Direct Answer
Origen of Alexandria lived approximately from AD 185 to AD 254. That places him in the late second and early third centuries, before the Council of Nicaea and during the period when the church was still enduring waves of Roman pressure and persecution.
Why the Date Matters
Origen is not a medieval or late imperial theologian. The article on Origen describes him as a Christian of the pre-Nicene period: a teacher, writer, evangelist, apologist, defender of orthodoxy, textual critic, biblical geographer, and biblical commentator. That matters because readers often hear Origen discussed only through later controversies. His actual life belongs to an earlier setting, when Christian teachers were defending the faith against pagan critics, Gnostics, and unbelieving Jews while also teaching Scripture inside the church.
The Shape of His Life
The article says Origen was about seventeen when his father was arrested and sentenced to death as a martyr. It also says that by his early twenties he was already known as a learned scholar, respected even by enemies of Christianity. He taught in Alexandria for many years, later moved permanently to Caesarea, and continued to be recognized as a teacher and defender of orthodoxy.
That basic timeline explains why Origen appears in so many early Christian discussions. He lived long enough to become one of the most prolific writers of his age, and his students and readers carried his influence far beyond Alexandria. For broader historical placement, the lesson Who's Who in the Early Church? helps situate figures like Origen in early Christian history.
How His Life Ended
Origen's life ended in connection with the Decian persecution. The article says he was arrested and tortured for his faith, remained alive when Decius died and the persecution ended, and then died shortly after release from the injuries he had suffered. So the short answer is not just a date range. Origen lived c. 185-254, and his death belongs to the story of Christian endurance under Roman persecution.
Read the Evidence Yourself
The main source for this answer is the Origen article linked above. Readers should compare the short answer with the source excerpt and the full linked article before treating the question as settled, especially where later summaries of Origen disagree. The Church Fathers Commentary can also help readers see how early Christian writers are represented in biblical-commentary contexts.
