Was the apostle Peter the first bishop of Rome and pope?

A:Probably not. Scholars believe that the role of bishop only emerged in the secnd century, long after Peter dies. Moreover, Clement of Rome, writing around 95 CE (1 Clement), spoke in general terms about the life and death of Peter but appears to have been unaware that Peter had even visited Rome. However, whether true or not, this tradition provides an important link for the Roman Catholic Church back to the early apostles.