The Ante-Nicene Church · AD 180–313
Heraclas of Alexandria
d. c. 247 · Bishop of Alexandria · Head of the catechetical school · Alexandria
The Ante-Nicene Church
Who Heraclas of Alexandria was
A pupil of Ammonius Saccas alongside the philosopher Plotinus, Heraclas studied and then taught under Origen, taking over the elementary instruction of the catechetical school while Origen kept the advanced. On Demetrius’s death he became bishop of Alexandria — the first head of the school to ascend the episcopal throne, a pattern his successor Dionysius would repeat. He is reported to have been the first Alexandrian bishop styled “Pope” (papa). His succession bound the school and the see together at the height of Alexandrian influence.
Also listed in the bishops of Alexandria.
Common questions
When did Heraclas die?
Heraclas of Alexandria is dated d. c. 247 in the archive, which places Heraclas in the Ante-Nicene Church (AD 180–313). 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 Heraclas?
Heraclas of Alexandria is named in 2 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Eusebius of Caesarea and Jerome of Stridon. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Heraclas from?
The archive associates Heraclas of Alexandria with Alexandria.
Who were Heraclas’ contemporaries?
The archive links Heraclas of Alexandria to 4 other figures, including Origen of Alexandria, Demetrius of Alexandria, Dionysius the Great and Plutarch of Alexandria. Each connection is drawn from a source that places them together, not from inference.
Primary-source mentions (2)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Ecclesiastical History VI.31, VII.7
c. AD 325Heraclas received the episcopate of the church at Alexandria after Demetrius; he had been distinguished for his study of philosophy, and was a fellow-pupil of Origen under Ammonius.Eusebius of Caesarea · VII.7 · source text
Chronicle of Jerome (the Alexandrian succession)
c. AD 380Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 177 · Persecution at Lyon and Vienne, AD 177
- AD 180 · The Scillitan martyrs, AD 180
- AD 190 · The Quartodeciman controversy, AD 190
- AD 202 · Perpetua and Felicity martyred, AD 202
- AD 235 · Maximinus Thrax targets the clergy, AD 235
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Heraclas.