A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

a Christian writer at the beginning of the third century, is called by Suidas a Libyan (s. v. Ἀφρικανός), but passed the greater part of his life at Emmaus in Palestine, where, according to some, he was born. (Jerome, de Vir. Ill. 63.) When Emmaus was destroyed by fire, Africanus was sent to Elagabalus to solicit its restoration, in which mission he succeeded: the new town was called Nicopolis. (A. D. 221, Eusebius, Chron. sub anno; Syncellus, p. 359b.) Africanus subsequently went to Alexandria to hear the philosopher Heraclas, who was afterwards bishop of Alexandria. The later Syrian writers state, that he was subsequently made bishop. He was one of the most learned of the early Christian writers. Socrates (Hist. Eccl. 2.35) classes him with Origen and Clement; and it appears from his letter on the History of Susanna, that he was acquainted with Hebrew.