articlesforchristians

This timeline goes from the Disciples gathering to meet in the upper room through the writing of the Book of Revelations. A few other historical events will be added as additional information. There are some secular resources that links to other websites.

All Dates are Approximate.

• 30 AD Matthias Chosen by Lot
  • Acts 1:12
• 30 AD The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
  • Acts 2
  • The Holy Ghost: The Birth of the Church Explained
  • Peter’s Powerful Preaching at Pentecost
• 30 AD Peter Heals and Preaches Acts 3
  • THE STORY OF THE MAN AT THE BEAUTIFUL GATE
• 30 AD Peter and John Arrested and Released
  • Acts 4
• 30 AD Believers Share All
  • Acts 4:32
• 30 AD Deaths of Ananias and Sapphira
  • Acts 5
• 30 AD Apostles Preach and Heal
  • Acts 5:11
• 31 AD Stephen’s Speech, Stoning and Death Acts 6, 7
  • THE STORY OF STEPHEN, THE FIRST MARTYR
• 31 AD Saul Persecutes the Church
  • Acts 8
• 31 AD Philip in Samaria
  • Acts 8:3
• 31 AD Simon the Sorcerer
  • Acts 8:9
• 31 AD Philip and the Ethiopian
  • Acts 8:26
• 32 AD Birth of the Emperor Otho in the city of Ferentium.
• 34 AD Saul’s Conversion
  • Acts 9
• 37 AD Death of Tiberius on the island of Capri. Caligula ascends to the throne.
• 37 AD Birth of the historian Flavius Josephus, in Jerusalem. Birth of the Emperor Nero, in the town of Antium.
• 37 AD Peter Preaches to the Gentiles
  • Acts 10, 11
• 39 AD Caligula marches with the legions to Germania in a ‘mock’ campaign.
• 39 AD Caligula bridges the Bay of Naples with boats from Baiae to Puteoli
• 40 AD Caligula marches to the English Channel with the intention of invading Britain. Instead, the legions collect seashells, and he returns to Rome to celebrate a fabricated triumph.
• 40 AD Birth of the Emperor Titus. Birth of the Roman general Gn. Julius Agricola, in the province of Gallia Narbonesis.
• 40 AD Emperor Caligula orders that a statue of himself is to be erected in the temple at Jerusalem. Herod delays implementation long enough to prevent wide-spread revolt in Judaea.
• 41 AD Caligula is assassinated by the Praetorian Guard. Claudius, supposedly found hiding in the curtains of the palace is hailed the new Caesar.
• 41 AD The Roman writer Seneca is banished to the island of Corsica after he is accused of committing adultery with Claudius’s niece Livilla.
• 41 AD Livia, the wife of Augustus, is finally deified by the senate.
• 42 AD Barnabas Sent to Antioch
  • Acts 11:22
• 42 AD Peter Led from Prison by the Angel
  • Acts 12
• 43 AD Claudius begins the first large-scale Roman invasion of Britain, at first under the command of general A. Plautius.
• 43 AD Lycia is annexed into the empire.
• 44 AD Herod Agrippa Dies
  • Acts 12:20
• 44 AD Judaea is annexed as a Roman province after the death of Herod Agrippa.
• 45 AD James Writes his Letter
  • James 1 – 5
• 46 AD The client kingdom of Thrace is annexed into the empire as a province.
• 47 AD The Roman general Gn. Domitius Corbulo defeats the Frisii.
• 47 AD Claudius celebrates the Secular Games, as Rome celebrates the 800th anniversary of the founding of the city.
• 48 AD Paul’s First Missionary Journey
  • Acts 13
• 48 AD Paul preaches in Pisidian Antioch
  • Acts 13:14
• 48 AD Paul and Barnabas in Iconium
  • Acts 14
• 48 AD Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derbe
  • Acts 14:8
• 48 AD Paul and Barnabas Return to Syrian Antioch
  • Acts 14:21
• 48 AD Return to Syrian Antioch
  • Acts 14:24
• 48 AD The Council at Jerusalem
  • Acts 15
• 49 AD Claudius passes an edict expelling all Jews from Rome.
  • Acts 18:1-3 mentions this edict.
• 49 AD Paul’s Second Missionary Journey
  • Acts 15:36
• 49 AD Paul in Philippi
  • Acts 16
• 49 AD Paul in Thessalonica, Berea, Athens
  • Acts 17
• 50 AD Claudius adopts Nero as heir.
• 51 AD Birth of the Emperor Domitian in Rome.
• 51 AD Paul in Corinth
  • Acts 18
• 51 AD Paul Writes to the Thessalonians
  • 1 Thess. 1 – 5
• 52 AD Paul Writes again to the Thessalonians
  • 2 Thess. 1 – 3
• 54 AD Death and deification of Claudius. Nero ascends to the throne.
• 54 AD Paul in Ephesus
  • Acts 19
• 54 AD Paul Writes to the Corinthians
  • 1 Corinthians 1 – 16
• 54 AD Paul Writes to the Galatians
  • Galatians 1 – 6
• 56 AD Birth of the great Roman historian Tacitus, probably in Rome.
• 56 – 57 AD Nero expels actors from Rome and dictates reforms of circuses and festivals.
• 57 AD Paul in Macedonia and Greece
  • Acts 20
• 57 AD Paul Writes to the Romans
  • Romans 1 – 16
• 57 AD Paul Writes again to the Corinthians
  • 2 Corinthians 1 – 13
• 58 AD The Roman general Gn. Domitius Corbulo conquers Armenia, after the capture of the capital Artaxata.
• 59 AD Paul Returns to Jerusalem
  • Acts 21 – 23
• 60 AD Paul imprisoned in Caesarea
  • Acts 24
• 61 AD In Britain, Boudicca, the queen of the Iceni tribe, leads a revolt against Roman occupation.
• 62 AD Birth of the Roman historian Pliny the Younger in Italy.
• 62 AD Suetonius Paullus defeats the Iceni revolt of Boudicca, who commits suicide.
• 62 AD Lucius Caesennius Paetus in Armenia surrenders to invading Parthians after a defeat at Rhandeia. Gn. Domitius Corbulo returns and invades Parthia.
• 62 AD Nero divorces his wife Octavia and marries his mistress Poppaea Sabina.
• 62 AD The first signs of volcanic activity are recorded in Mt. Vesuvius, when an earthquake damages some nearby Campanian towns. (Much of which damage would never be repaired prior to its eruption some 18 years later.)
• 62 AD Paul Before Festus
  • Acts 25
• 62 AD Paul Before Agrippa
  • Acts 26
• 62 AD Paul Sails for Rome
  • Acts 27
• 62 AD The Shipwreck
  • Acts 27:13
• 62 AD Paul Ashore at Malta
  • Acts 28
• 62 AD Paul Preaches at Rome
  • Acts 28:11
• 62 AD Paul Writes to the Ephesians
  • Ephesians 1 – 6
• 62 AD Paul Writes to the Philippians
  • Philippians 1 – 4
• 62 AD Paul Writes to the Colossians
  • Colossians 1 – 4
• 62 AD Paul Writes to Philemon
  • Philemon 1
• 63 AD Paul Writes to Timothy
  • 1 Timothy 1 – 6
  • TIMOTHY AND HIS MOTHER EUNICE
• 64 AD The Great Fire of Rome, speculated to have been started by Nero to make room for his palace. Christians Persecuted as scapegoats. Nero begins construction of the domus aurea (the Golden House).
• 64 AD Peter Writes his First Letter
  • 1 Peter 1 – 5
• 65 AD A plot against the Emperor Nero, known as the ‘Pisonian Conspiracy’, led by G. Calpurnius Piso. Nineteen men are executed or forced to commit suicide.
• 65 AD Death of Nero’s wife, Poppaea, whom he kicked to death after an argument.
• 66 AD Paul Writes to Titus
  • Titus 1 – 3
• 67 AD The future Emperor Vespasian is sent to Judaea to put down a Jewish revolt.
• 67 AD Nero enters the Olympic games and is named the winner of every he event he enters.
• 67 AD Paul Writes Again to Timothy
  • 2 Timothy 1 – 4
• 67 AD Peter Writes his Second Letter
  • 2 Peter 1 – 3
• 67 AD Letter to the Hebrews
  • Hebrews 1 – 13
• 67 AD Death of Paul the Apostle.
• 68 AD Widespread revolt forces Nero to commit suicide, sparking civil war.
• 68 – 69 AD Year of the four emperors.
• 68 AD Jude Writes his Letter
  • Jude 1
• 69 AD Death of the Emperor Galba. Executed by members of the Praetorian Guard.
• 69 AD
• The German legions proclaim Vitellius as emperor. He defeats rival Otho at Bedriacum and is victorious. Otho commits suicide.
• 69 AD A fire breaks out on the Capitoline Hill, destroying much of Rome’s archives.
• 69 AD Battle of Cremona, in which Emperor Vitellius is defeated (killed) by one of the armies of Vespasian.
• 69 AD Birth of the Roman historian Suetonius, in Rome.
• 69 AD Vespasian proclaimed emperor, and while consolidation would take another 6 months his reign marked the end of the civil wars.
• 70 AD Titus, the son of Emperor Vespasian, captures Jerusalem after a four-month siege.
• 71 – 74 AD Petilius Cerealis conquers the Brigantes in modern Yorkshire.
• 73 AD The final Jewish stronghold, Masada, is captured after a long seige.
• 73 AD The nomadic Sarmatians, the Alans, invade Parthia and Armenia.
• 74 – 78 AD The governor of Britain, Julius Frontinus, defeats the Silures in modern South Wales.
• 75 AD The construction of the Temple of Peace is completed. The temple of Jupiter Capitolinus is rebuilt.
• 76 AD Parthian invasion of Syria is repulsed.
• 76 AD Birth of the Emperor Hadrian, in Rome.
• 77 – 84 AD Final conquest of Britain by Gn. Julius Agricola.
• 77 AD The Roman writer Pliny the Elder completes his work Naturalis Historia (Natural History).
• 79 AD Death of Vespasian. Ascension of his son, Titus.
• 79 AD Mt. Vesuvius erupts burying the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Pliny the Elder suffocates by getting too close in order to record the event.
• 80 AD The Flavian Ampitheatre (Colosseum), begun by Vespasian, is completed by the Emperor Titus.
• 80 AD Destruction of the Capitoline temple. The dedication of the Baths of Titus.
• 81 AD Arch of Titus is constructed in Rome.
• 81 AD Death of Titus, possibly at the hands of his brother Domitian. Domitian succeeds Titus as Emperor.
• 81 AD The Roman general Gn. Julius Agricola campaigns in Caledonia.
• 82 AD The Capitoline temple is restored and dedicated.
• 83 AD Domitian campaigns in Germania.
• 84 AD The Roman general Gn. Julius Agricola defeats the Caledonians under Calgacus at the battle of Mons Graupius.
• 85 AD Invasion of Moesia by the Dacians under Decebalus.
• 86 AD Emperor Antoninus Pius is born in the town of Lanuvium.
• 87 AD Gn. Julius Agricola is recalled to Rome by Emperor Domitian, who seemed to be jealous of Agricola’s victories.
• 88 AD Tettius Julianus defeats the Dacians at Tapae.
• 89 AD A short-lived peace treaty is signed between Rome and Dacia by Emperor Domitian and King Decebalus.
• 89 AD Domitian campaigns aganst the Chatti.
• 90 AD The head of the Vestal Virgins, Cornelia, is buried alive as punishment for promiscuity. Her lovers are beaten to death.
• 90 AD John Writes his First Letter
  • 1 John 1 – 5
• 92 AD John Writes his Second Letter
  • 2 John 1
• 93 AD Death of the Roman general Gn. Julius Agricola.
• 93 – 96 AD ‘Reign of Terror’ of Domitian.
• 94 AD John Writes his Third Letter
  • 3 John 1
• 95 AD John’s Revelation on Patmos
  • Revelation 1 – 22
• 96 AD Assassination of the Emperor Domitian.
• 96 AD With the ascension of Nerva, the era of the “Five Good Emperors” begins.
• 97 AD The future emperor Trajan is made governor in Germania and adopted as ‘Caesar’ or heir by Nerva.
• 97 AD The alimenta (a form of social welfare for poor children and aid for farmers) is instituted.
• 97 AD A Chinese embassy en route to Rome is perhaps turned back in Mesopotamia by the Parthians.
• 98 AD Death of the Emperor Nerva who is succeeded by Trajan.
• 98 AD Tacitus finishes two of his books, the Agricola and the Germania.
• 98 AD Trajan defeats the Bructeri in Germania and returns to Rome as a hero.