A Handbook of Church History
Appendix 2:
Chronological Table of the Principal Events of the Ecclesiastical History of the First Three Centuries. B.C. - Jesus Christ born.
- Herod the Great died.
A.D. - Archelaus banished. Quirinius sent to levy the tax in Judaea. Insurrection of Judas of Galilee.
- Augustus died, August 10. Tiberius succeeded.
- Jews expelled from Rome.
- Jews again expelled from Rome.
- Poutius Pilate appointed procurator of Judaea.
- Jews allowed to return to Rome.
- Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
- Appointment of the Seven Deacons shortly before the Feast of Tabernacles.
- Death of Stephen. Conversion of Saul.
- Meeting between S. Peter and Simon Magus in Samaria.
- Saul in Arabia.
- James the Just appointed bishop of Jerusalem. Elders appointed.
- Conversion of Cornelius.
- Saul returns to Damascus. Goes from thence to Jerusalem; and from thence to Tarsus.
- Pontius Pilate banished. Judaea annexed to Syria.
- Tiberius died, March 16. Caligula succeeded.
- Herod Agrippa made king of his uncle Philip's territories. Herod Antipas banished, and Galiee given to Herod Agrippa.
- Caligula orders his statue to be erected in the temple at Jerusalem.
- Caligula killed, January 24. Claudius succeeded.
- Barnabas brings Saul from Tarsus to Antioch.
- Name of Christians first used at Antioch.
- Famine in Judaea. Saul and Barnabas go with contributions to Jerusalem.
- James the son of Zebedee killed. Peter imprisioned.
- Herod Agrippa dies. Cuspius Fadus made procurator.
- Paul and Barnabas take their first journey, and return to Antioch.
- Tiberius Alexander, procurator of Judaea.
- Council at Jerusalem.
- Evodius, bishop of Antioch.
- Paul sets out on his second journey with Silas; winters at Corinth.
- Paul at Corinth; writes his two Epistles to the Thessalonians.
- Paul leaves Corinth, visits Jerusalem, and comes to Ephesus.
- Agrippa (son of Herod Agrippa) made king of Chalesis, with the superintendence of the Temple.
- Cumanus and Felix appointed procurators of Judaea, Samaria, and Galilee.
- Paul visits Crete; leaves Titus there, and returns to Ephesus; writes his Epistles to Titus and the Galatians.
- Paul writes his first Epistle to the Corinthians. Riot in the theatre. Paul leaves Ephesus; writes his first Epistle to Timothy; traverses Macedonia, writes his second Epistle to the Corinthians, and winters at Corinth.
- Claudius gives Trachonitis to Agrippa, instead of his other territories.
- Egyptian imposter in Judaea.
- Paul writes his Epistle to the Romans, leaves Corinth, goes to Jerusalem, and is imprisoned in Cæsarea.
- Felix sole procurator of Judaea.
- Claudius poisoned, October 13. Nero succeeded.
- Nero gives Galilee and Peraea to Agrippa.
- Luke wrote his Gospel.
- Festus succeeds Felix as procurator of Judaea.
- Paul sails for Rome, winters in Melite.
- Paul arrives at Rome; writes his Epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and the Philippians.
- Luke writes the Acts of the Apostles.
- Paul leaves Rome; writes his Epistles to the Hebrews.
- Peter visits Rome, and goes from thence to Egypt.
- Linus, bishop of Rome.
- Mark writes his Gospel.
- Peter writes his first Epistle.
- James, bishop of Jerusalem, writes his Epistle
- Albinus succeeds Festus as procurator of Judaea
- James, bishop of Jerusalem, killed. Symeon succeeds.
- Death of Mark; Annianus succeeds as bishop of Alexandria.
- Burning of Rome. Christians persecuted.
- Florus succeeds Albinus as procurator of Judaea.
- Jewish war broke out. Christians retire to Pella.
- Matthew writes his Gospel.
- Epistle of Jude.
- Paul goes to Rome; writes his second Epistle to Timothy.
- Peter writes his second Epistle, and goes to Rome.
- Peter and Paul killed.
- Linus killed. Aneneletus succeeds as bishop of Rome.
- Nero dies, June 9. Galba, Otho, Vitellius.
- Vespasian made emperor, July 1.
- Ignatius succeeds Evodius as bishop of Antioch, v. 46.
- Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus.
- Rise of the Ebionites and Nazarenes.
- Vespasian died, June 24. Titus succeeds.
- Titus died, September 13. Domitian succeeded.
- Abilius succeeded Annianus as bishop of Alexandria, v. 62.
- Cerinthians and Nicolaitans, heretics.
- Clement succeeded Anencletus as bishop of Rome, v. 68.
- Persecution: Acilius Giabrio and Flavius Clemens suffer at Rome. John banished to Patmos; wrote his Revelations.
- Domitian died, September 18. Nerva succeeded.
- John returns to Ephesus. Wrote his Gospel and Epistles.
- Cerdo succeeded Abilius as bishop of Alexandria, v. 82.
- Nerva died, January 27. Trajan succeeded.
- Evarestus succeeded Clement as bishop of Rome, v. 93.
- Symeon bishop of Jerusalem, martyred. Justus succeeded, v. 62.
- Elaxai joins the Ebionites.
- Trajan sets out for Parthia, and stops at Antioch.
- Martyrdom of Ignatius. Heros succeeds as bishop of Antioch.
- Alexander succeeds Evarestus as bishop of Rome.
- Pliny goes to Bithynia as propraetor.
- Trajan returns to Europe.
- Pliny writes to Trajan, and persecutes in Bithynia
- Zacchaeus succeeds Justus as bishop of Jerusalem.
- Insurrection of the Jews in Egypt and Cyrene.
- Basilides, a leader of the Gnostics at Alexandria, and Saturninus at Antioch.
- Xystus succeeds Alexander as bishop of Rome.
- Trajan dies, August 10. Hadrian succeeds.
- Aelia Capitolina built on the site of Jerusalem.
- Aquila translates the Jewish Scriptures into Greek.
- Hadrian visits Alexandria.
- Justus succeeds Primus as bishop of Alexandria.
- Martyrdom of Symphorosa and her sons.
- Hadrian visits Athens. Apoligies presented to him by Quadratus and Aristides.
- Hadrian writes to M. Fundanus, proconsul of Asia, concerning the Christians.
- Hadrian writes to Servianus, the consul, mentioning the Christians.
- Cornelius succeeds Heros as bishop of Antioch.
- Telesphorus succeeds Xystus as bishop of Rome.
- Perpetual edict issued.
- Eumenes succeeds Justus as bishop of Alexandria.
- Revolt of the Jews under Bareochebas.
- Justin Martyr leaves Palestine.
- Bitthera taken. End of the Jewish war.
- Marcus, the first Gentile bishop of Jerusalem.
- Hadrian dies, July 10. Antouinus Pius succeeds.
- Telesphorus, bishop of Rome, martyred. Hyginus succeeds; while he was bishop (138-142) Valentinus and Cerdon, leaders of the Gnostics, came to Rome.
- Heros succeeds Cornelius as bishop of Rome.
- Marcion, a leader of the Gnostics, came to Rome.
- Pius succeeds Hyginus as bishop of Rome.
- Marcus succeeds Eumenes as bishop of Alexandria.
- Justin Martyr presented his First Apology to Antoniuus.
- Celadion succeeds Marcus as bishop of Alexandria.
- Anicetus succeeds Pius as bishop of Rome.
- Polycarp visits Rome.
- Hegesippus flourishes.
- Autoninus Pius died, March 7. Marcus Aurelius succeeds.
- Cassianus succeeds Marcus as bishop of Jerusalem.
- Justin Martyr presented his Second Apology in this reign.
- Death of Papias.
- Death of Justin Martyr.
- Death of Peregrinus, mentioned by Lucian.
- Tatian founded the sect of Eueratites.
- Apology of Athenagorus, or in 177.
- Bardesanes flourished.
- Martyrdom of Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna.
- Soter succeeds Anicetus as bishop of Rome.
- Agrippinus succeeds Celadion as bishop of Alexandria.
- Theophilus succeeds Heros as bishop of Antioch.
- Montanus began his heresy.
- Eleutherus succeeds Soter as bishop of Rome.
- Miracle of the Thundering Legion.
- Insurrection of Avidius Cassius in Syria.
- Persecution at Lyons. Pothinus, the bishop, martyred; succeeded by Irenaeus.
- Apology of Athenagoras, or in 166.
- Theophilus writes his work to Autolyeus.
- M. Aurelius dies, March 17. Commodus succeeds.
- Irenaeus writes his great work against the Gnostics in this reign,
- Apology of Miltiades.
- Julianus succeeds Agrippinus as bishop of Alexandria.
- Maximinus succeeds Theophilus as bishop of Anticoh.
- The Empress Crispina banished. Marcia, the mistress of Commodus, favors the Christians.
- Maximus, bishop of Jerusalem.
- Apollonius, senator of Rome, martyred.
- Theodotion translates the Jewish Scriptures into Greek.
- Philip, governor of Egypt, said to be a Christian.
- Demetrius succeeds Julianus as bishop of Alexandra.
- Pantaenus goes to India. Succeeded in the catechetical school of Alexandria by Clement.
- Victor succeeds Eleutherus as bishop of Rome.
- Serapion succeeds Maximinus as bishop of Antioch.
- Commodus killed, December 31. Septimius Severus succeeds.
- Byzantium taken. Theodotus goes to Rome; excommunicated by Victor for denying Christ to be God. His notions adopted by Artemas.
- Victor quarrels with Asiatic Churches about the paschal festival.
- Heresy of Pruxeas concerning the personality of the Son.
- Rhodon flourishes.
- Tertullian's Apology, or in 205
- Tertullian became a Montanist.
- Zephyrinus succeeds Victor as bishop of Rome.
- Severus visits Alexandra. Persecution begins.
- Leonides, the father of Origen, martyred, leaving his son seventeen years old.
- Clement leaves Alexandria.
- Symmachus translates the Jewish Scriptures into Greek.
- Persecution continues in Egypt. Severus returns to Rome.
- Secular games celebrated at Rome.
- Alexander, a Cappadocian bishop, imprisoned.
- Jude writes concerning Antichrist.
- Tertullian's Apology, or in 198.
- Tertullian writes against Marcion.
- Severus and his sons go into Britain.
- Severus dies at York, February 4. Caracalla and Geta succeed.
- Asolepiades succeeds Serapion as bishop of Antioch.
- Caracalla kills his brother Geta.
- Origen went to Rome and returned to Alexandria.
- Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem.
- Origen sent for to Arabia.
- Massacre at Alexandria by Caracalla. Origen went to Caesarea in Palestine.
- Council of Carthage under Agrippinus concerning baptism administered by heretics.
- Caracalla killed, April 8. Macrinus succeeds.
- Philetus succeeds Asclepiades as bishop of Antioch.
- Macrinus killed, June 3. Elagabalus succeeds.
- Mammaea sends for Origen to Antioch, or in 229.
- Callistus succeeds Zephryinus as bishop of Rome.
- Elegabalus establishes the worship of the sun at Rome.
- Elegabalus killed, March 6. Alexander succeeds.
- Urbanus succeeds Callistus as bishop of Rome.
- Alexander goes to Persia.
- Mammaea sends for Origen to Antioch, or in 218.
- Origen ordained at Caesarea; goes into Greece.
- Zebinus succeeds Philetus as bishop of Antioch.
- Pontianus succeeds Urbanus as bishop of Rome.
- Origen returns to Alexandria. Councils held against him by Demetrius.
- He finally leaves Alexandria, and settles at Caesarea. Becomes acquainted with Firmilianus, Athenodorus, and Theodorus.
- Council held at Iconium concerning baptism administered by heretics.
- Heraelas succeeds Demetrius as bishop of Alexandra.
- Alexander killed, march 14. Maximinus succeeded.
- Persecution.
- Origen retires to Cappadocia; begins his Hexapla.
- Maximinus killed in March. Gordian succeeds.
- Origen visits Greece.
- Anteros succeeds Pontianus as Bishop of Rome. Fabianus succeeds Anteros.
- Origen returns to Caesarea.
- Babylas succeeds Zebinus as bishop of Antioch.
- Gregory, (Thaumaturgus,) bishop of Neocaesarea in Pontus, flourishes.
- Beryllus, bishop of Bostra in Arabia, confounds the persons of the Trinity; convinced of his error by Origen.
- Council of ninety bishops at Carthage; Privatus condemned.
- Manes, or Manichaeus born.
- Gordian killed in May by Philip, who succeeds to the empire.
- Plotinus, the Platonic philosopher, settles in Rome.
- Philip celebrates the secular games.
- Dionysius succeeds Heraelas as bishop of Alexandria; Pierius succeeds to the catechetical school.
- Christians persecuted at Alexandria.
- Cyprian succeeds Donatus as bishop of Carthage. His election opposed by Novatus.
- Philip killed in July by Decius, who succeeds to the empire.
- Decius issues an edict for persecution.
- Fabianus, bishop of Rome, martyred; see vacant.
- Origen thrown into prison.
- Cyprian obliged to leave Carthage.
- Mazabanes succeeds Alexander as bishop of Jerusalem.
- Fabius succeeds Babylas as bishop of Antioch.
- Paul, the hermit, retires to the deserts in Egypt.
- Schism at Carthage. Cyprian returns, holds a council, and settles the question of the lapsed.
- Cornelius elected bishop of Rome; opposed by Novatian. Novatus goes to Rome.
- Council held at Rome; Novatian condemned.
- Decius killed in December. Gallus succeeds.
- Council at Carthage of sixty-six bishops.
- Council at Antioch. Demetrianus succeeds Fabius in that see.
- Pestilence begins, which lasted fifteen years.
- Persecution renewed by Gallus.
- Council at Carthage of forty-one bishops.
- Cornelius, bishop of Rome, martyred in September. Lucius succeeds.
- Invasion of the Goths, etc. War with Persia begins.
- Lucius, bishop of Rome, martyred in March. Stephen succeeds.
- Gallus killed in May. Valerian succeeds.
- Persecution stopped.
- Death of Origen.
- Marcianus, bishop of Arles, deposed for Novatianism.
- Basilides and Martialis, Spanish bishops, deposed.
- Controversy between Cyprian and Stephen concerning baptism administered by heretics. Council at Carthage decides against it.
- Another Council at Carthage.
- Valerian commences a persecution.
- Stephen, bishop of Rome, martyred. Xystus succeeds.
- Cyprian banished to Curubis.
- Sabellius spreads his doctrines. Dionysius writes against them.
- Macrianus renews the persecution. Dionysius banished to Cephron. Xystus martyred, and his deacon Laurentius. Cyprian martyred.
- Valerian taken prisoner in Persia. Gallienus succeeds.
- Gallienus stops the persecution.
- Dionysius made bishop of Rome.
- Paul of Samosata succeeds Demetrianns as bishop of Antioch.
- Maerianus killed. Persecution stopped everywhere.
- Theognostus succeeds Pierius in the catechetical school of Alexandria.
- Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, accused of holding erroneous notions concerning the divinity of Christ.
- Dionysius publishes his refutation and defense.
- Nepos maintains the doctrine of a millennium; opposed by Dionysius.
- Porphyry came to Rome.
- Hymeneus succeeded Mazabanes as bishop of Jerusalem.
- First council of Antioch against Paul of Samosata for heresy.
- Maximus succeeds Dionysius as bishop of Alexandria.
- Gallienus killed. Claudius succeeds; some accounts make him to have persecuted.
- Anatolius and Eusebius distinguish themselves at Alexandria.
- Second council of Antioch. Paul deposed. Domnus succeeds.
- Felix succeeds Dionysius as bishop of Rome.
- Claudius dies in November. Aurelian succeeds.
- Death of Plotinus.
- Aurelian defeats Zenobia, and completes the deposition of Paul.
- Eutyehianus succeeds Felix as bishop of Rome.
- Aurelian dies, March 20. Tacitus succeeds, Sept. 25.
- Probus succeeds to the empire, April 13
- Timeus succeeds Domnus as bishop of Antioch.
- Death of Manes, or Manichaeus.
- Cyril succeeds Timeus as bishop of Antitoch.
- Probus killed in August. Carus succeeds.
- Numerianus stated to have persecuted.
- Theonas succeeds Maximus as bishop of Alexandria.
- Caius succeeds Entychianus as bishop of Rome.
- Carus dies. Diocletian succeeds September 17.
- Maximianus Herculeus made emperor.
- Miracle of the Theban legion.
- Dionysius, bishop of Paris, martyred.
- Galerius and Constantius made Caesars.
- Hieras begins his heresy.
- Marcellinus succeeds Caius as bishop of Rome.
- Persecution in the army.
- Tyannus succeeds Cyril as bishop of Antioch.
- Peter succeeds Theonas as bishop of Alexandra.
- Persecution begins. Authiums, bishop of Nicomedia, martyred.
- Hierocles writes against the Christians. Laetantius answers.
- Herculeus in Rome. Marcellinus dies.
- Galerius persecutes in the East.
- Diocletian and Herculeus abdicate. Constantius and Galerius emperors. Severus and Maximinus Caesaers.
- Constantius declines persecuting in Africa, Gaul, Spain, and Italy.
- Council of Cirta in Africa.
- Council of Illiberis in Spain.
- Peter, bishop of Alexandria, publishes his canons about the lapsed.
- Maximinus persecutes in the East.
- Peter leaves Alexandria.
- Meletian schism.
- Constantius dies at York. Constantine takes the title of Caesar.
- Maxentius declared emperor at Rome. Herculeus resumes the empire.
- Severus marches to Rome, and is killed at Revenna.
- Licinius and Maximinus take the title of emperor.
- Alexander takes the title in Africa, and persecutes.
- Pamphilus imprisoned at Caesarea. He and Eusebius write in Defence of Origen.
- Cruelities in Egypt.
- Antony retires to the deserts in Egypt.
- Marcellus made bishop of Rome.
- Persecution relaxes; renewed by Maximinus.
- Pamphilus suffers martyrdom.
- Cruelities in Palestine.
- Eusebius writes against Hierocles.
- Arnobius writes.
- Eusebius succeeds Marcellus as bishop of Rome; dies, and is succeeded by Melchiades.
- Alexander killed in Africa.
- Galerius issues an edict for stopping the persecution, and dies.
- Peter returns to Alexandria, and excommunicates Meletius.
- Acts of Pilate forged.
- Lucianus martyred at Antioch.
- Peter suffers martyrdom. Antony returns to his solidary life.
- Origin of Donatism at Carthage.
- Constantine marches against Maxentius. Vision of the cross.
- Defeat and death of Maxentius.
- Achillas made bishop of Alexandria.
- Edict in favor of the Christians.
- Defeat and death of Maximinus.
- Constantine decides in favor of Caecilianus at Carthage.
- Christianity established.
|