Historical Timeline

HansC wrote:

A short explanation is in order here. This thread is going to be an ongoing work to present a historical time frame of the church's journey through time.

I am working on this and using it as a framework for my own private historical studies, but thought that some here may find it helpful in framing their own understanding of the backdrop of the church age.

Naturally, much will be left out, this is a very bare bones skeleton of history, yet I hope that in a small way it may prove to be helpful.

I am hoping to keep a level of continuity to the chain of history, but it may take a while before I can lay out all twenty-one centuries.

If you want to comment on some aspect of the timeline, or offer some insight, perspective, short bio, definition and so on go for it

* As a note, in looking at the dates, especially in the first century, there are a lot of different dates. I looked at about a dozen or so texts and sometimes I got a dozen different dates. So, I tried to use what seemed to be a general consensus.

If you double check my dates, I''m sure that you could also come up with some different numbers. I not so sure that the exact dates are always so important. I think that the general sequence of events is much more important .

Hans

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HansC wrote:

The Foundation, the Early Church

1-32 A.D. The life of Jesus Christ.

4 Tiberius (42BC-37AD) was chosen by Augustus as emperor of Rome. He later banished the young Nero to the island of Ponza.

6 The Romans named Caesarea as regional capital.

6 Sulpicius Quirinius , Roman governor of Syria, ordered a 2nd census of Judea.

6 Herod the Great deposed by Augustus.

8 The poet Ovid banished by Augustus to a remote Black Sea location.

9 Publius Quinctilius Varus (59), Roman governor of Germania (6-9AD), died of likely suicide following defeat at the Battle of Teutoburg Forest.

14 Caesar Augustus died and rule passed to Tiberius.

18 Caiaphas became high priest in Jerusalem

18 Death of the poet Ovid

23-79 Pliny the Elder, Roman naturalist, encyclopedist and writer, died in the eruption of Vesuvius. He wrote the classic 37-volume "Natural History." "Among these things but one thing seems certain -- that nothing certain exists, and that nothing is more pitiable or more presumptuous than man."

27-37 Tiberius moved to the isle of Capri and never returned to Rome.

29-30 John the Baptist beheaded by King Herod, at whim of Salome.

32 According to the work of Sir Robert Anderson, director of Scotland Yard, April of 32, was the date of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and His subsequent crucifixion and resurrection.

35 Conversion of Paul to Christianity.

37 Nero Claudius Caesar, emperor of Rome who is blamed for the great fire of Rome, was born.

37 The Roman Senate annulled Tiberius’ will and proclaimed Caligula emperor. Caligula succeeded Tiberius and went mad within a year. His cruelty was so bad that he was murdered by the tribune of the palace guard after 4 years. He imprisoned his nieces on the island of Ponza for converting to Christianity.

39 Titus, 10th Roman emperor (79-81) and conqueror of Jerusalem, was born.

41 Jerusalem expanded. New city walls were built, bringing the site of Jesus’ crucifixion within the city.

40-107 St. Ignatius Theorphorus, Apostolic Father, served as the bishop of Antioch.

41 Shortly after declaring himself a god, Gaius Caligula Germanicus, emperor from 37-41, was assassinated by two Praetorian tribunes.

43-51 The Briton Caratacus, also known as Caradoc and chief of the Catuvellauni, mounted a guerrilla uprising against the Romans. His uprising ultimately failed after he was betrayed by the Brigantian queen, Cartimandua. He was taken to Rome where he was later pardoned by Claudius.

44 James, brother of John, was beheaded by Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12.2).

44 Death of Herod Agrippa I, King of Judea and Samaria (Acts 12.23).

45 The church in Antioch sent famine relief to the Christians of Judea by the hands of Saul and Barnabas (Acts 11.29).

46-120 The life of Plutarch, famous Greek biographer.

47 First recorded use of the term "Christian" occurred in Antioch, Syria, home of one of the earliest Christian churches .

47-49 First missionary journey of Saul and Barnabas (Acts 13-14).

48 Claudius marries his niece Agrippina, who convinces him to bypass his own son and name Nero, her son, as heir.

49 The Church convened a council in Jerusalem about this time. The participants adopted the principles of St. Paul, which stressed the universal scope of salvation, and that Gentile converts were not required to follow Jewish law. (Acts 15)

49 Paul composed his epistle to the Thessalonians - the earliest known New Testament writing

49 According to the Roman historian Suetonius (70-122) in his The Twelve Caesars, Claudius “expelled the Jews from Rome since they rioted constantly at the instigation of Chrestus.” Jewish believers Priscilla and Aquila flee and meet Paul in Corinth.

50 Soap, a Gallic invention is first brought to Rome by Germans.

To be cont.

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HansC wrote:

50 Paul’s second missionary journey began, with Silas (Acts 15.40). Paul and Silas visited Philippi (Acts 16.11-40), meeting Lydia, the seller of purple, and being rescued from prison, with the consequent conversion of the Philippian jailor (Acts 16.33); Thessalonica, where there was a riot on their behalf (Acts 17.5); Boroea, where the Jews willingly examined the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah (Acts 17.11); Athens, where Paul preached in the Areopagus (Acts 17.22-31); Corinth, where he met Aquila and Priscilla, refugees because of Claudius’ expulsion of the Jews from Rome (Acts 18.2); and Ephesus, Caesarea, and Jerusalem before returning to Antioch (Acts 18.22).

53 Paul writes the epistle to the Galatians from Antioch.

53 According to the Roman historian Suetonius (70-122) in his The Twelve Caesars, Claudius “expelled the Jews from Rome since they rioted constantly at the instigation of Chrestus.” Jewish believers Priscilla and Aquila flee and meet Paul in Corinth.

54 Roman emperor Claudius I died, after being poisoned with mushrooms by his wife, Agrippina. Nero (37-68), son of Agrippina, succeeds his great uncle Claudius, as the new emperor of Rome

55 Paul writes I Corinthians, from Ephesus.

56 Tacitus, Publius Cornelius was born. He was the Roman author of the Histories (begins with the death of Nero), and the Annals (begins with Tiberius' reign and goes to the end of Nero). Only a portion of the Histories survives (69-70). Of the Annals only those books dealing with the early career of Tiberius, and some treating the reigns of Claudius and Nero survive.

55/56 Paul departed Ephesus (Acts 20.1), visiting Macedonia and Corinth. II Corinthians written from Macedonia.

57 Paul writes the epistle to the Romans from Corinth. Departed Greece (Acts 20.3), and after passing through Troas (Acts 20.7-12), and preaching to the presbyters of the church in Ephesus (Acts 20.18-35), came to Jerusalem (Acts 21.17), ending the third missionary journey.

57 Paul's last visit to Jerusalem

58 Paul was arrested and imprisoned in Caesarea, (Acts 23.33-26.32), under Felix and Festus.

58 Emperor Ming-Ti of China introduces Buddhism into his country.

59 Agrippina becomes insane and is murdered by her son, Nero.

60 St. Paul is believed to have been shipwrecked at
Malta. Paul arrives in Rome (Acts 28.16).

60 Boudicaa, queen of the Iceni in Britain, burned Roman London. Boudicaa rose up in revolt against the Roman occupation of Britain. When Prasutagus, chief of the Iceni tribe, died without heirs, the Romans confiscated his lands. His wife and Queen, Boudicaa, protested and as a result was publicly scourged. Calling on all native Britons to rise against the oppressors, she then led them in revolt, killing 70,000 Romans and destroying several towns before she was defeated and captured. She killed herself while in Roman custody.

61-62 Paul wrote the epistles entitled Philemon, Colossians, Ephesians and Philippians.

62 Bartholomew martyred in Kalyana, a city state on the west coast of India, near modern-day Bombay.

62 Nero murdered his wife Octavia.

62-63 James, the "brother" of Jesus, was stoned to death for teaching the divinity of Christ. He had led the church in Jerusalem for the 3 decades following the death of Jesus.

64 The Temple in Jerusalem, begun in 20 BC, is completed.

64 The Great Fire of Rome began. After the fire Nero began to build his Golden House in the center of the city.

64 Nero initiated the first persecution against the Christians

65 Famous and influential Roman philosopher Seneca committed suicide on orders from Emperor Nero.

65 The Gospel of Mark is written.

65 Jews revolted against Rome, capturing the fortress of Antonia in Jerusalem.

66-73 Roman general Vespasian's army assaulted the forces of Jewish rebel Joseph ben Matthias at Jotapata in Galilee. During the Jewish revolt of 66-73 CE, Emperor Nero chose Titus Flavius Vespasianus (Vespasian) to subdue Judea. Vespasian was eminently qualified for this martial task. He was fresh from crushing a German rebellion, and as commander of Legio II, he had played a significant role in the conquest of Britannia (Britain) by Nero‘s predecessor. Joseph, meanwhile had assembled his own army from the rebel bands of Galilee and trained them in the Roman model. He also fortified many towns, the strongest being Jotapata, a natural fortress perched on a rock outcrop. It was surrounded on three sides by steep valleys that made attack virtually impossible. The only approach to the city was from a hilltop to the north, and that was blocked by a dry moat fronting a sturdy wall.

67 Some 37,000 Jewish prisoners were held at the Roman stadium in Tiberias after they lost a naval battle on the Sea of Galilee.

67 Nero orders the execution of both Peter and Paul.

67 St. Paul, apostle to the Gentiles and writer of many epistles, died. He founded the first Christian churches in Europe at Philippi in Macedonia. He was martyred by Nero and according to tradition invoked his right as a Roman citizen to be beheaded.

68 Nero (31), Roman Emperor (54-68), commits suicide, this ending the Julio-Claudian line.

68-69 Galba reigned as the Roman emperor. He was a commander of Roman forces in Spain and acclaimed emperor by his 2 legions. When the praetorian guard accepted Galba, Nero committed suicide.

69 Roman Lower Rhine army proclaimed its commander, Vitellius, emperor.

69 St. Andrew crucified in Patrae, on the Peloponnesus peninsula.

69 Servius Sulpicius Galba (70), 6th emperor of Rome (68-69), was murdered along with his newly adopted successor, Piso Licinianus. Marcus Salvius Otho (36) committed the murder and forced the senate to recognize himself as emperor.

69 Otho (32-69) committed suicide after he was defeated by Vitellius' (15-69) troops at Bedriacum.

69 Vespasian’s supporters entered Rome and discovered Vitellius in hiding. Vitellius, a Roman commandant of Rhine and the 7th emperor, was dragged through the streets before being brutally murdered. Vespasian was the first of the Flavian emperors.

70 Rome captured the 1st wall of the city of Jerusalem.

70 Jun 5, Titus & his Roman legions breached the middle wall of Jerusalem

70 Jul 1, Roman Emperor Titus assaulted the walls of Jerusalem with battering rams.

70 Aug 29, The Temple of Jerusalem burned after a nine-month Roman siege. The Second Temple of Jerusalem was destroyed by Rome’s 10th Legion and the Jews there were exiled. In the Jewish War the Israelites tried unsuccessfully to revolt against Roman rule. .

70 Sep 7, The Roman army under Titus occupied and plundered Jerusalem.

70 The Gospel of Matthew is written.

72 St. Thomas stabbed to death by Brahman priests in Mylapore, India.

73 Jewish zealots on Mount Masada chose to perish by their own hands rather than surrender to slavery under the Romans.

79 Nov 1, Pompeii and Herculaneum are buried by eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Pliny the younger writes the first report of the eruption. Pliny the elder, his uncle dies in the eruption trying to rescue people.

79 Jude and Simon torn apart by a Persian mob after this date. Simon had joined forces with Jude after a trip to Britain. Jude had been in Armenia.

80 The Coliseum, more properly called the Flavian amphitheater which was built by captured Jews from the Jewish War, was inaugurated under Emperor Titus Flavius Vespasianus with 100 days of gladiator combat. It had a seating capacity of 50,000.

81 Sep 13, Titus Flavius Vespasianus, emperor of Rome (69-81), died at 42.

81 Domitian, younger brother of Titus becomes emperor.

82 Jul 27, Joseph of Arimathea, died and was buried in tomb he once lent to Jesus.

90 Philip the evangelist was crucified upside down (like Peter) in Hierapolis, Asia Minor.

95 St. John established a Christian colony on the Greek island of Patmos after being exiled from Ephesus by Emperor Domitian. It is said that he wrote here the Book of Revelations in a grotto overlooking the main town, many believe that he also wrote the Gospel of John in the same year.

95 Clement, leading elder of Rome, writes his Epistle to the Corinthians, one of the earliest Christian writings apart from the New Testament.

96 Domitian, the last Flavian emperor, is murdered and is succeeded by Nerva.

100 Rise of Gnosticism.

100 Death of John, the only one of Christ’s 12 disciples that died a natural death. St. John died at Patmos. The Didache, written in this era, indicates worship was on Sunday: “Assemble on the Lord’s day, and break bread and offer the Eucharist; but first make confession of your faults, so that your sacrifice may be a pure one.”

To be cont...

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HansC wrote:

98-117 Trajan, rules as emperor over Rome. His reign coincides with the apex of Roman territorial power. He is noted for his Dacian Wars and , along with his successor Hadrian, he converted the flexible frontiers of Rome to a line of fixed walls and forts.

107 With an overwhelming army of ten legions Trajan storms into Dacia and makes it Rome’s only province north of the Danube border. He commemorates his victory in Dacia by the famous column of Trajan.

107 3rd Persecution of Christians, under Trajan (98-117). Ignatius of Antioch martyred in Rome. According to Severus, after Trajan discovered that Christians were guilty of no great crimes, he forbade any additional cruelty against them.

100 Raban Gamliel in the first century is credited with arranging the Amidah, considered by many to be the most important prayer in the Jewish liturgy. Raban Gamliel was the most influential Rabbi in the period following the destruction of the Temple. This was a time when many different rabbis each had their own individual domains.

107 Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch is arrested and taken to Rome for martyrdom.

115 Trajan narrowly survives an earthquake that devastated Antioch. He campaigns on and adds Armenia, Mesopotamia and Assyria to the Roman empire.

100-200 Celsus, a second century scholar, thought that Christianity was a threat to the social order. He made some attempt to strip away its mythology and identify the historical Jesus.

117 Aug 9, Marcus Ulpius Trajanus (Trajan), emperor of Rome (98-117), died.

117-138 The reign of Hadrian.

118 4th Persecution of Christians, under the emperor Hadrian (117-138). According to Severus, Hadrian set up “images of demons” on the temple mount and Golgotha. Hadrian also set guards to prevent Jews from approaching Jerusalem.

120-130 Roman Emperor Hadrian ordered a great wall to be built in northern England along with a series of forts "to separate the Romans from the barbarians." It extended for 73.5 English miles from the estuary of the river Tyne on the east to Solway Firth on the west.

124 The pantheon in Rome is completed.

125 Papyrus 52 was written around this time. It is the oldest extant New Testament fragment, containing parts of John 18:31-33 and 37-38.

127-42 Ptolemy, an astronomer, geographer, and mathematician flourished in Alexandria. His earth-centered model of the universe held the field until 1542, when Copernicus supplied a solar-centered model. Ptolemy’s estimate of the earth's circumference was 30 percent below the actual value.

132-135 The second great Jewish rebellion began, this one led by Bar-Cocheba. According to Justin, “In the recent Jewish war, Bar-Cocheba ... ordered that only the Christians should be subjected to dreadful torments, unless they renounced and blasphemed Jesus Christ.”

Second conquest and destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. More than 500,000 put to the sword. The emperor Hadrian forbade the Jews to return to the Jerusalem, and they dispersed over the earth.

Roman Emperor Hadrian sent 12 divisions under Julius Severus to quell the Jewish rebellion led by Simon Bar Kokhba, who was killed at Bethar. An estimated 600,000 Jews were killed. Hadrian ordered Jerusalem plowed under and Aelia Capitolina was built on the site. He barred Jews from returning and survivors dispersed across the empire. Judea was renamed Syria Palestine. Hadrian had a statue of himself built and placed on the site where the “Holy of Holies” had been.

138 Jul 10, Publius A. Hadrianus, Roman emperor (117-138) died.

138-161 Antoninus Pius succeeded Hadrian to Rome

139 Hadrian’s Mausoleum was built in Rome.

140 Emperor Antoninus Pius ordered Hadrian’s Wall to be abandoned and a more northerly defense to be established. Remnants could later be seen of the Antonine Wall around Falkirk, Scotland. Roman troops advanced northwards into the Scottish lowlands, driving the barbarians back before them and establishing a new frontier called the Antonine Wall, named for the new Emperor, Antoninus Pius. The Antonine Wall was later abandoned, reoccupied, and abandoned a second and final time under the Emperor Marcus Aurelius.

140 Shepherd of Hermas was written, describing a highly developed system of bishops, deacons, and priests.

144 Marcion is excommunicated for Heresy. He rejected the connection between the God of the Jews and the God of the new Testament.

140 Ptolemy writes the Almagest, which became the medieval worlds chief astronomical text.

146 Galen complies all medical knowledge into a single source.

150 Alexandria becomes a major center of Christian theology.

150 The subterranean graveyard beneath the Appian Way had existed from about this time and probably originated as the private open-air burial ground of the noble Cecili family of Rome. About 200 AD it became the first official Christian cemetery.

to be cont.

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HansC wrote:

155 Justin Martyr, writes his first Apology, a rebuttal of Greek philosophy.

155 Feb 23, Polycarp, disciple of Apostle John, was arrested and burned at stake.

156 Montanus of Phrygia , pronounced himself to be the incarnation of the Holy Spirit and that the New Jerusalem was about to come crashing down and land in Phrygia. His followers were called Montanists.

160-230 Life of Tertullian, Carthaginian theologian.

161 Mar 7, Marcus Aurelius became emperor on the death of Antoninus Pius , age 74, at Lorium. Antoninus ruled from 138-161.

166 Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius sent gifts to Chinese Emperor Huan Ti.

165-180 A smallpox epidemic hit Rome and killed 3.5 to 7 million people including Emperor. Marcus Aurelius. It was dubbed the Plague of Antonine.

177 5th Persecution of the church, under the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180). About this time also Gnostic heretics disturbed the churches of the Rhone valley. These churches were largely Greek, having close connections with the churches of Asia Minor. The Gnostics provoked much of the work of Irenaeus of Lyons.

180 Ireneus of Lyons writes Against Heresies. He states that Peter had been in Rome, and that Linus had been the first bishop there, having been jointly ordained by Peter and Paul.

He affirmed that the charismata were still active in his day, noting that demons were expelled, the future predicted, and the dead raised by members of the Church.

185 Tertullian (160-230), a native of Carthage, converted to Christianity. According to Jerome, he was a priest. Tertullian was the first Christian theologian to write in Latin.

192 Dec 31, Lucius A.A. Commodus (31), Emperor of Rome (180-192), was murdered. His mistress Marcia, Chamberlain Eclectus, and praetorian prefect Laetus hired the wrestler Narcissus to strangle Commodus after they found their names on an imperial execution list.

193 Apr 14, Lucius Septimus Severus (d.211), a native son of Leptis Magna in Libya, was crowned emperor of Rome. Under his rule the empire reached its greatest extent with almost 50 provinces.

197 First recorded usage of the term "catholic" appeared in the writings of Apollonius in reference to 1 John.

to be cont..

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HansC wrote:

200 New Testament canon was mostly fixed in currently known form.

200 The bishop of Rome, Zephyrinus assigned his deacon, Calixtus (a former slave), to administer the large underground complex beneath the Appian Way. The subterranean graveyard had existed from about 150. This first official Christian cemetery probably originated as the private open-air burial ground of the noble Cecili family of Rome. From this time on it became known as the Catacombs of St. Calixtus. It extended over an area of 20 km., one 3-5 levels, and includes some 500,000 tombs.

200 Huge Buddhist shrines are carved throughout India

202 6th Persecution of the Church, under Septimius Severus (198-211)

205-270 Plotinus was an Alexandrian philosopher in Rome and founder of Neo-Platonism, which strongly influenced the later Augustine, who taught of a mystical union with the Good through the exercise of pure intelligence. He founded Neo-Platonism, a religion that for a time rivaled Christianity. Neo-Platonism developed out of the philosophical doctrines of Plato in the fourth century B.C. Plotinus developed the spiritual side of Plato's thought into a mystical philosophy teaching reunion with the One and that material things are unworthy. Saint Augustus, formerly a Neo-Platonist, brought some of his ideas into Christian theism.

211 Feb 4, Lucius Septimus Severus (64), emperor of Rome (193-211), dies.

211-217 The reign of the Roman emperor Caracalla (188-217).

215 Clement of Alexandria, a Church father, died.

216-276 Manes, aka Manicheus or Mani, Persian prophet and founder of the dualistic religious system called Manichaeism. It was a combination of Gnostic Christianity, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism and other elements. The basic doctrine was based on a conflict between light and dark, with matter being regarded as dark and evil.

216 Caracalla invades Parthia, but is turned back.

217 Apr 8, Caracalla (29), Roman emperor (198-217), is murdered in his baths.

220 Origen, student of Clement founds a school in Caesarea and produces many important works.

230 In Tunisia a Roman coliseum was built in the town of El Jem that could hold 30,000.

230 Emperor Sujin, first known Japanese ruler.

230 St. Cecilia of the patrician Cecili family was martyred .She lived in Trastevere where she reportedly sang hymns all day and so became the patroness of music. She was decapitated by Roman soldiers after 3 abortive attempts.

235 An inscription in Greek in the Calixtian Complex of Rome was dedicated to the bishop of Rome, St. Pontian, who died in the Sardinian mines.

235 An inscription in Greek in the Calixtian Complex of Rome was dedicated to the bishop St. Anterus, who reigned for only 43 days and died in prison.

247 The Goths cross the Danube and raid into the Balkans.

248 Rome celebrates its 1,000 year anniversary.

249 Decius becomes Emperor, emperor worship is made mandatory. 7th Persecution of the Church, under the emperor Decius (249-251). The bishops of Rome (Fabian (236-50)), Antioch (Babylas), and Jerusalem were martyred.

250 An inscription in Greek in the Calixtian Complex of Rome was dedicated to the bishop St. Fabian, who re-organized the Church in a period of peace and was then martyred during the Decian persecutions.

to be cont....

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Rhomphaia wrote:

	HansC wrote:
	The Foundation, the Early Church 1-32 A.D. The life of Jesus Christ. . . . 6 Sulpicius Quirinius , Roman governor of Syria, ordered a 2nd census of Judea.

Hi Hans,

This is a very cool thread. I haven't had a chance to read it all, but what I have read so far is very good.

I've researched the dating for the birth of Christ quite extensively, and one of the discoveries I have made you might want to know about. For almost all of those who posit something along the lines of the date you give above (for the life of Christ), one of the foundations of that dating is an idea that I strongly disagree with (and I think you would too): an assumption that Luke is WRONG in one of his statements:

Luke 2:2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.

The first census taken while Quirinius was governor in Syria occured about 9 years prior to the census in 6AD, which most historians date as occuring in 4 BC, meaning that the life of Christ must stretch from about 4 BC to about 29 or 30 AD (roughly, give or take a year).

The 1-32 AD dating assumes that Luke was incorrect in dating Jesus birth at the time of the 4BC census (during the first time when Quirinius ruled in Syria, from 4-1BC; a reign about which we know very little). Of all the possible dates offered by various historians, the 1-32AD dating is LEAST LIKELY, as there was no census of any kind in either 1BC or 1AD, and so it assumes that the ENTIRE CENSUS scenario was made up.

Since I doubted that you were aware that you were presenting a date that assumes the Bible is wrong, I thought I'd point it out to you. The date that assumes Luke is correct, and that Jesus was born in Bethlehem due to a census (as scripture records) must date Christ's life from roughly 4 or 3 BC to 29 or 30 AD.

This also moves the following dates back about two or three years:

29-30 John the Baptist beheaded by King Herod, at whim of Salome. (probably closer to 27-28 AD)

32 According to the work of Sir Robert Anderson, director of Scotland Yard, April of 32, was the date of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and His subsequent crucifixion and resurrection.

Although I am sure sir Robert researched his material well, he has based his dating on the work of scholars who themselves assumed that Luke was in error. Thus, the date for Christ's entry is more likely to be 30AD (or possibly 29 AD).

Admittedly, this is a really minor issue, and I wouldn't bet my confidence in scripture on any of it on either side (as human historians have a "history" of being wrong on dating), but I thought I should make you aware of the most recent thinking on this matter by scholars who take the position that scripture is accurate, and then use that as the starting point for their research (which is a surprisingly rare position among historians).

Grace and peace to you,

Rhomphaia

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HansC wrote:

251 Decius, fighting the Goths in Thrace is killed by the barbarians.

253 Valerian became emperor of Rome and ruled until 260 when he was captured and executed by Persian King Shapur I.

256 The Persians under Shapur I sack Antioch in Syria.

256 The Franks crossed the Rhine.

257 8th Persecution of the Church, under Valerian (253-259). Edicts were published demanding outward conformity with paganism and Christians were forbidden to hold worship services, under penalty of death. In 258, Valerian began to put the clergy to death - St. Cyprian was martyred in that year.

258 Aug 6, Sixtus II, bishop of Rome (257-58), was beheaded upon orders of Emperor Valerian.

258 The Alemanni pushed through the Alps into the Po River valley. As a result, Verona, Como and Aquileia were fortified with stone from tombs.

260-339 Eusebios (Eusebius of Caesarea, c263-340), Christian theologian and historian. He served as Bishop of Caesarea from 315-340.

260 The emperor Valerian taken prisoner by the Persian emperor Shapur I. The prince of Palmyra (who had gained independence after Valerian’s defeat) seized control of the Eastern provinces of the empire until 272, when they were regained by the emperor Aurelian.

261 First church buildings with a rectangular basilica, up until this time Christians had meet mostly in private homes.

261 The emperor Gallenius proclaimed toleration for Christians by edict. This, in response to petitions from Christian bishops, also restored confiscated churches and cemeteries. Before this time, churches could not own property, since Christianity was illegal. Churches now began to receive money and property bequeathed in wills.

262 The temple of Artemis in Ephesus destroyed by Gothic invaders.

268 Goths sack Athens, Corinth, and Sparta.

268 The Juthurigi and the Alemanni advanced to within 70 miles of Rome in this year, and again in 270. In consequence, a high wall was built around Rome.

269 The Goths invaded the Balkans. Romans defeated them at Naissus.

270 Zenobia of Syria proclaimed herself "Queen of the East" and attacked Roman colonies adjoining her and conquered Egypt.

284-305 Diocletian (245-316) ruled the Roman Empire. Under his rule the last and most terrible persecution of the Christians took place, perhaps some 3,000 martyrs. He divided rule over the empire among four men. He put two rulers to oversee the east and two to oversee the west. He also established four capitals. He moved his own capital from Rome to Nicomedia, south of Byzantium in Asia Minor. He also increased the size of the Roman army from 300,000 to 500,000 men

287 Conversion en masse of the kingdom of Armenia under Gregory the illuminator.

288 Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus, Roman emperor Constantine I (324-337), was born in Yugoslavia. In a battle against an army led by his brother-in-law, Maxentius, at the Milvian bridge near Rome Constantine was victorious. The night before this battle was when Constantine dreamed of an angel holding a cross and saying "In this sign thou conquer!"

295 The term “Catholic” is now commonly used to mean all churches that agree with the whole apostolic doctrine as opposed to the many heretical sects that follow after “secret knowledge’.

to be cont.

Hans

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HansC wrote:

354 Emperor Julian the Apostate came ashore at Hissarlik, the site of ancient Troy, and found a fire still burning on an altar to the Trojan hero, Hector.

355 Donatus, bishop of Casae Nigrae in North Africa, died. He taught that the effectiveness of the sacraments depends on the moral character of the minister. In other words, if a minister who was involved in a serious enough sin were to baptize a person, that baptism would be considered invalid.

354-430 St. Augustine, Latin Bishop considered the founder of formalized Christian theology, church father

360 Huns invade Europe, scrolls begin to be replaced by books (Codex)

361-363 Julian the Apostate emperor of East, attempts to revive Paganism

362 Jun 17, Emperor Julian issued an edict banning Christians from teaching in Syria.

Jun 27, The death of Roman Emperor Julian brought an end to the Pagan Revival. Julian received a mortal wound in battle with the Sassanian Persians, whom he tried to conquer.

363 Jovianus becomes Emperor and surrenders Mesopotamia to the Persians.

363 A devastating earthquake leveled half the city of Petra, the principal city of Nabatea.

364 Feb 26, On the death of Jovian, a conference at Nicaea chose Valentinian, an army officer who was born in the central European region of Pannania, to succeed him in Asia Minor.

364 Basil, bishop of Caesarea, writes and denounces Arian doctrine, which denies the deity of Christ.

364 Valentinian officially divides the Roman Empire. Valentinian remains as Emperor of the West while Valens his brother becomes Emperor of the East. .

Jul 21, An earthquake, whose epicenter was in Crete, leveled the Egyptian Port of Alexandria as well as the Roman outpost of Leptis Magna in Libya. Some 50,000 people died.

367 Athanasias, bishop of Alexandria, first citing of the 27 NT
Canonical books.

369 General Theodosius drives the Picts and Scots out of Britain.

370 Ambrose introduces the singing of hymns to his church in Milan.

375 Gratian becomes Emperor of the West. He is murdered a few years later by Magnus Maximus.

377 The Eastern emperor Valens allowed Visigoths to cross the Danube into the empire. As part of the deal worked out by Valens and the Gothic leader Fritigern , Fritigern agreed to adopt the emperor’s Arian faith and to persuade his followers to do likewise. Other tribes - Burgundians, Ostrogoths, Sueves, and Vandals - also adopted Arianism after entering imperial territory. The Huns were a driving force behind the migration of the Ostrogoths, who pressured the Visigoths across the Danube.

378 On 9 August, the Eastern emperor Valens died in the battle of Adrianople against Fritigern and his Goths. More than 2/3 of Valens’ army was slain. A large section of the Gothic army was cavalry while the Romans were primarily infantry.

379-395 Theodosius the Great, last emperor of the united empire.

380 Feb 27, Christianity declared official state religion by Theodosius

383 Roman legions begin to evacuate Britain

383 Upon murdering Gratian, Magnus Maximus proclaims himself Emperor of the West.

386 Augustine (354-430) became a priest and soon after bishop of Hippo, a Roman city in what is now Algeria. He wrote "The City of God," in which he laid out a plan of world history, showing how two cities vied with each other for dominance and would continue to do so until the end of time. One city was human- material, fleshly, downward-turning. The other city was divine- spiritual, turning upward toward the Creator of all things... An individual thinking being, Augustine said, does not make the truth, he finds it. He discovers it within himself as he listens to the teachings of the magister interiore, the "inward teacher," who is Christ, the revealing Word of God. According to Augustine, St. Ambrose set the fashion for silent reading and marveled at the innovation.

387 Apr 24, Bishop Ambrose baptized St. Augustine in Milan at the Baptistry of San Giovanni alle Fonti, later the site of the Duomo Cathedral.

388 Theodosius captures Magnus and executes him, and briefly reunites the Empire.

390 Jul 16, Brennus and Gauls defeated the Romans at Allia.

391 Theodosius reinstates Christianity as the official Roman religion. He issues an edict purging pagan texts, which inadvertently leads to the burning of the last of the two great libraries at Alexandria, the Serapeum.

394 Theodosius bans the Olympic Games, which were last held in this year until the modern times.

395 Theodosius prohibits practice of Pagan rituals including Olympic Games

395 The Visigothic King Alaric invades Greece but is driven back.

395 Jan 17, Emperor Theodosius I (49), the Great, Spanish head of Rome, died. Theodosius I wrote into his will that upon his death the eastern and western sections of the empire should be declared separate empires. His death in this year marks the split of the Roman and Byzantine Empire. This also helps the Church to split into two, with the western half remaining under the Pope, while the eastern half develops under the patriarch of Constantinople.

396 Alaric, king of the Visigoths, plunders Athens

397 Ambrose, b.333?, bishop & governor of Milan,

398 John Chrysostom, a tremendous church orator, becomes bishop of Constantinople.

400 Vulgate Bible, by Jerome,

400 About this time the Angles and Saxons cross the North Sea to England

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400 Jerome, one of the greatest scholars ever produced by Christendom writes the Vulgate Bible. The actual writing lasted from 382-405. The Vulgate was to be the dominate translation of the Bible until well into the Reformation of the 16th. Cent.

400 Butter begins to supplant olive oil in Rome. Togas give way to trousers.

400 The Chinese invent the wheelbarrow.

401 Visigoths invade Italy.

402 The capital in the West was moved from Milan to Ravenna. Ravenna, situated among marshes and canals, was more easily defended. Milan had been the capital in the West since 286.

402 On Easter (April 6), The Roman general, Stilicho defeated the Visigoths under Alaric at Pollentia in northwest Italy. Alaric and most of his soldiers escaped. The Visigoths moved back into Illyricum. Stilicho had withdrawn troops from the Rhine and Britain to defeat Alaric, and it appears he never permitted them to return. Hence the Rhine border defenses were weakened in 406/7 when the Germanic tribes invaded the empire.

405 In Northern Ireland St. Patrick (16) was sold about this time as a slave by King Niall

406 Aug 23, At the Battle at Florence the Roman army under Stilicho beat the Barbarians under Radagaisus.

406 Dec 31, Godagisel, king of the Vandals, died in battle as some 80,000 Vandals attacked over the Rhine at Mainz.

Sep 14, Johannes Chrysostomus (b.c347), patriarch of Constantinople (398) and exiled in 404, died in Pontus ,later northeast Turkey. He is generally considered the most prominent doctor of the Greek Church and one of its greatest preachers .

408 Aug 22, Flavius Stilicho (48), West Roman field leader died. Actually the Roman Emperor, Honorius had him murdered. He was jealous of his popularity.

407 The Roman legions departed Britain, leaving the island undefended. At that time, Britain and Gaul were under the control of a usurper named Constantine, rather than the western emperor Honorius.

410 Visigoths sack Rome under king Alaric.

414 After marrying the captured sister of the Roman Emperor, Ataulf, Alaric’s successor, agrees to fight the Seuvi, Alans and Vandals for land. The become clients of Rome and fight these other tribes in Spain.

415 Archbishop Cyril of Alexandria sent a mob of religious police to stop Hypatia, a pagan ascetic and scholar. The mob kidnapped her, dragged her to a church, stripped and tortured her with oyster shells. They killed her by scraping off her skin with the shells. Her body parts were then butchered, put on public display and burnt to a crisp.

416 Visigoths take Spain

418 Franks take Gaul

418 Mar 10, Jews were excluded from public office in the Roman Empire.

421 Mar 25, Venice was founded by refugees from the barbarian incursions into the Roman Empire.

428 John Nestorius becomes Patriarch of Constantinople.

429 Roman Africa was invaded by the Vandals, barbarians who had fought and conquered their way across Germany, France, Spain and across the Strait of Gibraltar. The Visigoths were however on their heels and they had to keep moving.

430 St. Augustine, b.354, church father & philosopher, wrote: "The City of God", "Confessions"; Augustine died in Hippo (Annaba, Algeria) with a Vandal army outside the gates of the city.

431 Cyril of Alexandria chairs the (3rd ecumenical) Council of Ephesus, It decrees Mary, the Mother of God and condems John Nestorius as a heretic.

431 A great Mayan dynasty arose at Palenque and soon began trading with communities hundreds of miles away.

431 The Vandals under Genseric took Hippo, the year after Augustine’s death.

432 The Bible and the works of the church fathers were translated into Armenian.

432 St Patrick begins mission in Ireland. St. Patrick was consecrated a bishop and returned to Ireland as missionary. He established Ireland’s first monasteries and Irish monks made it their mission to copy all literature, sacred and secular, while barbarism swept the continent.

435 John Nestorius was banished from his monastery in Antioch by Emperor Theodosius II.

433-453 Attila the Hun, called "Scourge of the Gods". Attila was the king of the Huns from 434 to 453 and one of the greatest of the barbarian rulers to assail the Roman Empire.

438 Easter, In Ireland St. Patrick used the 3-leaf clover to illustrate the Trinity.

438 The Persian King Yazdegird II ruled. He pressured the Armenians to accept Zoroastrianism and worship the supreme god Ahura Mazda. Mihr-Nerseh, the Persian grand vizier, promulgated an edict that enjoined the Armenians to convert.

439 The Vandals, led by King Gaiseric, took Carthage and quickly conquered all the coastal lands of Algeria and Tunisia. Egypt and the Libyan coast remained in Roman hands.

440 Leo the great becomes bishop of Rome. The first person to be Pope in our modern sense.

444 In Ireland St. Patrick selected the site for the Cathedral of Armagh. It later became Ireland’s ecclesiastical center and preceded the 360 churches that he established.

444 A devastating plague hits Britain and weakens them to invasion by various barbarian tribes.

410-450 About this time the Angles and Saxons cross the North Sea to England

449 The Armenians held a General Assembly to ponder the Persian edict that demanded conversion to Zoroastrianism. They chose to remain Christian and their leaders were summoned to Persia to answer to the king. The leaders opted to yield under heavy pressure but were renounced on their return home.

449 The Jutes under Hengest and Horsa land in Britain and conquer Kent.

450 St. Benedict (d.547) was born in Norcia, Italy, about this time. He lived for years as a hermit near the ruins of Nero's palace above Subiaco, 40 miles east of Rome. He established the monastery of Monte Cassino, the founding house of the Benedictine order. His rules and standards of communal life are known as the rules of St. Benedict.

450 The Hun invasions of India began.

450 Saint Patrick teaches the Irish how to distill grain into whiskey.

450 The Mayans found the city of Chichen Itza. It is one of the most important ruins in Central America and is close to the modern resort of Cancun.

450 Antioch becomes the first city to illuminate its streets at night.

450 The mausoleum of Galla Placida, sister of the emperor, is built in Ravenna, Italy. Her tomb takes the form of a cross with a dome over the center. This is one of the earliest examples of this type of Christian architecture.

to be cont.

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451 Apr 13, A Persian Army of 300,000 men under Mushkan Nusalavurd arrived in Iran to face the Armenian forces.

451 May 26, The Battle of Avarair. Vardan Mamikonian, son of Sparapet (general) Hamazasp Mamikonian and Sahakanush, daughter of the Catholicos Sahak Bartev, led a force of 66,000 Armenians to face the Persians. Prior to battle Vardan read aloud the story of the Jewish Maccabees. Persian losses tripled the Armenian dead, but Mushkan won and Vardan was killed.

451 Apr 7, Attila's Huns plundered Metz.

451 Jun 20, Roman and Barbarian warriors halted Attila’s army at the Catalaunian Plains in eastern France. General Aetius defeats Attila the Hun at Chalons-sur-Marne with a mixed confederation of Romans, Visigoths and Burgundians and Franks The Huns moved south into Italy but were defeated again.

451 Refugees from the Huns, escaping from the mainland sail out into the Adriatic and build Venice.

451 John Nestorius, former Patriarch of Constantinople, died about this time. Prior to his death he wrote his book "Bazar of Heracleids."

451-484 Vahan Mamikonian led the Armenians in a 33-year guerrilla war. The Persian Sassanids underwent 3 rulers and pressure from the White Huns, and when King Peroz was killed by them, his successor, Balash, sued for peace. Vahan demanded and was granted religious freedom.

451 Oct 8, Council of Chalcedon (4th ecumenical council) opened. The Council declared that the two natures of Christ, divine and human, were united without change, division or confusion in Christ. This led to the formation of the Coptic Monophysite Church which continued to hold that Jesus had but one divine nature. Copt comes from the Arabic word for Egyptian.

452 Pope Leo I meets Attila the Hun on the banks of the Mincio and Attila agrees to make peace and spare Rome.

452 Attila the Hun dies
.
454 Sep 21, In Italy, Aetius, the supreme army commander, was murdered in Ravenna by Valentinian III, the emperor of the West.

455 Jul 9, Avitus, the Roman military commander in Gaul, became Emperor of the West.

455 Jun 16, Rome was sacked by the Vandal army. Gaiseric looted Rome for 14 days. He took the looted treasure, which likely included the 70 AD plunder from Jerusalem, by ship to the temple of Carthage. 455 At the intercession of Leo the Great, he abstained from torturing or massacring the inhabitants and burning the city, but gave it up to systematic plunder. Genseric then returned unmolested to Africa, carrying much booty and many thousand captives, including the empress Eudoxia and her two daughters. The elder became the wife of his son Hunneric.

457 A Thracian officer by the name of Leo was proclaimed as emperor of the East by the army general, Aspar, on the death of the Emperor Marcian.

457 A Monophysite was named patriarch of Alexandria.

459 Death of St. Symeon Stylites. For 30 years he lived on top of a column at the monastery in Telanissos in Syria, on the main road from Antioch to the Euphrates.

461 Mar 17, According to tradition, St. Patrick (b.c389), the patron saint of Ireland, died in Saul.

461 Nov 10, Leo I the Great, Pope (440-61), dies.

468 Mar 3, St. Simplicius was elected to succeed Catholic Pope Hilarius.

476 Official end of western Roman empire. At Ravenna , the barbarian general Odoacer deposed the last of the Roman emperors, the young boy Romulus Augustus.

478 The tomb of St. Barnabas was discovered at Salamis in Cyprus. According to tradition, Barnabas had been stoned to death.

478 Japanese followers of the Shinto faith build the shrines of Ise. They are the central shrines of the Shinto belief.

480 Boethius (d.524) was born in Rome about this time. He acquired an important post under the Ostrogoth King Theodoric, but later fell into disfavor and was imprisoned. In prison he wrote his famous The Consolation of Philosophy.

481 Clovis became king of the Salian Franks. He later converted to Orthodox Christianity under the influence of his wife, Clotilde, a Burgundian princess, and Remigius, bishop of Rheims.

482 The Byzantine emperor Zeno issues the Henoptican, a religious text aimed at reconciling the rift between the eastern and western churches.

484 The Pope rejects the Henoptican and excommunicates Acacius the patriarch of Constantinople for his support of it.

484 The Church of Mary Theotokos is built over the presumed site of a Samaritan Temple that is believed to be a copy of the Second Temple of Jerusalem at Mt. Gerizim

486 Clovis conquers the last Roman governor of Gaul, Syagrius and makes Soissons his capital.

491 Armenian Church secedes from East (Byzantium) and West (Rome) churches

492-496 Pope Gelasius I, 50th Pope, "Vicar of Christ" is first used as another title

493 Mar 3, Odovacar, the Herulian leader, surrendered Ravenna to Theodorik, king of the Ostrogoths. Theodorik invited Odovacar to dinner and had him murdered. Theodorik united Italy as an Ostrogoth kingdom until 554

496 In China the Shaolin Temple was built in the foothills of Mount Songshan in Henan province. It was later considered as the birthplace for Shaolin boxing, a combination of Buddhism and Chinese martial arts that evolved into kung fu

498 Nov 19, Anastasius II, Pope (496-98), (Dante Inferno XI, 8-9), dies.

499 By the end of the century, the Bible has been translated into thirteen languages.

500 The northern California Emeryville Shellmound, dates to about this time.

500 Around this time the British King Arthur defeats the Saxons at the battle of Mount Baden, although this only slows the Saxons down for a short time.

500 About this time Nubians turned from their Egyptian-influenced religion to Christianity. A thousand years later the people of this region will convert heavily to Islam.

500-600 Arabs about this time brought back home from India the numerals we refer to as Arabic numbers.

500 Incense introduced in Christian church service, first plans of Vatican

500 By this time the Kaaba at Mecca housed more than 360 idols of the gods of various tribes. Protection of the Kaaba was organized by the Quraysh tribe, who encouraged other tribes to deposit their idols their for protection and a fee.

500 About this time the Indian monk Bodhidharma hit on the idea of Zen after staring at a wall for nine years.

to be cont.

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501 During this century, inhumation replaced cremation in Northern France

506 At the Armenian council of Dvin, that church rejected the ruling of Chalcedon on the nature of Christ. From that point on, the Armenian church was Monophysite in Christology. There were Monophysite bodies in Egypt (the Copts), Ethiopia and Syria

507 Clovis, king of the Salian Franks (481-511), sent messengers with gifts to the shrine of St. Martin of Tours, seeking a sign from heaven. As his men entered the church, the chanter sang, “For thou hast firded me with strength unto battle; thou has subdued under me those who rose up against me” (Psalm 18.39). In the summer, Clovis defeated Alaric II, king of the Visigoths, at Voille (near Poitiers).

The Catholic nobles of southern Gaul had supported their Arian king Alaric II. The Visigoths managed to retain control over a strip of land from the Pyrenees to the Rhone, with their capital at Narbonne. They spread into Spain, and ruled there until their kingdom was destroyed by the Saracens in 711.

508 Caesarius, bishop of Arles (502-43) set up a convent built against the city wall for his sister Caesaria. Around 200 women , recruited from the aristocracy, lived in the Convent of St. John. The holiness of these nuns, kept in total seclusion, was believed to protect the city.

508 On Christmas Day, Remigius, bishop of Rheims, baptized Clovis, king of the Salian Franks, and his entire army . The Franks converted to Orthodox from than Arianism.

508 The Franks, led by Clovis, took Paris and made it their capital.

509 The emperor Anastasios (491-518) wrote to Clovis, king of the Salian Franks, making him an honorary consul. This is indicative of the east Roman diplomatic efforts among the Germanic kingdoms during this era (in particular, against the Ostrogothic kingdom in Italy). Clovis celebrated this honor by donning the purple costume of consul and tossing coins to a crowd in Tours as he enacted the “Adventus” ritual of the Roman emperors. The occasion for Anastasios’s congratulatory letter was Clovis’s victory over the Visigoths at Vouille. The Salian Franks had become Orthodox, while the Visigoths were still Arians at this time.

514-18 An apology for the council of Chalcedon written by John Philoponus an Alexandrian, appeared during this time. John asserted that Christ must be consubstantial to both God and man. He maintained that Christ’s humanity never existed without his divinity, but that the two together constituted a single hypostasis . As a philosopher, John developed an interpretation of Aristotle in the light of Christian revelation. He wrote commentaries on several of Aristotle’s works.

516 Sigismund (516-23) king of the Burgundians. During his reign, the Burgundians renounced the Arian heresy and became Orthodox.

520 The decimal system in invented in India by Aryabhata.

521-597 St. Columba, Irish missionary in Scotland. The Irish monks of Columba preceded the Benedictines in Northern Europe,

523 The Jews of Yemen, under Yusuf Dhu Nuwas, massacred the Christian population of that country. They were avenged by Elesbaan, King of Abyssinia, who conducted a terrible slaughter of Jews in Yemen.

524 Boethius, b.480, Roman Christian philosopher, wrote: "Theological Tractates", "Consolation of Philosophy"; He was executed at the order of the Ostrogoth king Theodoric.

Boethius may have been suspected of having conspired with the Justin I, the Orthodox Roman Emperor, perhaps to end the schism over the Henoticon. Theodoric was an Arian, and it was to his advantage that the Orthodox Roman population of Italy (roughly 90% of the total) view the Empire to the east as heretical. While in prison, Boethius wrote his most important work, The Consolation of Philosophy. It is said to be the most influential book in the western Church during the medieval period, after the Bible.

The Consolation transmitted the main doctrines of Platonic philosophy to the Middle Ages. Boethius’ solution to the supposed conflict between God’s foreknowledge and human freedom, contained in Book Five of the Consolation, relies upon a distinction between conditional and simple necessity.

It was considered authoritative for centuries. In The Consolation of Philosophy he tries to find comfort in reason and philosophy. He doesn't quote scripture

to be cont....

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525 Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, ordered John I (523-26), bishop of Rome, to travel to Constantinople as his ambassador, with orders to convince Justin to retract his 523 edict against Arianism. John was the first bishop of Rome to visit Constantinople. When he arrived on 19 April, the emperor Justin greeted the pope at the twelfth milestone and prostrated himself before him. Justin agreed to stop persecuting the Arians, and he returned their churches. But he would not allow the Arians whom he had converted by force to return to Arianism.

526 When John I came to Ravenna after his unsuccessful mission to Constantinople, Theodoric imprisoned him, where he died, probably of starvation.

525 Hun invaders conquer India. The Gupta Dynasty ends.

526 Earthquake in Antioch kills 250,000

526 Aug 30, Theodoric the Great (72), King of Ostrogoths, dies of dysentery.

527-565 Justinian the Great, Byzantine emperor, 527-548 Empress Theodora, considered the most powerful woman in Byzantine history, ruled with her husband Justinian.

527 Emperor Justinian built the St. Catherine monastery in Egypt’s Sinai Desert to house the bones of St. Catherine of Alexandria, who was tortured to death for converting to Christianity. The site was thought to be the place where Moses saw the Miracle of the Burning Bush.

527-32 War between the Persian and Roman empires.

528 The emperor Justinian (527-65) commanded all pagans to receive baptism within 3 months.

529 Benedict of Nursia founded the monastery at Monte Cassino in Central Italy. The Lombards destroyed it in 580.

529 The Council of Orange struggles with free will, it approves the Augustinian doctrine of sin and grace, but without absolute predestination

529 Justinian closes 1000 year Athen's School of Philosophy, declared to be pagan. Damascius, the last Scholarch, traveled to Persia with six other Neo-Platonic philosophers. They returned to Athens in 533. The closing of the university signals the end of pagan Neo-Platonic philosophy.

529 Note on the “Glory Be.” John Cassian had mentioned in his Institutes on the subject of nocturnal prayers, that the custom in Gaul was to repeat the Glory Be at the end of each Psalm. In the East, it was sung once, at the end of all of the Psalms. The Greek form of this doxology translates as, “Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.”

529 The new Justinian Code was composed of 4,652 laws. It extended the rights of women, children and slaves, and also called for harsher penalties for crime.

530 Seven thousand people killed due to an earthquake in Laodicea. The emperor provided funds for reconstruction from the treasury.

530 The emperor Justinian (527-65) conducted a persecution of pagans in Constantinople. The property of many of the accused was confiscated.

531 In the summer of this year, the empress Theodora convinced Justinian to end the persecution of the Monophysites. Groups of monks were recalled from exile.

532 Oct 17, Boniface II, 1st "German" Pope, died.

532 Jan 18, The Nika uprising at Constantinople failed and 30-40,000 died. Justinian and his wife Theodora attended festivities at the Hippodrome, a stadium for athletic competition. Team support escalated from insults to mob riots and in the end Constantinople lay in ruins. Justinian proceeded to rebuild the city with extensive commissions for religious art and architecture, including the new Hagia Sophia.

533 N. Africa captured by Belisarius from Vandals, becomes Byzantine province 533 . The emperor Justinian’s general Belisarius defeated the Vandals in North Africa at Tricameron. The Vandal kingdom was destroyed.

534 The Franks conquer and annex the second Burgundian Kingdom centered around Geneva.

533-565 Justinian’s armies regained parts of Spain, all of Italy south of the Po and North Africa. Justinian brought the Vandal king into Constantinople and resurrected the triumphal procession of 71AD.

535 May 13, St Agapitus I began his reign as Pope

535 In June, the patriarch of Constantinople, Epiphanius, dies. The empress Theodora, a staunch Monophysite, maneuvered to have Anthimus appointed patriarch. Anthimus, a closet Monophysite, was deposed at a council in 536.

535 A large volcanic eruption caused temperatures to remain colder than normal through 550. 535-536 was one unceasing winter. The volcano responsible for this temporary change in climate may have been Krakatau. A drought began in Mongolia. Defeated by the Turks, the Avars began their trek toward Europe in 552, arriving around 560. Their migration resulted in the movement of more people into what remained of the Empire. There is some speculation that the Avar humiliation at the hands of the Turks was due to the drought, brought on by the volcanic eruption 535: the Avar economy was based on horses, which have less efficient digestive systems and are more susceptible to changes in climate than cattle, raised by the Turks.

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536 On 19 February, the bishop of Rome, Agapetus I (535-36) visited Constantinople as an ambassador from Theodahad, the Gothic king of Italy, to avert an impending war between the Empire and the Goths over the murder of a lady named Amalasuntha. She had been the only daughter of Theodoric, and an ally of the emperor Justinian.

Theodahad also wanted Agapetus to convince Justinian to stop forcibly converting the Arians of North Africa to Orthodoxy, and to dissuade him from invading Italy. Agapetus refused to recognize Anthimus as patriarch, given the latter’s support for Monophysitism. Justinian’s hands were tied, since he desired the support of the Roman populace in the upcoming war with the Goths.

After the death of Pope Agapetus, the empress Theodora determined to make Vigilius, the papal nuncio in Constantinople, the next bishop of Rome. She provided him with 200 pounds of gold and letters to Belisarius and his wife Antonina. Theodora intended for Vigilius to restore Anthimus and perhaps to denounce Chalcedon. Unfortunately for her plans, King Theodahad of the Goths had already forced the election of Silverius (536-37) to the papacy..

536 Dec 9, Byzantine Count Belisarius entered Rome through the Asinarian Gate at the head of 5,000 troops. At the same time, 4,000 Ostrogoths left the city through the Flaminian Gate and headed north to Ravenna, the capital of their Italian kingdom.

For the first time since 476, when the Germanic king, Odoacer, had deposed the last Western Roman emperor and crowned himself "King of the Romans," the city of Rome was once more part of the Roman empire—albeit an empire whose capital had shifted east to Constantinople. Belisarius had taken the city back as part of Emperor Justinian’s grand plan to recover the western provinces from their barbarian rulers.

The plan was meant to be carried out with an almost ridiculously small expeditionary force. The 5,000 soldiers that General Belisarius led included Hun and Moor auxiliaries, and they were expected to defend circuit walls 12 miles in diameter against an enemy who would soon be back, and who would outnumber them at least 10-to-1.

537 Belisarius deposed Silverius, bishop of Rome. A document had been forged to prove that Silverius had conspired with the Goths.

537 Mar 11, The Goths laid siege to Rome. The Goths cut the aqueducts to Rome.

539 The Goths razed Milan, reportedly killing 300,000 adult males and giving the women to their Burgundian allies as slaves.

540 The Kutrigurs capture thirty-two Roman fortresses in Illyricum and raid as far as Constantinople.

540 Belisarius conquers Ravenna.

541 The beginning of a pandemic of plague that swirled around the Mediterranean for more than two centuries. It killed as many as 40 million people and weakened the Byzantine Empire. "The bodies of the sick were covered with black pustules... the symptoms of immediate death," wrote Procopius, historian of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. At its peak in Constantinople, he reported, the plague killed 10,000 people a day.

542 The emperor Justinian (527-65) published a condemnation of Origenism , Justinian’s anathemas against Origen: “(1) Whoever says or thinks that human souls pre-existed, i.e., that they had previously been spirits and holy powers, but that, satiated with the vision of God, they had turned to evil, and in this way the divine love in them had died out and they had therefore become souls and had been condemned to punishment in bodies, shall be anathema”

542 A Monophysite Syrian monk named John after gaining the favor of the empress Theodora, became bishop of Ephesus. John wrote an ecclesiastical history in three volumes , a work on the lives of the Eastern saints, and was responsible for the baptism of over 70,000 pagans in Asia Minor. He and his followers built 98 churches and twelve monasteries in Asia, Caria, Lydia and Phrygia.

539-562 War between Byzantine empire and Persia

542 The St. Columbas monastery was founded on Iona.

544 The emperor Justinian (527-65) sent Belisarius to Italy to fight the Ostrogoths under Totila. Totila had managed to conquer much of the land taken by Belisarius prior to 540. But Rome still resisted the Ostrogoths.

545 The emperor Justinian (527-65) suppressed the Manichaeans. He attempted to convert those who had been arrested, but they remained firm in their beliefs. They were then tortured and killed; their bodies were buried at sea, and their property confiscated.

547 St. Benedict dies.

546 Totila sacked Rome after a siege of three months. Belisarius retook Rome after Totila left to do battle in Lucania.

548 Death of the empress Theodora.

548 Work is completed on the church of San Vitale in Ravenna. Which contain wonderful mosaics of Justinian and Theodora.

549 Samaritans and Jews staged a bloody revolt at Caesarea. They murdered Stephanus, proconsul of Palestine. Their leaders were subsequently executed. The Samaritans, who had recently been reported to have adopted Christianity, openly resumed their traditional worship.

549 Jerusalem held to a Jan 6 date for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus until this year. In the end the West added the Epiphany and the East added the Dec 25 nativity to their liturgical calendars.

549 Totila, king of the Ostrogoths, again captured Rome. By the end of 550, Totila’s forces had captured all of Sicily and Italy, except Ravenna and a few towns along the coast.

550 Native peoples in southwest Colorado began building pit houses. Found the world over, these are rooms dug in the ground with roofs of mud and logs. To get in or out, people used a ladder through a hole in the roof that doubled as a smoke vent-unpleasant for humans but a good way to keep animals out. Y

550 The start of the great period of Irish Monasticism.

550 Around this time, the tonsure came to be associated with monasticism.

550 St. David converts Wales to Christianity, crucifix becomes Christian icon

to be cont...

Hans

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	HansC wrote: