community would receive the incoming correspondence to be circulated around the various house-groups. So the martyrs of Lyons sent their commendation of Irenaeus, called “presbyter” of his diocese, to Eleutherus.48 In Clement, Corinthians, whose contents Irenaeus clearly knew well, the author was anonymous, and made no reference to his possession of any office of sole bishop, let alone that of προεστώς. But nevertheless here was a figure that related to the presbyterate when it met together with