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Historical Chronology |
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1 A.D. to 199 A.D.
Go to Top1 AD: year 1 in Christian calendar, (A.D. = Anno Domini), (see 525); Beginnings of the East African city-states
6: Herod Archelaus deposed by Augustus; Samaria, Judea and Idumea annexed as province Iudaea under direct Roman administration, capital: Caesarea; Zealot's tax revolt: Judah of Gamala & Saddok the Pharisee 7-26: brief period of peace (free of revolt & bloodshed) in Iudaea & Galilee; Quirinius: Legate (Governor) of Syria, 1st Roman tax census of Iudaea
6-9-c12-15-26: Coponius - Ambivius - Rufus - Gratus: Roman Prefects of Iudaea
6-15: Annas (Ananus I) ben Seth: High Priest of Jerusalem Temple, appointed by Quirinius; "House of Annas" produced 8 High Priests between 6ce and 65ce
9-23: Wang Mang: overthrew Han Dynasty of China, attempted radical reforms
9: Arminius the Cheruscan destroys 3 Roman Legions near Rhine river of Germany; Hillel the Elder from Babylonia: b.30bce, "greatest Torah sage of Second Temple period", founded Bet Hillel Torah school; at the request of a student to teach the entire Torah "while standing on one foot" he replied: "What is hateful to you, do not unto your neighbor. This is the entire Torah, all the rest is commentary," i.e., "Go and study it."; "He who magnifies his name destroys it; he who does not increase his knowledge decreases it, and he who does not study deserves to die; and he who makes worldly use of the crown of Torah shall waste away." [Encyclopedia Judaica]
Roman Empire in 14 AD
14-37 Mar16: Tiberius: b.42bce, Roman Emperor, "Son of Divine Augustus", in 19 expelled Septuagint (Greek Bible) missionaries from Rome but they soon returned, in 37 dedicated Temple of Divus Augustus (Divine Augustus)
16-17: Eleazar: son of Annas (6-15), appointed High Priest of Jerusalem Temple
16: Germanicus (adopted by Tiberius in 4) suppressed Revolt of Arminius (9)
17: Titus Livius (Livy): b.59bce, Roman historian: "Ab Urbe Condita"; Loeb:14v; Ovidius (Ovid): b.43bce, Roman Poet: Amores;Ars Amatoria;Metamor.;Loeb:6v
18-36: Joseph Caiaphas: son-in-law of Annas, appointed High Priest of Jerusalem Temple by Prefect Valerius Gratus, deposed by Syrian Legate Vitellius
18-23: "Red Eyebrows" peasant revolt of China: Wang Mang assassinated
c19: Herod Antipas moved Galilean capital from Sepphoris to his new Tiberias
23-220: Later (Eastern) Han Dynasty of China, founded by Kuang-wu at Loyang
c24: Strabo: b.64 BC, Greek geographer, wrote: "Geographica"; Loeb Classics 8v; Pliny the Elder's writing begins
c25: Assumption (Testament) of Moses: original Hebrew extant Latin (Apocrypha)
26-36: Pontius Pilate: Roman Prefect of Iudaea (Samaria, Judea, Idumea)
c24-c27: John the Baptist begins ministry: "15th year of Tiberius" [Lk3:1-2], a Nazarite? [Lk1:15], arrested & killed by Herod Antipas [Lk3:19-20]
c27-c29: Jesus Christ baptized by John the Baptist (Mk1:4-11)
c29: John the Baptist arrested and killed by Herod Antipas (Luke 3,19-20)
30: Marcus Manilius: b.10bce?, Roman poet, wrote: Astronomica; (Loeb Classics); Shammai the Elder: founded Bet Shammai Torah school; "Make your study of the Torah a matter of established regularity, say little and do much, and receive all men with a friendly countenance." [Encyc. Judaica: Avot,1,15]; Frontinus' writing begins
c27-c34 Jesus Christ's (the Nazarene) ministry (Hebrew Talmud:Yeshu haNotseri), begins teaching in Capernum: end of 69 'weeks' [means 483 years] prophecy
Palestine from 6 BC to 36 AD
c34: Jesus Christ is crucified in Jesrusalem, Friday, Nisan 14th, March 30th, [Ref: John, Unauthorized Version] Last Supper would have been Thursday evening. (7Apr30 & 3Apr33 possible Fri/14/Nisan crucifixion dates): end of 70 'weeks' [means 490 years] prophecy
c34-67: 1st Pope is St. Peter (Simon-Peter or Chephas): Martyred in Rome
34-65?: oral period in Christianity between Jesus & Gospel of Mark, recorded in Acts: Simon-Peter as leader (1st Pope?), John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James son of Alpheus, Simon the Zealot, Judas son of James, Mary the mother of Jesus, Jesus' brothers, sisters, various women [Ac 1:13-14]; only c. 120 initial believers? [Ac 1:15]; Judas Iscariot commits "suicide" [Ac 1:18-19]; Matthias voted replacement [Ac 1:23-26]; 3000 new converts in 1 day? [Ac 2:41]; Peter & John jailed for 1 night for causing riots, converts increase to 5000? [Ac 3]; Ananias and Sapphira die under mysterious circumstances after not giving *all* their possessions [Ac 5]; Aramaic [Ac 1:19] and Greek [Ac 6:1] in use early on; 7 Greeks added to 12 Apostles: Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, Nicolaus [Ac 6]; initially only 1 "church" (Greek ekklesia:G1577 most likely just an assembly rather than a formal church), in Jerusalem; Paul of Tarsus, prior to conversion, has Stephen martyred & the Jerusalem "church" destroyed, the original Christians disperse throughout Judea & Samaria [Ac 8:1ff]; Paul converts to "Apostle to the Gentiles" and main activity of Christianity shifts from "Jewish-Christians" of Judea and Galilee (Nazarenes & Ebionites) to "Gentile-Christians" led by Paul & his Patroness [Rm 16:2 prostatis
c36-c41: Marcellus - Marullus: Roman Prefects of Iudaea
36-37: Jonathan: Jerusalem High Priest, app. by Syrian Legate Vitellius
37-62?: Paul of Tarsus: Roman citizen?, tentmaker?, "conversion" in c37 [Gal 1:12,16,Ac9], in c40 went to Jerusalem (1st trip?) to meet Peter & James [Gal1:18-20], in c47-48 on Cyprus with Barnabas [Acts13:4-12], in c49-50 in Corinth (center of his mission to the Gentiles) [Acts18], in c57 last visit to Jerusalem [Acts 21], in c58 imprisoned in Caesarea [Acts23:23-26:32]; in c60 imprisoned in Rome? [Acts 28:16], in c62 martyred for treason in Rome? [Col 1:24, Eph 3:13, 2 Tm 4:6-8, 1 Clem 5:5-7]; 10 traditional Pauline Letters: those written by Paul of Tarsus: Galatians (48-55), 1st Thessalonians (51), Romans (56-58), 1st Corinthians (56), 2nd Corinthians (57), Philippians (55-62); those written by others: 2nd Thessalonians [warns of Christian Letter forgery!] (c60), Colossians (c60), Philemon (c60), Ephesians (c80)
37-41 Jan 24: Gaius Caligula: b.12, Roman Emperor, declared himself God, assassinated, appointed King "Herod" Agrippa I (37-44) of Philip & Lysanias' tetrarchies, in 39 exiled Herod Antipas to Gaul on charges of secret Parthian alliance, in 40 added Herod Antipas' Galilee & Perea tetrarchy to Agrippa I
37: Seneca the Elder: b.55bce?, Roman rhetor: Controversiae, Suasoriae; Loeb:2v
38: Greek-Jewish riots in Alexandria
39-40: Greek-Jewish riots in Antioch; Jewish protest at Ptolemais
c40: 4 Maccabees: written in Greek in Alexandria (Septuagint)
41-54 Oct 13: Claudius: b.10bce, Roman Emperor, poisoned by wife Agrippina, appointed King Herod of Chalcis (41-48), Agrippa I's brother, added Judea & Samaria to Agrippa I, annexed Britain (43-406), founded Londinium (London), persecuted Druids, in 49 expelled Septuagint missionaries: {Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus {{Christ?}}, he expelled them from Rome.
44: James brother of John executed by sword by Agrippa I [Acts 12:1-3]
44-46: C. Cuspius Fadus: Roman Procurator of Iudaea (Samaria, Judea, Idumea), in 44 beheaded Theudas for parting Jordan (like Exodus), [Acts5:36], in c.45 crucified Jacob and Simon sons of Judah of Gamala (6)
45: C. Julius Phaedrus: b.15bce?, Roman fables
45: Philo Judaeus of Alexandria: b.30bce, Jewish philosopher and hellenizer, tried to unify Greek and Hebrew philosophy
46-48: Tiberius Julius Alexander: Roman Procurator of Iudaea, an apostate Jew
47-59: Ananias ben Nedebaeus: Jerusalem High Priest, app. by Herod of Chalcis
48-93: Agrippa II: King of Judea, ruled from Chalcis (48-52) & Iturea (52-93)
48-52: Ventidius Cumanus: Roman Procurator of Iudaea (Samaria, Judea, Idumea), in 50 Passover riot in Jerusalem, 20-30,000 killed
48-49?: Council of Apostles & Elders: 1st Christian Council?, [Gal 2:1-10, Acts 15] also Incident at Antioch [Gal 2:11-18] where Paul publicly condemned Peter
c50: Peshitta: translation begun, Hebrew OT->Syriac Aramaic, (Greek NT in 400); Ascension of Isaiah: original written in Hebrew (Ethiopic Bible); Barthelemy Greek Minor Prophets: R943, pb.1953, unknown translation type; Hero of Alexandria invented crude steam engine: "aeolipile"; early Gnostics?: Simon Magus of Samaria, Simonianism [Acts 8:9-24, Petrine Acts,EH2.13,...]; Nicolaus of Antioch, Nicolaitans? [Acts 6:5, Rev 2:6,15, EH3.29.1-3,...]; Menander disciple of Simon Magus; Basilides of Alexandria (d.160?) and Satorninus of Antioch (d.120?) disciples of Menander; ...
52-c60: M. Antonius Felix: Roman Procurator of Iudaea, a Greek freedman, in c55 massacred "Egyptian Prophet" & c.30,000 unarmed Jews doing Exodus reen actment in c58 crushed Jewish revolt in Caesarea
54-68 Jun9: Nero: b.37, Roman Emperor, last of Julio-Claudian Dynasty, in 59 killed mother Agrippina, in 62 killed wife Octavia, married Poppaea Sabina, in 64 Jul 18 "Great Fire", in 65 ordered suicides of poets Seneca the Younger (Dialogi, Naturales quaestiones) & Lucan (Bellum Civile), in 66 entered Olympic Games & won, freed Greece from Roman administration, ordered suicide of courtier Petronius (Satyricon;Loeb:1v), in 68 Jun 9 committed suicide, resurrected as "Nero redivivus"?
56: Tacitus' writings begin
58: Ming-Ti: Chinese Emperor, introduced Buddhism to China
58-170: 3rd Corinthians: by Paul of Tarsus? original in Greek (Armenian Bible)
c60-62-64: Porcius Festus - Lucceius Albinus: Roman Procurators of Iudaea
62: Jesus son of Ananias proclaimed "...a voice against Jerusalem..."; Persius: b.34, Roman Stoic satirist, wrote: "Satirae"; {Being therefore this kind of person [i.e., a heartless Sadducee], Ananus {II} thinking that he had a favorable opportunity because Festus had died & Albinus was still on his way, called a meeting [literally, "sanhedrin"] of judges and brought into it the brother of Jesus-who-is-called-Messiah, James by name, and some others. He made the accusation that they had transgressed the law, and he handed them over to be stoned.}
64-66: Gessius Florus: Roman Procurator of Iudaea (Samaria, Judea, Idumea), a Greek from Asia Minor, raided Temple setting off Jewish rebellion of 66-73
64 Jul 18: Great Fire of Rome: Nero accused Christians: "Therefore to squelch the rumor [that he had started the Great Fire of Rome], Nero created scapegoats and subjected to the most refined tortures those whom the common people called 'Christians', [a group] hated for their abominable crimes. Their name comes from Christ, who, during the reign of Tiberius, had been executed by the procurator Pontius Pilate. Suppressed for the moment, the deadly superstition broke out again, not only in Judea, the land which originated this evil, but also in the city of Rome, where all sorts of horrendous and shameful practices from every part of the world converge and are fervently cultivated."
65-150: Gospel redaction and compilation stage of Christianity, post-Paul, center of Christianity shifted to Antioch & Rome ("New Babylon" of 1 Pt 5:13)
c65: Q: (German: Quelle=Source), hypothetical Greek text used in Matt & Luke
65-150: Gospel of Peter, Dialogue of the Savior (Complete Gospels); Didache: Instructions of the Apostles, pub. 1883 (Apostolic Fathers); Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1224 fragments: pub. 1914, {When the scholars and Pharisees and priests observe[ed hi]m, they were indignant [because he reclined in the com]pany of sin[ners]. But Jesus overheard [them and said,] Those who are well don't need a doctor.]} -5(SV) || Mk 2:15-17; Mt 9:10-13;Lk 5:29-32 [Ref: The Complete Gospels, 1992, ISBN:0-944344-30-5]; Gospel of Thomas: based on Q?, pub. 1959, Greek originals: Papyrus Ox. 1,654-5; {Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the imperial rule is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the imperial rule is within you and it is outside you. When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."} -Th3(SV), cf. Mk 13:21-23; Mt 24:23-28; Lk 17:20-25; Jb 28:12-14,20-22(LXX); Bar 3:29-32,35-37; Dt30:11-14(LXX);Sir1:1-3 {His disciples said to him, "When will the rest for the dead take place, and when will the new world come?" He said to them, "What you are looking forward to has come, but you don't know it."} -Th51(SV), cf. Mt 11:28 -29; DSav65-68; Sir 51:26-27, 6:23-31; Lk 17:20-21; Mk 9:12-13; Mt 17:11; 2Tm 2:17-18 {His disciples said to him, "When will the Father's imperial rule come?" "It will not come by watching for it. It will not be said, 'Look, here!' or 'Look, there!' Rather, the Father's imperial rule is spread out upon the earth, and people don't see it."} -Th113(SV) || Lk 17:20-21; cf. Mary 4:4-5; Mk 13:21; Mt 24:23; Lk 17:23 [Ref: The Complete Gospels, ISBN:0-944344-30-5]
65-175: Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 840 fragments: pub. 1908, {In response the savior said to him: "I feel sorry for the blind who can't see. You bathe in these stagnant waters where dogs & pigs wallow day & night.} -2:7(SV) cf. Mt 7:6; Jn 9:40-41; 2 Pt 2:22; Rv 22:15 [Ref: The Complete Gospels, ISBN:0-944344-30-5]
65-175: Papyrus Egerton 2 (Unknown Gospel) fragments: pub. 1935/87, in Greek from Palestine, one of the oldest extant Christian texts (c175), {Turning to the rulers of the people, made this statement: "Pore over the writings. You imagine that in them there is life to be had. They do indeed give evidence on my behalf."} -EgerG1:2(SV) || Jn 5:39 (Comp. Gospels)
65-250: Papyrus Fayum (P. Vindob. G. 2325) fragments: pub. 1887, {(He said, after) eating according to custom, "Al[l of you on this] night will fall away, [according to] scripture: 'I will strike the [shepherd and the] sheep will be scattered.'" [When] Peter said, "Even if all, [yet not I," (Jesus said) "Before] the cock crows twice [today three times] you will deny me."} cf. Mk 14:26-31; Mt 26:30-35; Lk 22:31-34 [Ref: Anchor Bible Dictionary, 1992]
65-350: "Jewish-Christian Gospels": 7 fragments of Gospel of the Ebionites and 7 fragments of Gospel of the Hebrews in Greek; 36 fragments of Gospel of the Nazarenes in Aramaic; [Ref: NT Apocrypha, W. Schneemelcher, vol. 1]
66-428: Armenian Arsacid Dynasty: founded by Trdat the Parthian, appr. by Nero
66-73: Roman-Jewish War: final destruction of Second Temple (Herod's Temple) {What more than all else incited them [the Jews] to the [1st Roman] war was an ambiguous oracle ... found in their sacred scriptures, to the effect that at that time 1 from their country would become ruler of the world. This they understood to mean someone of their own race, & many of their wise men went astray in their interpretation of it. The oracle, however, in reality signified the sovereignty of Vespasian who was proclaimed Emperor on Jewish soil} [Josephus' JW 6.312-13, Crossan, Who Killed Jesus?, p44, ISBN:0-06-061479-X]
66: Roman Legate of Syria Cestius Gallus forced to retreat from Iudaea
67: Roman General Vespasianus (Vespasian) conquered Galilee; 1st Pope St. Peter, 1st bishop of Antioch, martyred in Rome
67-76-88: Popes St. Linus (2 Tm 4:21?) and St. Anacletus (Cletus)
68: Qumran (Essenes?) (Dead Sea Scrolls - 1949) community destroyed by Rome
68 Jun-69 Jan-69 Apr-69 Dec: Galba-Otho-Vitellius: Roman Emperors, all assassinated.
69-79 Jun23: Vespasianus: b.9, Roman Emperor, appointed by Senate, founded Flavian Dynasty (69-96), built Colosseum, quelled Rome & Jerusalem revolts, in 70 July eldest son Titus reclaimed Roman Antonia fortress in Jerusalem, in August conquered Jerusalem, destroyed Temple; in 71 built Arch of Titus, in 73 Jewish fortress at Masada fell, residents committed mass suicide
69: "Nero redivivus" martyred in Galatia [ABD,Tac.Hist.2.8]
70-361: special annual tax of 2 drachmas levied on all Jews of the Roman Empire since Jupiter Capitolinus (God of Rome) had defeated God of Jerusalem {Besides other taxes, that on the Jews was levied with the utmost rigour, and those were prosecuted who without publicly acknowledging that faith yet lived as Jews, as well as those who concealed their origin and did not pay the tribute levied upon their people. {{These were doubtless Christians, whom the Romans commonly confounded with the Jews.}} I recall being present in my youth when the person of a man ninety years old was examined before the procurator and a very crowded court, to see whether he was circumcised.} [Suetonius, de Vita Caesarum, Book VII, Domitian, XII.2, Loeb Classics]
70-640: Sanhedrin (High Court) period of Judaism: rise of house of Hillel (9)
70-132: Sanhedrin (High Court) of Judaism regularly held in Jabneh (Jamnia), begun by Rabban Johanan ben Zakkai to 'perform commandments & teach Torah'
c70: Gospel of Mark: Peter's interpreter? [1 Pt 5:13], written in Rome?, ends unexpectedly at Mk 16:8, original ending apparently lost, endings added c400; "Signs Gospel": hypothetical Greek text used in Gospel of John to prove Jesus is Messiah; [Complete Gospels]: Opening: Jn 1:6-7,19-49; in Galilee: Jn 2:1-12a, 4:46b-54, 21:1-14, 6:1-14,15b-25; in Jerusalem: Jn 11:1-45, 9:1-8,5:2-9; Culmination: Jn 11:47-53, 2:14-19, 12:37-40; Passion Prelude: Jn 12:1-8,12-15; Passion: Jn 18:1-19,42; Resurrection: Jn 20:1-22; Closing: Jn 20:30-31; Suetonius' writings begin
71: "The Jewish War": (JW), by Josephus (c100), written in Greek
c74: Publius Annius Florus: Roman historian; (Loeb Classics) 79-81 Sep13: Titus: b.39, Roman Emperor, Vespasianus' eldest son
79: Pliny the Elder: b.23, Roman scholar, victim of Mt. Vesuvius eruption on August 24 that destroyed Pompeii & Herculaneum, wrote of Essenes; Loeb:10v 80: Terentius Maximus of Parthia claimed to be "Nero redivivus" [ABD]
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c80: Gospel of Matthew: most popular in early church, based on Mark and Q; "Council of Jamnia" said to have canonized Jewish Scripture [discredited] 81-96Sep18: Domitianus: b.51, Roman Emperor, Vespasianus' youngest son, "Nero redivivus?", proclaimed himself "Lord & God", stabbed to death by wife ...
81-96: Domitienne Way: This Roman road "Voie Domitienne" was built during the rule of the Roman emperor Titus Flavius Domitianus (51-96), who succeded his brother Titus. Vestiges of the Domitienne Way can be seen where it passed through Cavaillon, Bonnieux and Apt. At Cavaillon, two arcades that crossed the "way" still stand. At Bonnieux, the "way" crossed the Calavon river at the Pont Julien, one of the most beautiful Roman bridges in France.
88: 2nd "Nero redivivus" of Parthia: "Even now his subjects wish he were alive, and most men believe that he is." [ABD,Dio Chrysostom Or.21.10]
88-97: Pope St. Clement I: wrote on the importance of the Bishop of Rome and was martyred
c90: Gospel of Luke: based on Mark & Q, also Acts - same author, style of LXX; Josephus claimed 22 Jewish books: 5 Law, 13 History, 4 Hymns [AA1.8] c91-c101: Pope Clement I: Phil 4:3?, wrote to Corinth in c95: "1 Clement" (AF) {...Clement's Bible is the Old Testament, to which he refers repeatedly as Scripture (graphe), quoting it with more or less exactness. Clement also makes occasional reference to certain words of Jesus; though they are authoritative for him, he does not appear to enquire how their authenticity is ensured. In two of the three instances that he speaks of remembering 'the words' of Christ or of the Lord Jesus, it seems that he has a written record in mind, but he does not call it a 'gospel'. He knows several of Paul's epistles, and values them highly for their content; the same can be said of the Epistle to the Hebrews, with which he is well acquainted. Although these writings obviously possess for Clement considerable significance, he never refers to them as authoritative 'Scripture'.} [Canon NT,Metzger,p.43]
94: "Jewish Antiquities": by Josephus in Aramaic, trans. to Greek, Testimonium Flavianum: {At this time there appeared Jesus, a wise man. For he was a doer of startling deeds, a teacher of people who receive the truth with pleasure. And he gained a following both among many Jews and among many of Greek origin. And when Pilate, because of an accusation made by the leading men among us, condemned him to the cross, those who had loved him previously did not cease to do so. And up until this very day the tribe of Christians (named after him) has not died out.} [JA18.3.3 Meier redaction, Marginal Jew, p.61]
c95: Quintilianus: b.35?, Roman rhetor, wrote: "Institutio oratoria"; Loeb:4v
96-98 Jan25: Nerva: b.35?, Roman Emperor, law reform, adopted successor Trajan
c96: Statius: b.40?, Roman poet, wrote: Silvae, Thebais, Achilleis; Loeb:2v
97: Wang Ch'ung: b.27, Chinese Confucianist
97-105: Pope St. Evaristus
98-117 Aug 8: Trajanus: b.53?, Roman Emperor, selected by Nerva, Empire reached maximum size; Roman Arch Aqueduct at Segovia, Spain; annexed Dacia (Romania 106-1453), Arabia (106-c630), Armenia (114-162), Mesopotamia (114-115); revolt in 115-117 when Procurator Lucius Quietus provoked Kitos War in Jerusalem, spread to Libya, Cyrenaica, Egypt, Cyprus, Mesopotamia, ended Roman eastward expansion, Parthia restored, Egyptian Jewry declined ...
c100: Beginnings of Bantu migration in Africa; Peshawar (now in Pakistan) becomes an important trading centre of the Kushan Empire; Gospel of John: only eyewitness? the disciple Jesus loved? Gnostic?; Odes of Solomon: Gnostic?, Greek or Syriac?, ref by John? (Apocrypha); Epistle of Barnabas: Christian exegesis of LXX (AF = Apostolic Fathers); 2 Clement: an old sermon but not by Clement (AF = Apostolic Fathers); 2 Esdras (Vg=Esdrae IV): v14:45 claims 24 Jewish books (Vulgate,Peshitta); Apocalypse of Baruch (2 Baruch in Syriac; 3 Baruch in Greek) (Peshitta); Paralipomena of Jeremiah: (4 Baruch), written in Hebrew (Ethiopic Bible); Masoretes at Tiberias compile Masora (MT), standard Jewish Scriptures; Apollonius of Tyana: neo-Pythagorean, raised dead, pred. Domitian's end; Testaments 12 Patriarchs:Hebrew-Aramaic frags @Qumran1,4(Armenian Bible); Epistle to the Laodiceans: [cf.Col 4:16] ??? (Vulgate Fuldensis, see 546); Chang Cheng: Chinese astronomer, built 1st seismoscope; Flavius Josephus: b.37?, Jewish general, turncoat, historian, hellenist: 71: JW=Jewish War; c90: AA=Against Apion; 94: JA=Jewish Antiquities; Loeb10v
100-150: Secret Book (Apocryphon) of James, Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Infancy Gospels of Thomas and James, Secret Gospel (of Mark) (Complete Gospels)
105-115: Pope St. Alexander I
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c110: Ignatius: 3rd bishop of Antioch, martyred in Rome, letters subjected to heavy Christian forgery, advocated bishop: "careful not to oppose the bishop , in order that we may be obedient to God. ... regard the bishop as the Lord himself." [I Eph 5-6]; "godly bishop ... presiding in the place of God ... Lord did nothing without the Father, ... so you must not do anything without the bishop ... be subject to the bishop ... as Jesus Christ in the flesh was to the Father," [IMag2,6-7,13]; "subject to the bishop as to Jesus Christ, ... respect the bishop, who is a model of the Father," [I Tr 2-3]; "follow the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed the Father, ... one who honors the bishop has been honored by God;" [I Smy 8-9]; rejected Sabbath: "no longer keeping the Sabbath but living in accordance with the Lord's Day," [I Mag 9.1] (AF)
c114: Lucius Apuleius: Roman satirist: The Golden Ass, Metamorphoses; Loeb:2v and 3v; Pliny the Younger: b.61?, Roman consul, recorded Christians as "singing hymns to Christ as to a god" [Letter 10.96]
115: Lucian: Gk satirist: Passing of Peregrinus (satire of Christians); Loeb8v
115-125: Pope St. Sixtus I
117-138 Jul 10: Hadrianus: b.76, Roman Emperor, built wall across Britain
c117: Publius Cornelius Tacitus: b.55?, Roman Historian: "Annals"; (Loeb:5v)
c120: Plutarch: b.46?, Greek historian, wrote 200+: "Parallel Lives"; Loeb:27v
c125: Papyrus 52: oldest extant NT fragment, p.1935, parts of Jn 18:31-33,37-38
c125: Shepherd of Hermas: written in Rome (AF = Apostolic Fathers); Quadratus: bishop of Athens [ANF=Ante-Nicene Fathers,Eerdmans,v.8]
125-225: "Christian Apologists" writings against Roman Paganism by: Quadratus (c125), Aristides of Athens (c145), Justin Martyr (165), Tatian (172), Melito (177), Apollinaris (c180), Athenagoras (c180), Theophilus (180), also Epistle to Diognetus (150-225?) in Apostolic Fathers
125-136: Pope St. Telesphorus: Martialis: b.40?, Roman epigrammist
125: (Loeb Classics: 2 volumes) c105: Ts'ai Lun: of China "invents" paper, monopoly held till 751 [earliest extant papers are c.100bce from Sian (1957) & 49bce from Sinkiang (1933)]
c130: "Gospel of Basilides": a 24 book commentary?, Gnostic?, lost; Papias: bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor, wrote: "Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord", lost, widely quoted, see Eusebius (340) (AF); Aquila of Pontus: Roman convert to Christianity then to Judaism, student of Rabban Gamaliel, compiled literal Greek OT translation in Jabneh (Jamnia)
132-135: Bar Kokhba uprising against Rome after Hadrianus, Roman Emperor, tried to build Jupiter Capitolinus Temple on Jerusalem Temple, Judea and Jerusalem erased from maps, southern Syria renamed "Palaestina" (coined by Herodotus)
135: R. Akiva ben Joseph of Judea: b.50?, executed by the Romans for teaching Torah in public after revolt, flesh was torn from his body with iron combs, coined "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" as 1st principle of Torah
136-140: Pope St. Hyginus
138-161 Mar7: Antoninus Pius: b.86, Roman Emperor, selected by Hadrian, in 145 dedicated Temple of Divus Hadrianus (Divine Hadrian)
138-165: Sanhedrin (High Court) of Judaism regularly held in Usha, Galilee
140-155: Pope St. Pius I
c140: Juvenalis: b.60?, greatest Roman Satirist; (Loeb Classics with Persius); Apocalypse of Peter: written in Greek [NT Apocrypha, Schneemelcher,v.2]; Suetonius: b.70, Roman historian: "de Vita Caesarum"; Loeb Classics: 2v; Marcion of Pontus: 1st Radical Paulinist?, inspired by Luke 5:36, claimed Jesus rejected "Law & Prophets" (OT), claimed to have recovered lost original Gospel from Luke, promoted Canon of heavily edited Gospel of Luke and 10 Pauline Letters and his own "Antitheses"; "Western" Gospel text-type
149: Hsu Shen: wrote Shou wen chieh tzu, Chinese dictionary of 10,516 symbols
c150: Claudius Ptolemy of Alexandria: Greek astronomer, "Geocentric"; (Loeb); Gospel of the Egyptians: Coptic translation of orig. Greek (Nag Hammadi); Nagarjuna founded Madhyamika (Mahayana Buddhism) school in India; "Teachings of Silvanus": Gnostic; v99.13: Christ has a single hypostasis [hidden spiritual reality]; v102.3: Christ is incomprehensible with respect to his hypostasis (Nag Hammadi); "Western Reviser" adds/subtracts from original Acts to produce "Western" version which is 10% larger and found in Papyrus P29,38,48 & Codex Bezae (D) {Who it was that was responsible for the additional information concerning the apostolic age or where it came from is entirely unknown. According to F. G. Kenyon, "What one would like to suppose (but for which there is no external evidence), is that one of St. Paul's companions transcribed Luke's book [Acts] (perhaps after the author's death), and inserted details of which he had personal knowledge, & made other alterations in accordance with his own taste in a matter on which he was entitled to regard himself as having authority equal to that of Luke."} [Textual Comm., Metzger, p272, 3-438-06010-8]; Papyrus Chester Beatty 6: R963, Greek Num 5:12-36:13, Deut 1:20-34:12; Ts'an T'ung Ch'i: by Wei Po-yang of China, earliest extant alchemy
c155: Montanus: of Pepuza, Phrygia; claimed to be Paraclete of John 14:16
155-166: Pope St. Anicetus
c156: Chang Tao-ling: b.34?, Chinese Taoist, left clothes, ascended to heaven
c160: Polycarp: bishop of Smyrna, martyred at 86, wrote "Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians" c.110; "Martyrdom of Polycarp"; both in Greek (AF)
161-180 Mar 17: Marcus Aurelius: b.121, Roman Emperor, selected by Pius, Stoic philosopher, wrote: Greek "Meditationes" & Latin "Letters" (Loeb); Parthia invaded Armenia: 162; Great Plague: 164-180; Boucholoi Revolt of Egyptian Delta: 172; Revolt of Syrian Governor Cassius: 175; German Revolt: 178-188
165-180: Sanhedrin (High Court) of Judaism regularly held in Shefaram, Galilee
165: Justin Martyr: b.114?, Roman Platonist convert to Christianity, martyred, wrote: 1-2 Apology, Dialogue with Trypho a Jew [ANF=Ante-Nicene Fathers,v.1]; Gellius: b.123?, Roman writer, wrote: "Attic Nights"; Loeb Classics: 3v
166-175: Pope St. Soter: moved "Easter" from Bible's 14 Nisan to following Sunday (Sun's Day)
170: Christian Council of Asia Minor: against Montanus & his Montanist sect; Symmachus: an Ebionite, wrote an entirely new Greek OT translation; Dionysius: bishop of Corinth, complained Christians were changing & faking his own letters just as they had changed the Gospels [EH4.23.12;ANF,v.8]; Alogi: Asia Minor Christian sect, rejected antipope Saint Hippolytus' "Logos" doctrine? (217-235), rejected Gospel of John and Revelations which were said to be written by the Gnostic Cerinthus [Epiphanius, Heresies 51.3] 172: Tatian the Assyrian: b.110, Gnostic?, disciple of Justin Martyr, founded Encratite sect of Antioch, wrote: Address to Greeks [ANF,v.2], used "Law and Prophets" but rejected Acts and Pauline Letters [EH4.29.5], Diatessaron (Harmony) [ANF,v.10] blend of 4 "Western" text-type Gospels into 1: {[the mother of the sons of Zebed]ee (Mt 27:56) & Salome (Mk 15:40) & the wives [of those who] had followed him from [Galile]e to see the crucified(Lk23:49b-c). And [the da]y was Preparation; the Sabbath was daw[ning] (Lk 23:54). And when it was evening (Mt 27:57), on the Prep[aration], that is, the day before the Sabbath (Mk 25:42), [there came] up a man (Mt 27:57), be[ing] a member of the council (Lk 23:50), from Arimathea (Mt 27:57), a c[i]ty of [Jude]a (Lk 23:51), by name Jo[seph](Mt 27:57), good & ri[ghteous] (Lk 23:50), being a disciple of Jesus, but se[cret]ly, for fear of the [Jew]s (Jn 19:38). And he (Mt 27:57) was looking for [the] k[ingdom] of God(Lk 23:51b). This man [had] not [con]sented to [their] p[urpose] (Lk 23:51a)} {#0212} [Text NT,Metzger,0-19-507297-9,p90]
175-189: Pope St. Eleutherius
c175: Acts of Paul: (inc. 3 Cor.), in Greek [NT Apocrypha,Schneemelcher,v.2]; Valentinus: b.100?, founded Gnostic Valentinian School of Rome, taught secret wisdom from Paul [Rm 16:25,1 Cor 2:7] from his disciple Theudas, wrote: "On the 3 Natures", quoted in Pseudo-Anthimus: God is 3 hypostases [hidden spiritual realities] & 3 prosopa [persons]: Father, Son, Holy Spirit
177: Melito: bishop of Sardis [ANF=Ante-Nicene Fathers,Eerdmans,v.8]
178: "True Discourse": by Celsus, an anti-Christian polemic, original lost but fragments recorded by Origen (253) in "Contra Celsum": {Jesus fabricated the account of his birth from a virgin. In reality, Jesus' mother was driven out by the carpenter husband to whom she was betrothed because she had committed adultery with a soldier named Panthera (cf. the Ben Pantere of Jewish sources). Left poor and homeless, she gave birth to Jesus in secret. Jesus later spent time in Egypt, where he hired himself out as a laborer, learned magic, and so came to claim the title of god.} [CC1.28-32, Marginal Jew, Meier,p.223]
180-192 Dec31: Commodus: b.161, Roman emperor, Hercules redivivus, strangled
180-210: Sanhedrin (High Court) of Judaism regularly held in Beth-shearim
180: Theophilus: bishop of Caesarea [ANF=Ante-Nicene Fathers,Eerdmans,v.8]; Gaius: b.110?, Roman jurist, wrote: "Institutiones": summary of Roman Law; Athenagoras: Athenian philosopher convert to Christianity [ANF,v.2]; Apollinaris: bishop of Hierapolis [ANF=Ante-Nicene Fathers,v.8]
184-204: Yellow Turban Rebellion of China: contributed to final Han overthrow
c185: Theophilus: 7th bishop of Antioch, convert from paganism [ANF,v.2]
189-199: Pope St. Victor I: 1st Latin Pope, called Council in 190 to determine "official" new date of "Easter" but failed, excommunicated Eastern churches that continued to observe "Easter" on Biblical Nisan 14 "Quartodeciman"
c190: Serapion: 9th bishop of Antioch, disputed Gospel of Peter (65) [EH6.12]; Hsu Yo: Chinese mathematician, wrote: Shu Shu Chi I; Heracleon: disciple of Gnostic Valentinus, 1st commentary on Gospel of John (cited by Origen & Clement), wrote: "Tripartite Tractate" (Nag Hammadi)
192-197: Roman Civil War
193 Jan-Mar-Jun: Pertinax - Didius Julianus: Roman Emperors, both assassinated
193-211 Feb4: Septimius Severus: b.146, Roman Emperor, persecuted Christians
196: Polycrates: b.125?, bishop of Ephesus, supported Quartodecimans in "Easter" controversy versus Pope Victor in 190 [ANF=Ante-Nicene Fathers,v.8]
199-217: Pope St. Zephyrinus
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