The "Elders" cited by Irenaeus of Lyons are not a single author but a collective name for a group of early Christian teachers from the late 1st and 2nd centuries CE. Irenaeus, writing around 180 CE, presented these figures as vital links in a chain of tradition stretching back to the original apostles. Prominent examples he names include Polycarp of Smyrna, a disciple of the apostle John, and Papias of Hierapolis. Their authority was based on this direct personal connection, which Irenaeus used to defend mainstream Christian teaching against rival movements like Gnosticism.

These Elders did not leave behind any complete, unified works. Their teachings survive only in fragments, quoted by Irenaeus in his major work, Against Heresies. These fragments include exegetical comments on scripture, doctrinal positions, and illustrative parables. For instance, one elder is cited for a millenarian interpretation of Isaiah, while another offered a parable about the origin of sin. Their literary legacy exists only within the text of Irenaeus.

According to modern scholars, the historical importance of these Elders lies in the role Irenaeus created for them. By appealing to their collective witness, he constructed a powerful argument for apostolic succession and the public, consistent nature of correct Christian doctrine. The fragments of their thought are therefore crucial sources for understanding the development of early Christian theology and the efforts to define orthodoxy in the generations immediately following the apostles.