The purpose of this timeline is to give a detailed historical account of the real historical events of Christianity from the beginning of the current era (CE / AD) to the present. Question marks ('?') below on dates indicate approximate dates. Christian events include miracles and fulfilled Hebrew prophecies.
The year one is the first year in the Christian calendar (there is no year zero), which is the calendar presently used (in unison with the Gregorian calendar) almost everywhere in the world. Traditionally, this was held to be the year Jesus was born; however, most modern scholars argue for an earlier or later date, the most agreed upon being between 6 BC and 4 BC.
Background historical timeline
6 AD Herod Archelaus deposed by Augustus; Samaria, Judea and Idumea annexed as Iudaea Province under direct Roman administration, capital at Caesarea. Quirinius became Legate (Governor) of Syria, conducted Census of Quirinius, opposed by ZealotsFlavius Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews - Book XVIII (JA18), earlyjewishwritings.com, accessed 2024-11-13 (, ) 7–26 Brief period of peace, relatively free of revolt and bloodshed in Judea and GalileeJohn P. Meier's A Marginal Jew, v. 1, ch. 11; also H.H. Ben-Sasson, A History of the Jewish People, Harvard University Press, 1976, , page 251: "But after the first agitation (which occurred in the wake of the first Roman census) had faded out, we no longer hear of bloodshed in Judea until the days of Pilate." 9 Pharisee leader Hillel the Elder dies, temporary rise of Shammai 14–37 Tiberius, Roman Emperor 18–36 Caiaphas, appointed High Priest of Herod's Temple by Prefect Valerius Gratus, deposed by Syrian Legate Lucius Vitellius 19 Jews, Jewish proselytes, astrologers, expelled from RomeSuetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Tiberius 36; Jewish Encyclopedia: Rome: Expelled Under Tiberius: "The Jewish deputation which petitioned for the deposition of the royal house of the Idumeans was joined by 8,000 Jewish residents of Rome. Several Romans adopted Jewish customs, and some, as the rhetor Cilicius of Kalakte, a friend of Dionysius of Halicarnassus, even embraced Judaism (Müller, "Fragmenta Historicorum Græcorum", iii. 331). The reign of Tiberius (until the removal of his minister Sejanus) was fraught with misfortune for the Jews. When the cult of Isis was driven out of Rome (19 CE.) the Jews also were expelled, because a Roman lady who inclined toward Judaism had been deceived by Jewish swindlers. The synagogues were closed, the vessels burned, and 4,000 Jewish youths were sent upon military service to Sardinia. After the death of Sejanus (31) the emperor allowed the Jews to return."; Haim Hillel Ben-Sasson (and Abraham Malamat contributor) A History of the Jewish People, Harvard University Press, 1976, , page 288 quote: "Explicit evidence of a systematic attempt to propagate the Jewish faith in the city of Rome is found as early as 139 BCE. With the increase of the Jewish population of Rome, the Jews intensified their efforts to make converts among the Romans. Although the activity of Jewish missionaries in Roman society caused Tiberius to expel them from that city in 19 CE, they soon returned, and Jewish religious propaganda was resumed and maintained even after the destruction of the Temple. Tacitus mentions it regretfully (Histories 5.5), and Juvenal, in his Fourteenth Satire (11. 96ff.), describes how Roman families 'degenerated' into Judaism: the fathers permitted themselves to adopt some of its customs and the sons became Jews in every respect." ... [last sentence of next paragraph:] "In addition, the Bible provided the apostles of Judaism with a literature unparalleled in any other religion." 26–36 Pontius Pilate, Prefect (governor) of Iudaea, recalled to Rome by Syrian Legate Vitellius on complaints of excess violenceFlavius Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews - Book XVIII (JA18) section 4.2, earlyjewishwritings.com, accessed 2024-11-13 28 or 29 John the Baptist begins his ministry in the "15th year of Tiberius" (), saying: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" (), a relative of Jesus (), a Nazirite (), baptized Jesus (), later arrested and beheaded by Herod Antipas (), it is possible that, according to the Josephus' chronology, John was not killed until 36 A.D.Flavius Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews - Book XVIII (JA18) section 5.2, earlyjewishwritings.com, accessed 2024-11-13
Timeline of Jesus' ministry Jesus began his ministry after his baptism by John and during the rule of Pilate, preaching: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (). Non-Catholic historians and the Catholic Church teaches that the gospel accounts depict historic events. While the historicity of the gospel accounts is questioned to some extent by some critical scholars and non-Christians, the traditional view states the following chronology for his ministry: Temptation Sermon on the Mount Appointment of the Twelve Miracles Temple Money Changers Last Supper Arrest Trial Passion Crucifixion on Nisan 14th (, , Gospel of Peter) or Nisan 15th (Synoptic Gospels) Entombment by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus Resurrection by God and Resurrection appearances of Jesus to Mary Magdalene and other women (, ), Simon Peter (), and others () Great Commission Ascension
Prophecies Second Coming Prophecy to fulfill the rest of Messianic prophecy such as the Resurrection of the dead, the Last Judgment, and establishment of the Kingdom of God and the Messianic Age.
Apostolic Age
Shortly after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Nisan 14 or 15), the Jerusalem church was founded as the first Christian church with about 120 Jews and Jewish Proselytes (), followed by the events of Pentecost (Sivan 6) Ananias and Sapphira incident Pharisee Gamaliel's defense of the Apostles () the stoning of Saint Stephen (see also Persecution of Christians) and the subsequent dispersion of the Apostles (, also ) which leads to the baptism of Simon Magus in Samaria (), and also an Ethiopian eunuch () Paul's "Road to Damascus" conversion to "Apostle to the Gentiles" is first recorded in , cf. Peter baptizes the Roman Centurion Cornelius, who is traditionally considered the first Gentile convert to Christianity () The Antioch church is founded, where the term Christian was first used ().
Year Date History Image 37–41 Crisis under Caligula is seen as the first clear conflict between Rome and the Jews.H.H. Ben-Sasson, A History of the Jewish People, Harvard University Press, 1976, , The Crisis Under Gaius Caligula, pages 254-256: "The reign of Gaius Caligula (37-41) witnessed the first open break between the Jews and the Julio-Claudian empire. Until then — if one accepts Sejanus' heyday and the trouble caused by the census after Archelaus' banishment — there was usually an atmosphere of understanding between the Jews and the empire ... These relations deteriorated seriously during Caligula's reign, and, though after his death the peace was outwardly re-established, considerable bitterness remained on both sides. ... Caligula ordered that a golden statue of himself be set up in the Temple in Jerusalem. ... Only Caligula's death, at the hands of Roman conspirators (41), prevented the outbreak of a Jewish-Roman war that might well have spread to the entire East."Before 44 Epistle of James is written by James the Great, originally in Koine Greek. 44? Death of Saint James the Great - According to a medieval tradition, on 2 January 40 AD, the Virgin Mary appeared to James on a pillar on the bank of the Ebro River at Caesaraugusta, while he was preaching the Gospel in Spain. Following that vision, St. James returned to Judea, where he was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa I in the year 44 AD during a Passover. Herod then proceeded to arrest St. Peter (Nisan 15) (). 44 The death of Herod Agrippa I (Last king of Judea) occurred when an angel of the Lord struck him down, resulting in him being eaten by worms and dying.Flavius Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews - Book XIX (JA19), section 8.2, earlyjewishwritings.com, accessed 2024-11-13 () 44–46? Theudas was beheaded by Procurator Cuspius Fadus for saying he would part the Jordan River (like Moses with the Red Sea or Joshua with the Jordan). After him, Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and gathered followers; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered.Flavius Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews - Book XX (JA20), section 5.1 earlyjewishwritings.com, accessed 2024-11-13 ( places it before the Census of Quirinius) 45–49? Mission of Barnabas and Paul, () to Cyprus, Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (there they were called "gods ... in human form"), then return to Syrian Antioch: Map1 47 The Church of the East is created by Saint Thomas in the Persian Empire (modern-day Iraq and Iran)48 Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15).