Alexander was the Bishop of Alexandria who first opposed Arius and continued to oppose him and his teaching until his death. His cause was then carried by the more famous Athanasius. According to Epiphanius, Alexander wrote 70 letters to bishops all over the empire, combating Arianism. These were still preserved in Epiphanius’s day (though its unclear whether Epiphanius had seen them or just knew of them, see Against Heresies 69.4).

This chart includes the correspondance to and from Alexander as well as two sermons of unknown date. The date is taken from Opitz. Most of these documents are included in the list of Documents of the Early Arian Controversy.

Opitz’s date description CPG
318/9 Alexander to his clergy concerning Arius 2001
c. 318 Alexander’s encyclical letter on Arius’ deposition 2000
c. 320 Arius and other Alexandrian clergy to Alexander pleading his cause 2026
c. 320 Eusebius of Caesarea to Alexander pleading Arius’ cause 3501
c. 320 Part of a letter of Paulinus of Tyre, attacking Alexander’s position 2065
c. 322 Athanasius of Anazarbus to Alexander defending Arius 2060
c. 322 Priest George to Alexander defending Arius 3555
324 Alexander to Alexander of Byzantium 2002
324 Part of a letter of Alexander to all bishops 2003
324 Letter of Alexander to Sylvester of Rome
2005
Oct. 324 Emperor Constantine to Alexander and Arius 2020
June 325 Letter of the Council of Nicaea to the Egyptian church
8515
June 325 Emperor Constantine to the church of Alexandria 8517
Beginning of 328 Fragment of a letter from Emperor Constantine to Alexander
2021
? Exhortation to Christological Orthodoxy
? Discourse on the Incarnation of our Lord, and on the soul and the body 2004

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