The Apostolic Fathers · AD 70–130
Phlegon
fl. c. 57 (death unrecorded) · Believer of a Roman house circle · Rome
The Apostolic Fathers
Who Phlegon was
Second of Asyncritus’s circle. The name (“burning”) was common for slaves — and, the ancients noted with amusement, for dogs; Origen’s commentary on the verse passes over it with characteristic charity. A believer of the Roman tenements, remembered because an apostle once asked after him by name.
Common questions
When was Phlegon active?
Phlegon is dated fl. c. 57 (death unrecorded) in the archive, which places Phlegon 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 Phlegon?
Phlegon 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 Phlegon from?
The archive associates Phlegon with Rome.
Who were Phlegon’s contemporaries?
The archive links Phlegon to 2 other figures, including Asyncritus and Hermes of Rome. 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 16:14
c. AD 55Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.Paul · read ↗
Origen, Commentary on Romans X (on Romans 16:14)
c. AD 246Homilies on Romans XXXI
c. AD 391“Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.” Here do not be looking to how he starts them without any encomium, but how he did not reckon them, though far inferior, as it seems, to all, unworthy of being addressed by him. Or rather even this is no slight praise that he even calls them brethren.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 Phlegon.
- 1Rome