Chronology of Early Christianity

From Christ to Constantine

c. 64 B.C. 4 B.C.
A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D.

Jesus of Nazareth is born in Bethlehem. Death of Herod the Great, ruler of Judea, Samaria, Galilee, and surrounding territories. King Herod had been the loyal client of the Roman emperor Augustus. Territories of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea come under direct imperial control as the Roman province of Judea. Ministry of John the Baptist. Ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The twelve apostles and other of Jesus early followers from Galilee settle in Jerusalem. Saul of Tarsus, a devoted Jew and persecutor of the followers of Jesus, encounters the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus and subsequently becomes the apostle Paul. Life of Josephus, the Jewish historian. Pauls first missionary journey to Syria, southern Asia, and Cyprus. Council of Jerusalem; the leaders of the Church resolve the difficulties of taking the gospel to the Gentiles. Pauls second missionary journey to Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia. Pauls third missionary journey (again to Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia.) Paul arrested in Jerusalem and imprisoned in Caesarea. Pauls imprisonment in Rome. Afterwards he continues his missionary journeys, possibly visiting Spain. Great Fire in Rome; Nero blames Christians for the disaster and begins state persecution and executions. Paul again imprisoned at Rome. Paul beheaded and Peter crucified by the Romans. First Jewish Revolt against Rome. A feud between Jewish and Greek factions in the city of Ceasarea leads to fighting that quickly spreads throughout the region. Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakki seeks and receives permission from the Roman general and future emperor Vespasian to establish a new religious school after the war in the Palestinian coastal city of Jamnia. This sets the stage for the emergence of modern Rabbinic Judaism. The emperor Neros death launches a year of civil war in Rome. Reign of the emperor Vespasian. Fall of Jerusalem and complete destruction of the temple under military leadership of Vespasians son, Titus. Josephus publishes The War of the Jews. Reign of the emperor Titus (Vespasians elder son and the general who burned the Temple). Reign of the emperor Domitian (Vespasians younger son). Gospel of Thomas and other gnostic manuscripts written. Josephus publishes The Antiquities of the Jews. Clement, bishop of Rome, writes his epistle to the church in Corinth (1 Clement). John banished to Patmos, where he writes his apocalypse (Revelation).

2629

2830 33/34

30 and later
A.D. A.D.

37100 4748
A.D.

A.D.

49

A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D.

4952 5357 5759 5962

A.D.

64

A.D. A.D.

6567 6670
A.D.

68

A.D. A.D.

68 70 77

6979
A.D. A.D.

A.D. A.D. A.D.

7981 8196
A.D. A.D.

90150 94 95

A.D.

9596

A.D. A.D. A.D. A.D.

9698 98117

Reign of the emperor Nerva. Reign of the emperor Trajan. The Didache (also known as the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles), the earliest Christian catechism, is compiled and disseminated. Life of Justin Martyr, early Christian apologist. Justin defends Christianity as a philosophy worthy of the respect of the educated and as the only legitimate heir to the Israelite scriptures. Pliny, the Roman governor of Pontus-Bithynia writes to the emperor Trajan seeking advice regarding the punishment of Christians. The emperor tells Pliny that persecuting people on unproven charges is contrary to the spirit of our times. Reign of emperor Hadrian. The Epistle of Barnabas is written. This popular work argues that Judaism was a false religion given by an evil angel, and that Christianity has corrected this error. Second Jewish Revolt against Rome (Bar Kochba Revolt). Jews scattered and sold into slavery. Life of Clement of Alexandria, early Christian teacher and theologian. Clements theology is known for its blend of Christianity with Greek philosophical precepts. Life of Tertullian, early Christian apologist. Prolific writer and sharp-witted defender of the emerging Christian orthodoxy, until he converted to Montanism late in his life. Celsus writes The True Word, an argument against Christianity. Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, asserts that the proper number of gospels is four. Life of Origen. One of the great early Christian scholars and teachers, his writings had a profound effect on the development of Christian theology, particularly in the provinces of the Greek East. Major persecution of Christians under emperor Decius. Origen publishes Contra Celsum (Against Celsus), in response to Celsus The True Word. Persecution under emperor Valerian. Persecution ends when Gallienus becomes emperor. Life of Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, historian of the early church and court historian to Constantine. Persecution begins under Diocletian. Battle of Milvian Bridge; Constantine sees a vision of the symbol of the cross, accompanied by the phrase in hoc signo vince (by this sign, conquer). He adopts Christ as his patron and defeats his rival Maxentius to become sole ruler of Italy, Africa, and the entire western half of the empire. Edict of Milan. An agreement between Constantine, ruler of the West, and Licinius, ruler of the East, that assured full restitution of all confiscated Christian property and full rights for Christian worship in both halves of the Roman empire. Constantine defeats Licinius in a battle near Adrianople and becomes ruler of the entire Roman empire. He moves the eastern capital from Nicomedia to Byzantine, henceforth known as Constantinople. Council of Nicea attempts to resolve theological differences among church factions. It is agreed that Christ was both fully human and fully divine and that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are ontologically three persons existing in one being or substance. Constantine falls ill, is baptized a Christian, and dies.

100120 100165

A.D.

112113

A.D.

117138

c. A.D. 130
A.D. A.D. A.D.

132135 150215 150222

A.D. A.D.

178 180

A.D.

185254

A.D.

249251
A.D.

250

A.D.

257260
A.D.

260

A.D.

260340
A.D. A.D.

303 312

A.D.

313

A.D.

324

A.D.

325

A.D.

327

Adapted from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/cron.html and other sources.