius of Caesarea and The chronographer of 354. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Evaristus from?
The archive associates Evaristus of Rome with Rome.
Who were Evaristus’ contemporaries?
The archive links Evaristus of Rome to 3 other figures, including Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch and Alexander of Rome. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Primary-source mentions (3)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Against Heresies III.3.3
c. AD 180To this Clement there succeeded Evaristus.Irenaeus of Lyon · Against Heresies III.3.3 · source text
Ecclesiastical History III.34
c. AD 325In the third year of the reign of the emperor mentioned above, Clement committed the episcopal government of the church of Rome to Evarestus, and departed this life after he had superintended the teaching of the divine word nine years in all.Eusebius of Caesarea · III.34 · source text
Liberian Catalogue (Chronography of 354)
c. AD 354Connected in the archive
People
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 Evaristus.
- 1Rome