Athenagoras facts for kids

Athenagoras is a name that has been used by several important people throughout history. It comes from ancient Greek. When you see this name, it could be talking about different individuals who lived in different times and places.

Who Was Athenagoras?

The name Athenagoras belongs to various historical figures. Each one played a unique role in their time. Let's learn about some of them.

Athenagoras of Ephesus

Athenagoras of Ephesus lived a very long time ago, in the 6th century BC. He was a ruler, sometimes called a tyrant, of the ancient Greek city of Ephesus. In ancient Greece, a tyrant was a leader who took power, often with the support of the people, and ruled without being elected. They weren't always seen as bad rulers, like the word "tyrant" means today.

Athenagoras of Syracuse

Another Athenagoras lived in the 5th century BC. He was from Syracuse, an important city in ancient Sicily (which is now part of Italy). This Athenagoras was a statesman and a military leader. A statesman is someone involved in government and public affairs. He played a role during the Sicilian Expedition, a big military event where Athens tried to conquer Syracuse.

Athenagoras of Macedon

Moving forward in time, there was Athenagoras of Macedon. He lived between the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC. He was a general who served two famous kings: Philip V and Perseus. Generals are high-ranking military officers who lead armies. Macedon was an ancient kingdom north of Greece.

Saint Athenagoras of Athens

Saint Athenagoras of Athens lived in the 2nd century AD. He is also known as Saint Athenagoras the Apologist. He was an early Christian philosopher. A philosopher is someone who studies big questions about life, knowledge, and values. An apologist is someone who defends a particular belief or doctrine, in this case, the Christian faith. He wrote important texts explaining Christian beliefs to the Roman emperors.

Patriarch Athenagoras

Much more recently, from 1886 to 1972, there was Patriarch Athenagoras. He was a very important religious leader. He served as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. This is a top leader in the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church, similar to a pope in the Roman Catholic Church. He worked hard to bring different Christian churches closer together.

Athenagoras (Fell)

Athenagoras is also the title of a book. It was written in 1682 by a British theologian named John Fell. A theologian is someone who studies religion and religious beliefs. This book is a biography of Saint Athenagoras of Athens. A biography is a story of someone's life.

See also

In Spanish: Atenágoras para niños