Introduction

"The fact is that the evidence was so patchy one hundred years ago that even Darwin himself had increasing doubts as to the validity of his views, and the only aspect of his theory which has received any support over the past century is where it applies to micro-evolutionary phenomena. His general theory, that all life on earth had originated and evolved by a gradual successive 'accumulation of fortuitous mutations, is still, as it was in Darwin's time, a highly speculative hypothesis entirely without direct factual support and very far from that self-evident axiom some of its more aggressive advocates would have us believe." *Michael Demon, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1986), p. 77.

[In a letter written to Asa Gray, a Harvard professor of biology:] "I am quite conscious that my speculations run quite beyond the bounds of true science." *Charles Darwin, quoted in *N. C. Gillespie, Charles Darwin and the Problem of Creation (1979), p. 2 (University of Chicago book.).

When was Abraham's home town, Ur, destroyed? At what time in Bible history did Buddha live? When were the Ten Commandments given on Mount Sinai? When was Enoch translated? At what time in Israelite history did the Trojan War in Greece occur?

The obvious answer is that we really do not know the exact dates. And that is true, very true. There are few dates in antiquity that we can pinpoint with certainty. But, even though we may not know exactly when they happened, we can know the approximate dates for a large number of events in ancient history.

In this chapter you will find a reference list of dates for more than 500 events between Creation and A.D. 135. Dates are of great value, for they give us a feel for history. Considering them, we can better gauge the relationship of people and events.

Although this chapter does not bear directly on the creation-evolution question, yet it has application. It is of interest that there are large numbers of historical events spanning the past several thousand years. Even though men may quarrel about what those dates were, yet they are all compressed within a fairly short time scale.

Before a few thousand years ago there was no history, no events, no dates. Man has not been here for "a million years," for if so, there would be hundreds of thousands of years of historical events, records, and dates in witness to the fact. The capacity of man's brain would long ago have produced voluminous quantities of writing, artifacts, dwellings, and cities. The planet should be littered with it, if man has been here for a million years.

All fields of human endeavor: animal husbandry, agriculture, metalworking, etc., all suddenly began a few thousand years ago in Mesopotamia. The facts are clear-cut and cannot be disproved. Much more on this subject will be found near the end of chapters 18 and 6 (Ancient Man and Age of the Earth).

Based on scientific facts given in chapter 6 (Age of the Earth), the date of Creation was set at approximately 4,000 B.C. Because the 4004 date is so commonplace, it was selected as the initial date. This date has the advantage of being exactly 4,000 years before the birth of Christ, but, as you will see below, selecting that date only affects dates on the list from Creation to shortly after the Flood.

For further information on the date of the Flood itself, see chapter 19 and 6 (Effects of the Flood and Age of the Earth). Significant facts are given in both of those chapters, bearing on the date of the Flood. Creationists generally date the Flood between 2300 and 2550 B.C. On our list it is set at 2348 B.C.

Beginning with the 4004 B.C. date, subsequent dates as we date forward (downward on the list) from 4004 toward our own time. But at 1689 B.C. (the death of Jacob) this first list stops.

A second date list then begins! This one was devised by dating backward (upward on the list) from definitely known dates in more modern times back to 2161 B.C., the birth of Abraham. This provides an overlap of dates for the period of time from the birth of Abraham to the death of Jacob. These double datings will enable you to see how close our dating estimates are. On the first list, we assumed 4004 B.C. for the date of Creation, and then dated forward (downward) to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. On the second list, we began with known later dates, and worked backward (upward) to Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. Comparing them, we find a discrepancy of only 165 years between the two! (2161 B.C. vs. 1996 B.C. for the birth of Abraham.) If that second dating method were carried on back to the beginning, it would yield a date of 4169 B.C. for the Creation, which would still round off to 4,000 years before the birth of Christ, and 6,000 years to the present time.

How were the dates on the list selected? There are two basic arrangements of ancient Near Eastern dates. One we did not use. This is the system developed by the liberals. For additional information on it, read chapter 35 (Archaeological Dating). By this dating method, inherent facts given within the Old Testament are ignored. Events are then arbitrarily assigned to much later time periods, in accordance with the opinions of skeptical Bible critics and the theories of Egyptian chronology. For example, Daniel lived in Babylon from 605 (the date of Nebuchadnezzar's first conquest of Jerusalem) to about 530 B.C. We know the dating of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, yet the critics and liberals have decided that no information on when this "Daniel" lived are known, except that he wrote the Biblical book by that name about 164 B.C.

Using historical and chronological material prepared by a different group of researchers, men who believe the Biblical records to be truthful, we prepared the following collection of dates. A variety of ancient date lists were analyzed, and an attempt was made to harmonize them. There was not a lot of variation between the various lists.

Just how accurate is this list? How close are these to the exact dates when these events happened? In the opinion of the present writer (who prepared this date list), the following accuracy tolerances would apply:

Dates before the Flood are probably accurate to within 150 years.

Dates from the Flood to the Exodus are probably accurate to within 100 years.

Dates from the Exodus to David are probably accurate to within 50 years.

Dates from David to Nebuchadnezzar are probably accurate to within 20 years.

Dates from Nebuchadnezzar to the end of the list are probably accurate to within 10 years.

Please understand that these dates were selected because they were the most accurate to be obtained. But our estimate of the margin of error between this list and the true dates is noted above. Although there is a greater margin of error between a listed date and the true date, there will generally be only a relatively small margin of error between nearby dates on the list.

And these relationships between nearby dates are interesting to think about. Adam died about 100 years before Enoch was translated. Seth died about 12 years after Enoch's translation, and about 14 years before Noah was born. Lamech died 5 years before the Flood, and Methuselah died the year of the Flood. Peleg was born 1 year after the Flood, and Arphaxad 2 years after it started. At some time within Peleg's 239-year life, "the earth was divided." See chapter 19 for a discussion of the possible meaning of that event. Peleg was the first of the patriarchs after the Flood to die; Noah died 10 years later. Two years after Noah died, Abram (Abraham) was born! Selah was born 37 years after the Flood, and died when Isaac was 18. During the first 98 years of Shem's life, his father, Noah, was warning people to prepare for the coming Flood. Shem did not die until 10 years before Jacob was born! Well, we will stop at that point. There is a lot more on this date list to think through.

A hyphen ( - ) is placed before people and events not significantly mentioned in the Bible.

FULL CAPS are used to indicate events of major importance.

During the time of the Divided Kingdom (926-721 B.C.), all people and events associated with the Northern Kingdom (Israel) are indented, while those in the Southern Kingdom (Judah) are not.

The first part of the list is composed of dates figured downward from 4004 B.C. to the death of Jacob (4004 to 1689 B.C.)

The second part of the list is composed of dates figured upward from later known dates (2161 B.C. to A. D. 135).

The beginning of each millennium is indicated. Since the first millennium begins 4 years before the millennial changeover, this pattern is followed throughout the remainder of the list. This places Creation in the "first millennium," and the birth of Christ in the first year of the millennium which begins the first A.D. dates.

Because of the double-date overlap, there are two apparent beginnings for the third millennium.

The changeover from B.C. to A.D. dating is noted.

Earlier in the lists (antediluvians and patriarchs), numbers within parentheses indicate age at death. Later in the lists, numbers within parenthesis indicate regnal years (inclusive years when a person reigned as king).

Dates from 190 B.C., onward for nearly a hundred years, deal with the Maccabean period which is partly described in the Old Testament apocryphal books, I and II Maccabees. The Maccabean dynasty ruled Judaea from 166 to 66 B.C., or to 37 B.C. on the basis of priestly rule.

One concluding question would be this: Why was A.D. 135 selected as the terminal date? It came about quite naturally. From 530 B.C. onward, there are a large numbers of secular dates. But the dates tend to drop out after A.D. 135. From that time onward, there were only a few major known dates of genuine importance in each century for nearly 1400 years.

- THE FIRST MILLENNIUM BEGINS

(Dates B.C.)

4004 CREATION in one week

4004 Adam created (930 year lifespan)

3874 Seth born (912 years)

3769 Enos born (905 years)

3679 Cainan born (895 years)

3609 Mahalaleel born (895 years)

3544 Jared born (962 years)

3382 Enoch born (365 years)

3317 Methuselah born (969 years)

3130 Lamech born (777 years)

3074 Adam dies

- THE SECOND MILLENNIUM BEGINS -

2974 ENOCH translated

2962 Seth dies

2948 Noah born (950 years)

2864 Enos dies

2769 Cainan dies

2714 Mahalaleel dies

2582 Jared dies

2468 Noah begins PREACHING

2446 Shem born (600 years)

2353 Lamech dies

2348 Methuselah dies

2348 YEAR OF THE FLOOD

2346 Arphaxad born (438 years)

2311 Salah born (433 years)

2281 Eber born (464 years)

2247 Peleg born (239 years)

2217 Reu born (239 years)

2185 Serug born (230 years)

2155 Nahor born (148 years)

2126 Terah born (205 years)

2008 Peleg dies

2007 Nahor dies

- THE THIRD MILLENNIUM BEGINS - (1)

1998 Noah dies

1996 ABRAHAM born (175 years) (Abram)

1978 Reu dies

1955 Serug dies

1921 Terah dies

1908 Arphaxad dies

1896 ISAAC born (180 years)

1878 Selah dies

1846 Shem dies

1836 JACOB born (147 years)

1821 Abraham dies

1817 Eber dies

1716 Isaac dies

1689 Jacob dies

2161 ABRAHAM Abram born (175 years)

2086 Abraham enters Canaan

2077 Ishmael born

2075 Battle of 4 kings against 5 (Gen 14)

2061 ISAAC born

2050 Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

2049 Mount Moriah

2021 Isaac marries Rebekah

- THE THIRD MILLENNIUM BEGINS - (2) -

1986 Abraham dies

1960 -Fall of Ur

1950 JACOB born (180 years)

1924 Jacob goes to Haran

1917 Jacob marries Leah and Rachel

1910 JOSEPH born

1904 Jacob moves family to Canaan

1893 Joseph sold into slavery

1881 Joseph becomes a 12th Dynasty Egyptian viceroy

1871 Israel enters Egypt

1854 Jacob dies

1800 JOSEPH DIES

1570 Queen Hatshepsut (1570-1482)

1520 MOSES BORN in 13th Dynasty

1482 Thutmose III oppresses Israel

1450 Thutmose III dies

1450 Amenhotep 11 (1450-1441)

1441 EXODUS FROM EGYPT

1441 Ten Commandments given on Sinai

1401 Death of Moses

1401 ENTRANCE INTO CANAAN

1401 Fall of Jericho

1401 -Amenhotep III (1412-1387); Amama Letters

1400 CONQUEST of Canaan begins under Joshua

1361 DEATH OF JOSHUA

1366 -Tutankamun is king of Egypt (1366-1357)

1361 Oppression by Cushan-Rishathaim

1353 Othneil's delverance; 40 years of peace begin

1345 -Seti I (Egypt) warfare near Palestine

1313 Oppression by Eglon of Moab

1295 Ehud's deliverance; peace for 80 years

1290 -Raamses II is king of Egypt (1290-1224)

1285 -Hittite invasion of Syria

1275 -Memeptah's Stele mentions Israel in Palestine

1215 Oppression by Jabin

1200 -Trojan War in Greece

1195 Deborah and Barak; 40 years of peace

1170 -Sea Peoples try to invade Egypt

1155 Oppression by Midianites

1148 GIDEON'S victory; 40 years of peace begin

1108 Abimelech king of Shechem

1115 -Peleset (Philistines) begin increasing in power

1105 Oppression by Ammonites

1105 Jephthah conquers Ammonites

1099 Philistine gain control of Israel

1085 SAMSON begins delivering his people

1065 ELI is judge of Israel

1055 Battle of Ebenezer; ark taken by Philistines

1020 SAUL is king

- THE FOURTH MILLENNIUM BEGINS -

1004 DAVID IS KING of Judah (1004-965)

998 David is king of all Israel

965 SOLOMON is king of Israel (965-926)

935 -Libyan Dynasties (22-24th) (Egypt) (935-712)

930 -Rezon seizes power in Damascus

926 KINGDOM IS DIVIDED Into Judah and Israel

[Southern Kingdom (Judah) not indented)

(Northern Kingdom (Israel) Indented]

926 REHOBOAM king of Judah (926-910)

926 JEROBOAM 1 king of Israel (926-907)

921 Rezon (Syria) defeats Jeroboam I

921 Philistia defeats Jeroboam I

921 Moat defeats Jeroboam I

910 Jereboam I defeats Abijah of Judah

921 Shishak of Egypt Invades Judah

910 Abijam king of Judah (910-908)

909 Abijam defeats Jeroboam I of Israel

908 ASA king of Judah (908-872)

890 Asa defeats Zerah of Ethiopia

907 Nadab king of Israel (907-906)

906 Philistia defeats Nabob

906 Baasha king of Israel (906-883)

885 Asa (Judah) defeats Baasha (Israel)

880 Benhadad I (Syria) defeats Baasha

883 Elah king of Israel (883-882)

883 -Ashumasirpal II (883-859) first powerful Assyrian king

882 Zimri king of Israel (882)

882 Omri defeats Zimri (Israel civil war)

882 Omri king of Israel (882-871)

878 Omri defeats Tibni (Israel civil war)

875 Omri defeats Moab

872 JEHOSHAPHAT king of Judah (872-852)

871 ARAB king of Israel (871-852)

865 ELIJAH prophet in Israel (Ahab to Jehoram)

862 Benhadad I (Syria) defeats Jehoshaphat

862 Jehoshaphat defeats Edom, Moab, Edom

853 -Battle of Karkar (Syria against Assyria)

852 Benhadad 1 (Syria) defeats Ahab

852 Jehoram king of Judah (Joram) (852-845)

850 Obadiah the prophet

849 Libna defeats Joram (Judah)

846 Philista, Arabia defeats Joram (Judah)

852 Ahaziah king of Israel (852-851)

851 Jehoram king of Israel (851-845)

850 Mesha (Moab) defeats Jehoram (Israel)

847 Jehoram (Israel) defeats Benhadad I (Syria)

845 Hazael (Syria) defeats Jehoram (Israel)

845 Ahaziah king of Judah (845-844)

844 Hazael of Syria defeats Ahaziah

845 Translation of Elijah

845 ELISHA prophet In Israel (Jehu to Joash)

845 Jehu king of Israel (845-818)

845 Athaliah king of Judah (845-839)

840 Joel the prophet

839 Joash king of Judah (Jehoash) (839800)

824 Hazael (Syria) defeats Jehu

823 -Shamshi-Adad V king of Assyria (823-811)

818 Jehoahaz king of Israel (818-802)

810 -Adad-nirari III king of Assyria (810-783)

814 Hazeel (Syria) defeats Jehoahaz

802 Joash king of Israel (802-787)

803 Death of Elisha

803 Benhadad II (Syria) defeats Jehoash

800 Benhadad II (Syria) defeats Jehoash

798 Benhadad II (Syria) defeats Jehoash

795 Johoash (Israel) defeats Amaziah (Judah)

800 Amaziah king of Judah (800-785)

790 Amaziah defeats Edom

786 Jehoash of Israel defeats Amaziah of Judah

795 Jonah the prophet

787 Jeroboam II king of Israel (787-747)

785 Jeroboam II defeats Benhadad II (Syria)

786 Amps prophet in Israel (Jeroboam II and Uzziah)

785 Uzziah king of Judah (Azarieh) (785-747)

781 Uzziah defeats Philista and Arabia

770 -First Messenian War

763 -Assyria conquers Egypt

758 Jotham king of Judah (as regent and king) (758-743)

749 Jotham defeats Ammon

745 -Tiglath-pileser III king of Assyria (745-727)

750 Amos the prophet

750 Tiglath-pileser III (Assyria) fights Uzziah

747 ISAIAH prophet in Judah (Uzziah's death to Hezekiah)

747 Zachariah king of Israel (747-746)

747 Shallum king of Israel (747-746)

746 Manahem king of Israel (746-737)

745 Hosea prophet in Israel (745-734)

742 AHAZ king of Judah (742-725)

740 Tiglath-pileser III (Assyria) defeats Ahaz

736 Pekahiah king of Israel (73tr735)

734 Pekah king of Israel (734-733)

733 Ahaz defeats Pekah (Israel) and Syria (Rezin)

733 Tiglath-pileser 111 (Assyria) defeats Pekah

733 Edom defeats Ahaz

733 Philistia defeats Ahaz

732 -Damascus falls to Assyria

732 Hoshea king of Israel (732-724)

727 -Shalmaneser V king of Assyria (727-722)

724 Shalmaneser V (Assyria) defeats Hoshea

725 HEZEKIAH king of Judah (72597)

725 Hezekiah defeats Philistia

725 -Nubians (Ethiopia) gain control of Egypt

722 -Sargon II king of Assyria (722-705)

712 -Ethiopian Dynasty in Egypt (25th) (71263)

711 Hezekiah defeats Sennacharib

723 END OF ISAIAH's ministry

721 FALL OF SAMARIA

705 -Sennacherib king of Assyria (705-681)

696 Manasseh king of Judah (696-642)

688 -Tirhaka (Taharka) king of Egypt (688-663)

687 -Lydia becomes the power in Asia Minor

681 -Esarhaddon king of Assyria (68169)

670 -Egypt conquered by Esarhaddon (Assyria)

669 -Ashurbanipal king of Assyria (669-626)

667 -Ashurbanipal (Assyria) destroys Thebes

663 -Saite Dynasty (26th) (Egypt) begins (663-525)

663 -Psamtik I king of Egypt (663-609)

660 Ashurbanipal (Assyria) defeats Manasseh

650 Nahum the prophet

650 -Lydians conquer Greek Asia Minor cities (650-550)

641 Amon king of Judah (641-640)

639 Josiah king of Judah (639609)

639 -End of Elamite kingdom

635 Zephaniah the prophet

626 JEREMIAH prophet of Judah (626-586+)

625 -Cyaxares king of Media (625-585)

625 -Nabopolassar founds Chaldean Dynasty at Babylon

625 -Nabopolassar king of Babylon

621 -The Draconic laws in Greece

611 -Ashur-uballit II last king of Assyria

614 -Medes conquer Ashur

612 -Medes and Babylonians conquer Nineveh

609 -Necho king of Egypt (609593)

609 Necho (Egypt) defeats Josiah

609 -Necho defeats Assyrians

609 -NEBUCHADNEZZAR defeats Necho at Battle of Haran

609 Jehoahaz king of Judah (609)

608 Jehoakim king of Judah (608-598)

608 Habakkuk prophet in Judah

607 Jehoakim fights Moab, Syria

605 -Battle of Carchemish; Egyptian army crushed

605 -Nabopolassar (Nebuchudnezzar's father) dies

605 -Nebuchadnezzar II king of Babylon (604-562)

605 -Nebuchadnezzar continues western conquests

605 Nebuchadnezzar takes Jerusalem (FIRST time)

604 Jeremiah writes predictions; king burns them

604 -Nebuchadnezzar fails to take Egypt

605 Daniel taken to Babylon

605 DANIEL IN BABYLON (605-530)

600 -Lao-Tse born; founder of Taoism

598 Jehoachin king of Judah (598)

598 Jehoachin and Ezekiel carried to Babylon

598 Zedekiah king of Judah (598-587)

597 Nebuchadnezzar takes Jerusalem (SECOND time)

594 -Solon becomes the lawgiver in Athens

594 Ezekiel prophesies return from Babylon

593 -Psamtik II king of Egypt (593-588)

593 Ezekial, prophet in Babylon (593-570)

589 -Lachish letters

588 -Hophra (Aeries) king of Egypt (586568)

586 Nebuchadnezzar takes Jerusalem (third time)

586 FALL OF JERUSALEM; Jerusalem destroyed

586 Nebuzaradan frees Jeremiah

586 BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY BEGINS (586539)

563 -Guatama Buddha lives and begins Buddhism (563-483)

561 -Evil-Merodach king of Babylon (561-560) (Amel-Marduk)

561 Evil-Marodach liberates Jehoiachin

560 -Neriglasar king of Babylon (560-556)

559 -Cyrus I, Astyages' vassal, begins reign

559 -Nergai-shar-usur king of Babylon (559-556)

556 -Labashi-Marduk king of Babylon (556)

556 -Nebonidus (Nabunaid) king of Babylon (556-539)

Belshazzar coregent with Nabunaid

551 -Confucius lives and begins Confucianism(551-478)

550 -Cyrus I (Persia) takes over Media

546 -Cyrus I annexes Croesus' Lydian realm

539 Belshazzar's feast

539 Cyrus takes Babylon

539 FALL OF BABYLON

539 BEGINNING OF MEDO-PERSIAN EMPIRE

538 Decree of Cyrus I

537 RETURN OF JEWS to Jerusalem

537 Rebuilding of Temple begins

530 Death of Cyrus I

530 -Cambyses king of Medo-Persia (530-522)

525 -Psamtik II (Egypt) conquered by Cambyses

525 -At Cambyses death, Gautata (Pseudo-Smerdis) rebels

522 -Darius 1 (522-486)

520 Haggai prophet under Zerubbabel

520 Zechariah prophet under Zerubbabel

495 -Jewish colony in Elephantine (Egypt) established

492 -Greece: Persian Wars (492-472)

490 -Darius I defeated by Greeks at Battle of Marathon

486 Ahasuerus king of M-P (Artaxerxes I); Esther's husband

485 -Herodotus (485-425)

469 -Socrates (469-400)

483 -Gautama Buddha dies

480 -Ahasuerus defeated by Greeks at Battle of Salamis

480 -Greeks defeated at Thermopylae; Athens burned

479 -Battle of Plataea

478 -Confucius dies

465 -Artaxerxes I king of Medo Persia (465-424)

460 -Pericles of Athens (460-429)

456 EZRA RETURNS to Jerusalem

445 NEHEMIAH RETURNS to rebuild walls of Jerusalem

431 -Peloponnesian War (civil war in Greece 431-404)

430 -Plato of Athens (430-350)

422 -Xerxes 11 king of Medo Persia (424-423)

423 -Darius II king of Medo Persia (423-404)

410 -Elephantine Jewish temple destroyed

404 -Artaxerxes II king of Medo Persia (404-358)

404 Temple in Jerusalem rebuilt

400 Malachi the last Old Testament prophet

400 END OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

384 -Aristotle of Athens (384-322)

359 -Philip of Macedon (359-336)

358 -Artaxerxes III king of Medo Persia (358-338)

348 -Jews try to rebel against Artaxerxes III

348 -Some Jews deported to Hyrcania

338 -Arses King of Medo Persia (33&336)

338 -Philip defeats Greeks at Chaeronea

338 -Philip becomes Greek commander of war

336 -Darius III king of Medo Persia (336331)

336 -Philip assassinated; son Alexander leader

336 -ALEXANDER I "the Great" (33623)

335 -Alexander destroys rebellious Thebes

333 -Alexander wins Battle of Isis

332 Siege and destruction of Tyre

332 -Alexander invades Egypt

332 Jews come under Macedonian control

331 -Battle of Arbela

330 -Alexander burns Persepolis; M-P conquered

330 -Alexander's campaign into Central Asia (330-327)

327 -Alexander reaches India

327 BEGINNING OF GRECIAN EMPIRE

324 -Alexander's marriage in Susa

323 -Alexander dies in Babylon

323 GRECIAN EMPIRE DIVIDED

323 -Macedonian kings rule Greece (323-30)

323 -Ptolemys rule in Egypt (323-30)

320 -Ptolemy I attacks Jerusalem

320 -Many Jewish captives taken to Egypt

314 -Antogonus conquers Palestine

312 -Battle of Gaza again gives Ptolemy control of Jews

312 -Selucid Dynasty rules Syria (312~'s4)

301 -Battle of Ipsus

264 -First Punic War (264-240); Rome vs. Carthage

218 -Second Punic War (218-201)

218 -Hannibal crosses Alps

218 -Palestine occupied by Antiochus III

216 -Battle of Cannae near Rome

217 -Ptolemy IV retakes Palestine at Raphia

202 -Scipio invades Africa, defeats Hannibal

202 -Palestine retaken by Antiochus III

200 -Ptolemy's general (Scopas) loses Palestine

198 -Egyptian control over Palestine broken by Syria

198 -Scopas beaten at Paneas and Sidon

198 -Palestine comes under Syrian (Seleucid) rule

190 -Simon the Maccabee is Jewish high priest

176 -THE MACCABEAN PERIOD IN JUDAEA

176 -Heliodorus tries to rob Temple for Seleucus IV

175 -Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) king of Syria (175-163)

175 -Antiochus IV puts Jason as high priest

175 -Hellenization of Jews begins in earnest

169 -Antiochus plunders Temple

168 -Battle of Pydna; Romans conquer Macedonia

168 -MACCABEAN REVOLT BEGINS

168 -Maccabean revolt (Judaea) against Syria

167 -Revolt in Jerusalem put down

167 -Temple polluted; Maccebeans revolt

166 -Judas Maccabaeus (Judaea) (166160)

165 -Death of Mattathias of Modin

165 -Gorgias and Lysine fight Maccabees

164 -Persecution Ceases; Temple rededicated

164 -Hanukkah festival begun

163 -Death of Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)

163 -Judas besieges Acra; fought by Antiochus V

162 -Peace; Temple returned to Jews

162 -Demetrius overthrows Antiochus V

161 Jews continue in revolt

161 -Judas' victory over Nicanor

160 -Judas slain

160 -Johnathan Maccabaeus (Judaea) (160.142)

157 -Johnathan makes peace with Seleucids

152 -Johnathan appointed high priest

149 -Third Punic War; Carthage destroyed (149-146)

147 -Macedonia becomes Roman Province

146 -Rome destroys Corinth, conquers Greece

143 Johnathan executed by Antiochus VI

142 -Simon Maccabaeus (Judaea) (142-134)

142 -Demetrius II gives autonomy to the Jews

141 -Simon captures the Acra (Grecian area in Jer)

140 -Simon appointed Ethnarch

139 -Antiochus VII gives privileges to Jews (139-138)

134 -Simon assassinated

134 -Son of John Hyrcanus becomes high priest

134 -Antiochus VII takes Jer; confirms their autonomy

134 -John Hyrcanus (Judaea) (134-104)

104 -Aristobulus I (Judaea) (104-103)

103 -Alexander Jannaeus (Judaea) (103-76)

133 -Pergamum becomes Roman Province

106 -Nabataea becomes Roman Province

76 -Salome Alexandra (Judaea) (76-67)

67 -Aristobulus II (Judaea) (673)

63 -POMPEY TAKES JERUSALEM

63 THE ROMAN EMPIRE BEGINS

62 Judaea becomes Roman dependency

63 -Hyrcanus made high priest

63 -Origin of Decapolis (10 Galilean towns)

63 -Hyrcanus II (Judaean ethnarch) (63-40)

63 ,-Antipater governor of Judaea

63 -Hyrcanus made heritary high priest

58 -Caesar's Gallic Wars (55-51)

55 Caesar's expedition to Britain (55-54)

52 -Pompey made sole Roman Consul

49 -Break between Julius Caesar and Pompey

48 -Battle of Pharsalus; Pompey defeated

46 -Antipater's son Phasael made commander of Judaea

48 -Antipatter's son Herod made commander of Galilee

44 -JULIUS CAESAR ASSASSINATED

44 -Antipater and Herod support Cassias

43 -Triumvirate of Antony, Octavian, Lapidus

43 -Antipater assassinated

42 -Brutus and Cassias killed at Battle of Philippi

42 -Marc Anthony ruler of Egypt (42-31)

41 -Phasael and Herod tetrarchs

40 -Parthia Invades Judea

40 -Rome offers kingship to Herod if win

38 -Herod defeats Parthia at Isana

37 -Anthony weds Cleopatra

37 -Herod captures Jerusalem, made ruler

37 -HEROD I "THE GREAT" (37-4)

32 --Octavian wars, Anthony and Egypt Conquered

30 -Egypt becomes Roman Province

27 -Octavian slays Antony and Cleopatra; becomes ruler

27 -Octavian changes name to Augustus

27 -AUGUSTUS CAESAR king of Roman Empire (27-14 A.D.)

25 -Pontus becomes Roman Province

25 -Galatia becomes Roman Province

20 -Herod begins rebuilding Temple

10 -Main part of Temple conpleted

- - THE FIFTH MILLENNIUM BEGINS -

4. Augustus Caesar decrees registration for tax

5. JESUS CHRIST IS BORN IN BETHLEHEM

4 - Herod kills his son; Herod dies

4 - Jewish uprising suppressed by Varus

4. Archelaus Ethnarch of Judaea, Idumaea, Samaria (4-34 A.D.)

4 - Philip Tetrarch of Trachonitis, Auranitis, Ruraea, etc. (4-34 A.D.)

4 - Lysanias Tetrarch of Abilene in Syria (4-37 A.D.)

4 -Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee and Parses (4-39 A.D.)

B.C. DATES END

A.D. DATES BEGIN

5. -Second term of Quirinius

6. -Uprising of Judas of Gamala "the Galilaean"

14. -Augustus Caesar dies

14 -TIBERIUS Caesar emperor of Rome (14-37)

27. Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River

27 3 1/2-YEAR MINISTRY OF JESUS BEGINS

31. JESUS CHRIST IS CRUCIFIED

34. Tetrarchy of Philip abolished

34 Steven is stoned; gospel goes to the Gentiles

34. CONVERSION OF SAUL (Paul the Apostle)

35. -Herod Agrippa I given tetrarchy of Philip

36. -Caius CALIGULA emperor of Rome (37-41)

37. -Anti-Jewish rioting in Alexandria (38-39)

38. -Agrippa gets Tetrarchy of Antipas

39. -CLAUDIUS emperor of Rome (41-54)

40. -Herod Agrippa I made king of realm of Herod I

44. Dispersal of Apostles; James head of Jer. church

47. Paul's FIRST missionary journey (47-48)

48. -Claudius expels Jews from Rome

49. Paul's SECOND missionary journey (49-52)

50. -Herod Agrippa II gets kingdom of Chalcis

51. Paul arrives in Corinth

52. Gallic proconsul at Corinth (51 or 52)

53. -Antonius Felix made procurator (52-60)

52. Paul's THIRD missionary journey (52-56)

53. -Agrippa II receives tetrarchies of Philip and Lysanias

54. -NERO emperor of Rome (54-68)

57. PAUL TO JERUSALEM

58. Paul prisoner in Caesarea

59. -Porcius Festus procurator (60-62)

60. Death of James (61 or 63)

61. After 2 years in prison, Paul appeals to Caesar

62. Paul starts on journey to Rome in fall

62. Paul arrives in Rome in spring

57. Paul is 2 years in Rome (62-64)

63 -Burning of Rome

64 -Nero PERSECUTES Christians

58. DEATH OF PAUL (64 or 65)

59. Death of Peter (64 or 65)

62. -Gessius Floras procurator (64-66)

 66 -REBELLION BEGINS IN JERUSALEM

 66 -Cestius Gallus gives up siege of Jerusalem

57. -Christians flee to Pella in Perea

58. -Vespasian subjects Galilee and Samaria

59. -Buddhism introduced into China

60. -Death of Nero

68. -Three emperors (Galba, Otho, Vitellius) (68-69)

69. -VESPASIAN emperor of Rome (69-79)

70. -Titus begins siege of Jerusalem

57. city falls in September

58. JERUSALEM DESTROYED; 1,100,000 Jews died

68. -97,000 Jews taken captive to other lands

69. -Fall of Masada

70. Jewish uprisings in Alexandria and Cryrene

79. -TITUS emperor of Rome (79-81)

80. -DOMITIAN emperor of Rome (81-96)

93. -Domitian PERSECUTES Christians (93-96)

96. -NERVA emperor of Rome (96-98)

98 -TRAJAN emperor of Rome (98-117)

116 -Jewish uprisings in Alexandria, Cyrene, Cyprus

116 -Jewish uprisings in Mesopotamia, Palestine

117 -HADRIAN emperor of Rome (117-138)

132 -BARCOCHBA REBELLION; major Jewish uprising

135 -Final part of rebellion crushed at Beth-Ter

135 -Pagan city (Aelia Capitolina) built on Jerusalem site

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CHAPTER 39 - CHRONOLOGY OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST 
CONTINUE- 

Chapter 40 - THE CREATOR'S HANDIWORK: MORE WONDERS OF NATURE.