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Σενιόρες Ἀλεξανδρινοί
Seniores Alexandrini
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The Seniores Alexandrini, or "Alexandrian Elders," were a group of anonymous Christian teachers active in Alexandria, Egypt, during the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries CE. They are not a single author but a collective of respected figures within the early Christian community, likely holding teaching or leadership roles. Their precise identities and number are unknown.

They operated in Alexandria, a major intellectual center, where they engaged with Greek philosophy and Jewish traditions to interpret Christian scripture. Their teachings represent an early phase of the Alexandrian theological tradition, which was known for using allegory to explain the Bible and for dialoguing with Greco-Roman thought. They left no surviving books of their own. Their ideas are preserved only as fragments, quoted or referenced by later, more famous theologians like Clement of Alexandria and Origen, who cited them as important authorities.

According to modern scholars, the Seniores Alexandrini are significant as a foundational link in the development of early Christian theology. They represent the intellectual tradition that existed before the formal catechetical school of Alexandria rose to prominence. Through their influence on Clement and Origen, their ideas indirectly helped shape later Christian thought on scripture, creation, and the nature of God, establishing Alexandria as a leading center for Christian learning.

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Ἀποσπάσματα περὶ τῶν Ψαλμῶν
Exegetical Fragments on Psalms
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