The First Extant Use of Succession as a Technical Term

Hegesippus ca. 110-180

The church of Corinth remained in the right doctrine down the episcopate of Primus at Corinth. I had converse with them on my voyage to Rome, and we took comfort together in the right doctrine. After arriving in Rome I made an succession down to Anicetus, whose deacon was Eleutherus. To Anicetus succeeded Soter, who was followed by Eleutherus. In every succession and in every city things are ordered according to the preaching of the Law and the Prophets and the Lord. (Documents of the Christian Church, ed. Henry Bettenson pg. 72)