Chapter 3 Persecution of “The Way”

  • 60

    Nero

    Great fire of Rome; Nero launches persecutions of Christians
  • 70

    Vespasian

    Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus
  • Period: 80 to 96

    Domitian

    81| Persecution under Domitian (81-96)
    88| St. Clement I is pope; restored the sacrament of confirmation according to the rite of St. Peter; martyred in 97
  • Period: 97 to 117

    Trajan

    110| St. Ignacius of Antioch martyred
    112| Trajan’s recruit in response to Pliny
    115| St. Sixtus I is pope; died in 125
  • Period: 117 to 138

    Hadrian

    123| Hadrian’s Rescript
    125| St. Telesphorus is Pope; martyred in 136; he composed the Gloria in Excelsis Deo
  • Period: 138 to 161

    Antoninus Pius

    150| St Justin Martyr dedicates his first apology
    155| St. Polycarp martyred
    161| St Justin Martyr dedicates his Second apology
  • Period: 174 to 211

    Sept. Severus

    196| Tetrullian begins writing
    203| Sts. Perpetua and Felicity are martyred in the arena at Carthage
  • 215

    Origen (ca. 185-224) Begins writing

  • Period: 249 to 251

    Edict of Decius(emp. 249-251) orders empire-wide persecution of Christians

  • Period: 253 to 260

    Valerian (emp. 253-260) Rescripts in 257 and 258

  • Period: 284 to 305

    Diocletian

    293| Diocletian creates the Tetrarchy
    303| “Great persecution” begins under Diocletian
  • 312

    Battle of milvian bridge; conversion of Constantine; donatist schism begins

  • 313

    Edict of Milan

  • 313

    Edict of Milan announced tolerance of christians

  • 315

    Eusebius becomes bishop of Caesarea

  • 324

    Constantine defeats licinius at chrysopollis, becomes sole emperor of rome

  • 325

    First council of Nicaea; condemns araianism and formulates nicene creed

  • 330

    City of Constantinople dedicated as caption of “New Rome”

  • 337

    Constantine is baptized in his death bed by the Arian Eusebius of Nicomedia

  • 337

    St. Julius I is 35th Pope(337-352) considered to be the founder of the archives of the Holy See

  • 358

    St. Basil the Great founds Monastic community

  • 362

    Pagan revival under Emperor Julian the Apostate(361-363)

  • 364

    St. Basil becomes bishop of Caesarea

  • 367

    St. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, cites 27 NT canon

  • 374

    St. Ambrose becomes bishop of Milan

  • 380

    Emperor Theodosius decrees Christianity official religion of the Empire

  • 381

    Council of Constantinople I; Apostles creed

  • 382

    St. Jerome begins the Vulgate Latin bible

  • 390

    St. Ambrose excommunicates Emperor Theodosius

  • 393

    Theodosius forbids pagan Olympic Games; closes temple of Zeus at Olympia

  • 395

    St. Augustine ordained bishop of Hippo

  • 410

    Visigoths sack Rome under King Alaric

  • 418

    Frank’s take Gaul

  • 430

    St Augustine dies

  • 431

    Council of Ephesus, third ecumenical council, defined Mary to be the mother of God

  • 445

    Empl Valentinian III acknowledges papal supremacy

  • 451

    Council of Chalecedon; fourth ecumenical council. Defined the human and divine natures of Christ in one person

  • 452

    St. Leo I (the great) meets Attila the Hun

  • 476

    End of Roman Empire last western emperor is Romulus Augustus

  • 493

    Theodoric the Ostrogoth becomes king of Italy

  • 538

    St. Benedict founds montastery at Monte Cassino

  • 553

    Second Council of Constantinople ;fifth ecumenical; called by Emperor Justinian

  • 570

    Mohamed born at or near Mecca

  • 599

    St. Gregory 590-604

  • 611

    Mohamed has vision of archangel Gabriel

  • 624

    Muhammad defeats Meccans at Battle of Badr

  • 637

    Jerusalem captured by Muslim

  • 640

    Library of Alexandria destroyed with 300,000 ancient papyrus scrolls

  • 680

    Third council of Constantinopal.; sixth ecumenical

  • 684

    Dome of the rock built over the temple