mountainman

I have a citation here from M. Croiset with a dating
for Peregrinus 169 CE, with both Alexander and
Demonax after 180 CE.

It would appear that the reference to "christians"
(or likely interpolation) by the emperor (Marcus
Aurelius Antoninus) "Meditations" --- 167 CE now
takes chronological priority in the citations index
for the (independent, ie: non-Eusebian) references
to the historical existence of the "prenicene tribe
of christians".

I would still find it very entertainingly revealing in
the determination of who is the earliest author on
the planet to cite the christian reference in "Meditations".

Who first noticed that Marcus Aurelius Antonuinus'
"Meditations" written c.167 CE, two years earlier than
the traditional BC&H citation to the writings of Lucian
of Samasota, refers to "christians", almost as if they
were Lucian's "Peregrine" who casts himself into the
fire.

At any rate, the study of Lucian's works looks quite
formidable, yet some of his writings are unusually
inspiring, such as the "Life of Demonax".