No information has been handed down about the life of Elias; all assumptions represented in the research are deductions from circumstantial evidence in his works.
[2] However, the assumption that Olympiodorus was the head (scholarch) of the school and that Elias succeeded him in this office is speculative.
[3] In the Eastern Roman Empire, however, the title of apoeparch was also given to scholars on an honorary basis; hence the implication that Elias exercised office is not compelling.
As with many late antique writings of this type, these are at least partly unauthorized transcripts by students from his lessons.
However, it is also possible that Christian comments, some of which are formulated polemically antipagan and contradict the rest of the content, were interspersed by the author himself, because in this way he wanted to protect himself against the suspicion of infidelity.
This statement, which sounds unusual and offensive for a Platonist as well as for a Christian, should not be understood to mean that Elias believed in a physical God.