CLEMENT I., or CLEMENS 11051A'NUS, succeeded Anacictus as Bebop of Rome in the latter part of the first century of our era. The chronology of the early biahopa of Rome has been the subject of much controversy. One of the earliest authorities, Irenzews, bishop of Lyon, who lived in the latter part of the 2nd century, says that " when the blessed spastics, Pater and Paul, had founded and osteblished the church at Rome, they delivered the office of the bishopric in it to Linn,. To him succeeded Anaeletus, after whom, In the third place after the apostles, Clement obtained that bishopric, who had seen the blessed apostles, and convened with them ; who had the preaching of the apostles still sounding in his cars, and their traditions before his eyes. Nor he alone, for there were still many alive who had been taught by the apostles. In the time therefore of this Clement, when there was no small dissension among the brethren at Corinth, the church at Rome sent a most excellent letter to tho Corinthians, por ous ling them to peace among themselvea," &c. This is the epistle which is ascribed to Clemens Rom: untie by Clemens Alexandrines, Origen, Euseblus, Jerome, and other ancient fathers, as having been written try him in the name of the Church of Rome to that of Corinth, and which was often read In the time of Eusebius in the churches, after the gospel., on account of the excellent precepts which it contains.
(' 13) says that Oldie tit succeeded Anenclotes, or Anasletwe In the twelfth year of Domitian (A.D. 02;, and that he died in the third year of Trajan (see 100), having been bishop time years. After mentioning his epistle to the Corinthians, Eusebius says that another epistle was also ascribed to him by some, but was mot generally received as genuine; and that "there had been published not long since other large and prolix works In his name, containing dialogue. of Peter and Apion, of which the andante had not made the least mention." Eusebius wrote at the beginning of the 4th century; and Jerome, who lived half a century later, repeats and confirms the remark of Eusebius. The first epistle of Clement, which was written in the name of the Church at Rome to that of Corinth, ' Dei Ecclesia quze Ronste peregriaatnr Ecclesite Dci quze Corinthi peregrinates.; and was occasioned by a schism which had broken out at Corinth among the Christians, is full of sound and charitable advice. It consists of fifty-nine chapters, and is one of the most interesting memorials of the primitive church. The second supposed also to bo Clemente', to only a fragment, containing likewise moral and religious advice; but it breaks off abruptly in the middle of the twelfth chapter, and there is no evidence of its being written to the Corinthians. It is thought by Neander to be rather a portion of a sermon than of an epistle.
Whether it is by Clement or some subsequent writer is uncertain.
Both epistles were found at the end of the New Testament in a manuscript brought from Alexandria, and were published by Patrick Junius, 'Sancti Clernentis Romani ad Corinthlos Epistolas dun: expresses ad Edens MS. Cod. Alexandriuie Oxford, 1633; and again by H. Wootton, Cambridge, 1718. A lung account of Clement's life, pilgrimages, and martyrdom, has been made out by Gregory of Tours, Nicephorus, and others, entitled ' Acta S. Clemente.; and adopted by Baronies; but it is considered doubtful even by most orthodox Roman Catholics. It is not quite certain that Clement suffered martyrdom.
Ile Is said by some to have been exiled from Rome, and to have died in the Chersoneaus Taurica; but this is also contested by others, and apparently with sufficient reason. Clement was succeeded in the see of Rome by E'veristes. Several other works have been attributed to Clement which are evidently apocryphal, such as eight books of Inati tutiones or Comaitutiones, &c. (Tillemont, Mei:noires pour Mist.
de l'Eglise; vol. ; Du Pin 'Bibl. des Auteurs Eccles.; Neander, GenetischeEntwickelunge Wetstein published two more epistles attributed to Clement, which he found at the end of a Syriac version of the New Testament : they are chiefly in praise of virginity, and are regarded as spurious. The ' Epistles of Clement' have been frequently reprinted.. Perhaps the most convenient recent edition is that of liefele, reprinted in England with an introduction by A. Grenfell, M.A., 1841.
One of the oldest churches at Rouse on the Ctelian Mount is dedi cated to St. Clement ; but it is not quite certain whether it was built in honour of the bishop, or of navies CLE5MT, the martyr, with whom the other has been often confounded. Flavius Clement was cousin to Domitian, and his colleague in the consulship (tas. 95), mid was put to death by order of that emperor on a charge of impiety towards the gods, which is understood to mean that he belonged to tho Christian communion. His wife, Domitilla, was exiled on the same charge to Pandataria. Flavius Clemens is numbered among the martyrs by the earliest ecclesiastical historians. The old church, which is believed to have been built in the eth century, fell to ruins, and was taken down by Adrian I. towards the and of the 8th century, and rebuilt by Nicholas 1. iu the 9th. In the year 1725, Cardinal Auuibale Albani having made excavations under the great altar of St. Clement's, found a tomb with an inscription to Mules Clemens, martyr. A full account of it, with a dissertation, was published : ' Titi Flavii Clemente' Win Comularie et 3Iartyris Tumulus illustrates,' Urbino, 1727.