Early Church Timeline

 

First Period of Church History

 

5 BC Jesus of Nazareth is born
30 The resurrection of Jesus
46 Paul begins missionary journeys

 

64 Nero burns Rome
70 The destruction of Jerusalem

 

 

Second Period of Church History

 

81 Domitian persecution begins
98 Trajan persecution begins
100 Justin Martyr is born
110 Martyrdom of Ignatius
117 Hadrian persecution begins
130 Conversion of Justin
130 Irenaeus is born
135 Justin writes Dialogue
138 Antonius Pius persecution begins
c150 Justin's writes First Apology
150 Clement of Alexandria is born
155 Martyrdom of Polycarp

 

155 Tertullian is born
161 Marcus Aurelius persecution begins
163 Martyrdom of Justin
178 Iranaeus is bishop of Lyon
178 Celsus writes True Reason
185 Iraneaus writes Agaist Heresies
185 Origen is born
193 Septimus Severus persecution begins
196 Tertullian begins to write
200 Clement begins to write
200 Cyprian is born

 

 

First Period of Peace

 

211 First era of peace begins
220 Origen begins to write
230 Church at Dura-Europas built

 

248 Cyprian is bishop of Carthage
248 Origen writes Contra Celsus

 

 

Second Period of Persecution

 

249 Decius begins empire-wide persecution
250 Arius is born
251 Problem of the lapsed begins

 

251 Anthony is born
255 Rebaptism controversy
257 Valerian persecution begins

 

 

  The Second Period of Peace

 

260 Second era of peace begins
260 Eusebius is born
264 Councils at Antioch

 

269 Anthony goes into the desert
286 Pachomius is born
302 Era of peace ends

 

 

The Great Persecution

 

303 The Great Persecution begins
311 Edict of Toleration
311 Donatist schism begins

 

312 Battle of Milvian Bridge
313 Edict of Milan
315 Arian controversy begins

 

 

 

Patristic Study Center / Early Church Timeline History