The Apostolic Fathers · AD 70–130
Olympas
fl. c. 57 (death unrecorded) · Believer of a Roman house circle · Rome
The Apostolic Fathers
Who Olympas was
Last-named of Philologus’s circle, a shortened form of Olympiodorus. The Pseudo-Hippolytan lists of the Seventy give him a martyrdom at Rome “with Peter”; the verse gives him a greeting. Between the two stands the archive’s rule: record the tradition, weigh it as tradition, keep the scripture as the datum.
Common questions
When was Olympas active?
Olympas is dated fl. c. 57 (death unrecorded) in the archive, which places Olympas 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 Olympas?
Olympas is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Paul, Origen of Alexandria and John Chrysostom. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Olympas from?
The archive associates Olympas with Rome.
Who were Olympas’ contemporaries?
The archive links Olympas to 2 other figures, including Philologus and Nereus and His Sister. 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.
Romans 16:15
c. AD 55…Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.Paul · read ↗
Origen, Commentary on Romans X (on Romans 16:15)
c. AD 246Homilies on Romans XXXI
c. AD 391“Salute Philologus, and Julius, and Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them” — which was the greatest dignity, and unspeakable height of honor.John Chrysostom · Homilies on Romans XXXI · source text
Connected in the archive
People
Events in this lifetime
- AD 30 · Crucifixion, Resurrection and Pentecost, AD 30–33
- 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
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Olympas.
- 1Rome