ascribed by some impostor to this venerable prelate, in order to procure
them a high degree of authority" (Ibid, pp. 31, 32).

"The first epistle, bearing the name of Clement, has been preserved to
us in a single manuscript only. Though very frequently referred to by
ancient Christian writers, it remained unknown to the scholars of
Western Europe until happily discovered in the Alexandrian
manuscript.... Who the Clement was, to whom these writings are ascribed,
cannot with absolute certainty be determined. The general opinion is,
that he is the same as the person of that name referred to by St. Paul
(Phil. iv. 3). The writings themselves contain no statement as to their
author.... Although, as has been said, positive certainty cannot be
reached on the subject, we may with great probability conclude that we
have in this epistle a composition of that Clement who is known to us
from Scripture as having been an associate of the great apostle. The
date of this epistle has been the subject of considerable controversy.
It is clear from the writing itself that it was composed soon after some
persecution (chapter I) which the Roman Church had endured; and the only
question is, whether we are to fix upon the persecution under Nero or
Domitian. If the former, the date will be about the year 68; if the
latter, we must place it towards the close of the first century, or the
beginning of the second. We possess no external aid to the settlement of
this question. The lists of early Roman bishops are in hopeless
confusion, some making Clement the immediate successor of St. Peter,
others placing Linus, and others still Linus and Anacletus, between him
and the apostle. The internal evidence, again, leaves the matter
doubtful, though it has been strongly pressed on both sides. The
probability seems, on the whole, to be in favour of the Domitian period,
so that the epistle may be dated about A.D. 97" ("The Writings of the
Apostolic Fathers." Translated by Rev. Dr. Roberts, Dr. Donaldson, and