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1812 BC Abraham born.
1300 BC Jews flee Egypt (the Exodus).
1000 BC David reigns from approximately 1010-970 B.C., followed
by King Solomon and the building for the 1st Temple.
922 BC The Jewish kingdom splits into North (Israel) and South
Judah).
753 BC The founding of Rome.
721 BC Northern kingdom conquered by Assyria.
597 BC Southern kingdom conquered by Babylon; First
Temple destroyed.
539 BC Cyrus the Great allows Jews to return; they build the Second
Temple about 520 B.C.
332 BC Alexander the Great conquers Israel.
323 BC Death of Alexander. Control of Israel falls to Ptolemy, one of
his generals.
200 BC Translation of Jewish Bible (Septuagint) completed in Egypt.
175 BC Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Syria invades Jerusalem.
Outlaws Judaism. He installs a new High Priest, Jason,
breaking the Zadok line. Jason builds a gymnasium and
renames the city Antioch-at-Jerusalem, a Greek city.
Essenes founded as a protest.
169 BC Antiochus enters the Holy of Holies and erects a statue of
Zeus. Pigs are sacrificed in the Temple.
168 BC Maccabean uprising.
165 BC Book of Daniel appears, introducing the concept of an
afterlife.
Maccabeans capture Jerusalem (cause of the celebration of
Hanukkah).
161 BC Romans and Maccabees forge a strategic alliance against
the Carthaginians that recognizes the Jewish religion.
152 BC Jonathan Maccabeus appoints himself High Priest of the
Temple. In protest, Essenes leave Jerusalem and establish
their headquarters in the desert (Some scholars date the
exodus to 130 B.C.)
128 BC Samaritan temple at Mount Gerizim destroyed by John
Hycranus.
125 BC Maccabeans under John Hycranus conquer Idumea and
convert the inhabitants to Judaism.
78 BC Herod Antipater II appointed Governor of Idumea following
the death of his father.
63 BC The Romans under General Pompey are asked to arbitrate
in a civil war between the last two sons of the Maccadean
dynasty (Hycranus II and Aristobulus). Hycranus II is
installed as High Priest (and ultimately Ethnarch) and
Aristobulus is exiled.
49 BC The start of the “End Times”. 49 BC was 70 weeks of years
beyond 538 B.C., the time identified in the Book of Daniel
as the start of the “End Times”.
Civil war between Pompey and Julius Caesar.
48 BC Pompey is killed invading Egypt.
47 BC Herod, age 25, appointed Governor of Galilee by his father,
Herod Antipater II, who is now Procurator of Judea.
44 BC Julius Caesar assassinated.
43 BC Herod Antipater assassinated.
40 BC Herod appointed King of Judea by Mark Anthony.
Confirmed in 30 B.C. by Octavian.
31 BC Large earthquake devastates Judea, killing 30,000 people,
and reinforcing the “End Times” concept.
The Essenes temporarily abandon Qumran.
Augustus becomes Emperor of Rome
25 BC Drought, disease and famine ravage Israel. Further signs of
the “End Times”.
18 BC Reconstruction of the Temple in Jerusalem begins. It will take 46 years to finish the first phase, which is completed around 28 A.D., and final completion will be 63 A.D.
11 B.C. Probable birth of John the Baptist.
7 BC Revolt against Herod by his two sons Alexander and Aristobulus. He has them strangled.
6 BC Most likely date for the birth of Jesus.
4 BC Herod the Great dies. Kingdom is split between Herod’s sons: Herod Antipas (Galilee and Peraea), Philip (East and Northeast of The Sea of Galilee), and Archelaus (Judea).
After suppressing a Jewish revolt, Publius Quinctilus Varus, Governor of Syria, crucifies 2000 rebels led by Judas of Galilee.
Qumran re-occupied.
4 AD Tiberius named to be Emperor Augustus’ successor.
6 AD Archelaus removed as Governor of Judea, Samaria, and Idumaea. Rule transfers to the Governor of Syria who appoints a series of Roman procurators, the first of whom is Coponius.
Annas, son of Seth, appointed High Priest by Publius Sulpicius Quirinius, Governor of Syria
6-7 AD First census in Israel. Luke mistakes this date for the birth of Jesus. Zealots rebel, under Judas of Galilee, saying “No Ruler but God”.
10 AD Tiberius reigns as co-regent.
13 AD City of Tiberius founded by Herod Antipas. Built over an ancient Jewish cemetery.
15 AD Anna is deposed as High Priest.
18 AD Caiaphas appointed High Priest by Valerius Gratius, Procurator of Judea.
24 AD Jesus, age 30, is baptized.
26 AD Pontius Pilate becomes the 5th Procurator of Judea
30 AD Pilate orders the slaughter of protestors in Jerusalem.
34 AD King Philip (half brother to Herod Antipas) dies.
34 AD Concurrence of Roman census year with Jewish land sabbatical year.
35 AD Herod Antipas marries Herodias (wife of King Philip, his half brother, who died).
35 AD John the Baptist killed.
36 AD Pilate puts down a religious uprising in Samaria at Mt Gerizim.
36 AD Jesus crucified, age 42 .
36 AD Pontius Pilate removed and leaves for Rome.
36 AD Vitellius, Legate of Syria, removes Caiaphas.
37 AD Death of Emperor Tiberius (March 16). Caligula succeeds.
37 AD The Mandaeans (followers of John the Baptist) flee from Judea and seek asylum in Hauran.
38 AD Jewish pogrom in Alexandria.
38 AD James the Just assumes control of the Jesus Cult.
45 AD Theudas claims to be a Messiah. He leads a revolt at the
River Jordan and he is beheaded and 400 of his followers
are killed.
The word “Christian” used for the first time (in Antioch).
Jews expelled from Rome for causing “continuous
disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus”, according to
Roman historian Suetonius.
48 AD First letter of Paul.
49 AD Jewish council allows Gentiles to join Jesus Cult without
circumcision and without observing other Jewish rituals
Jews ordered out of Rome
54 AD Death of Claudius; ascension of Nero.
56 AD Paul’s final visit to Jerusalem.
57 AD “The Egyptian” messiah appears, garnering 30,000
followers. They surround Jerusalem, are killed or dispersed,
but the Egyptian escapes.
61 AD Paul reaches Rome.
62 AD Murder of James the Just. Simeon (aka Symeon), son of Clopas (Jesus’ cousin) heads the Jesus Cult.
64 AD Rome burns, Nero blames it on the Christians.
64 AD Death of Peter in Rome (also possibly in 67 AD).
66 AD Jewish revolt in Jerusalem begins.
74-78 AD Josephus publishes The Jewish War.
80 AD Special malediction placed in the central Jewish prayer, the Shermoneb Esrei, cursing the Nazarenes and other Christian groups, cementing the schism between Christians and Jews (Note: Some scholars date this at 90 A.D.).
96 AD Two grandsons of Jesus’ brother Jude brought before Emperor Domitian for suspicion of sedition, however, they were released.
100 AD Josephus publishes his two-part book Against Apion, many parts of which appear in slightly altered form in the Gospel of Luke.
107 AD Simeon suffers martyrdom at the age of 120. Justus succeeds him.
110 AD The Didache (aka Teaching of the Apostles) appears
110 AD Ignatius of Antioch martyred. He wrote several letters en route to Rome.
110-115 AD The Gospel of the Egyptians appears.
113-116 AD Jewish revolt in Cyrenaica.
115 AD First non-Christian mention of “Christus” by Roman Tacitus in Annals.
115-117 AD Jewish revolts in Jerusalem, Cyrene, Libya, and Alexandria.
115-125 AD The Gospel of the Hebrews appears.
130 AD Earliest allusion to existence of Gospels appears in the works of Bishop Papias.
131 AD Second Jewish rebellion, led by (Messiah) Simon Bar Kochba, begins.
136 AD Jewish rebellion crushed. Emperor Hadrian institutes oppressive measures. Jerusalem renamed Aelia and Pagan statues placed where Jewish shrines had been. Jews forbidden to enter the city.
140 AD First mention of Gospels in work of Aristedes of Athens
144 AD Marcion excommunicated for rejecting the Old Testament.
150 AD Justin Martyr specifically mentions the Gospels of Luke, Matthew, and Mark.
The Protoevangelium of James appears.
Hegesippus composes Memoranda.
161 AD Council of Alexandria condemns Docetism as a heresy.
180 AD Irenaeus certifies the existence of the four Gospels.
200 AD First attempt to write down the Jewish Mishnah.
248 AD Origen publishes Against Celsus.
257 AD Pope Stephen I asserts the preeminence of the Bishop of Rome.
258 AD Emperor Valerian orders the execution of all Christian clergy.
274 AD Emperor Aurelian makes Pagan Cult Sol Invictus the official religion of Rome.
300 AD Eusebius publishes Ecclesiastical History.
303 AD Emperor Diocletian orders Christian books burned.
311 AD Emperor Galerius grants Christians freedom of worship.
313 AD Edit of Milan following Emperor Constantine’s victory at the Milvian Bridge.
325 AD Council of Nicea produces the Nicene Creed.
327 AD Church built over a cave where Jesus was supposedly born. Supervised by Emperor Constantine’s mother, Helena.
331 AD Constantine requests Eusebius to create 50 bibles.
337 AD Death of Constantine.
345 AD Pope Julius sets Jesus’ birth date as December 25th.
367 AD First known listing of the 27 books of the NT by Bishop Athanasius of Alexandria.
381 AD Christianity becomes State religion of the Roman Empire under Emperor Theodosius.
The First Council of Constantinople defines the idea of the “trinity”.
382-3 AD St Jerome publishes the Latin Vulgate (official Bible of Catholic church).
386 AD Priscillian, Bishop of Avila, becomes the first church sanctioned execution for heresy.
391 AD Emperor Theodosius abolishes all non-Christian churches, launching widespread looting and destruction, including the library at Alexandria.
393 AD Church council at Hippo affirms 27 canonical books.
Emperor Theodosius abolishes the Olympics as a Pagan celebration.
400 AD Palestinian Talmud written down.
416 AD Christians successfully lobby for a law that bars Pagans from public employment.
431 AD Council of Ephesus elevates Mary to “Mother of God” from “Mother of Christ”.
451 AD Council of Chalcedon, under Emperor Marcian and Pope Leo, accepts full humanity and full divinity of Jesus, resulting in the schism of the Egyptian Coptic Church.
494 AD Pope Gelasius informs Emperor Anastasius I that the Pope is supreme over the King.
500 AD Babylonian Talmud written down.
589 AD Toledo Council of Bishops holds that Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three substances of the same divine nature.
591 AD Pope Gregory the Great claims that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute.
610 AD Muhammad receives his first revelation.
649 AD Lateran Council endorses the concept of Mary’s “perpetual virginity”, confirmed in 675 at Tolentino.
692 AD At the Trullan Council, the Latin Cross is accepted as the official symbol of Christianity.
800 AD Roman Pope crowns Charlemagne.
1054 AD Eastern Orthodox Church breaks with Rome.
1099 AD Crusades begin.
1139 AD Catholic priests forbidden to have sex or be married.
1208 AD Pope Innocent III offers indulgences and eternal salvation to recruit crusaders against the Cathars, who are eventually destroyed on March 16, 1244.
1215 AD Fourth Lateran Council makes confession a requirement.
1216 AD Order of the Dominicans formed under Spanish monk Dominic de Guzman, launching the Inquisition.
1307 AD The Templars destroyed in France on Friday the 13th.
1456 AD First printing of Latin (Vulgate) Bible following the invention of the printing press two years
