Featured map: Mediterranean (‘in between the lands’) Sea (Mare Internum) also called Mare Nostrum (‘our Sea’) by the Romans. The Iberian Peninsula was also called Hispania. Africa: some say named for Roman general Scipio Africanus who defeated Hannibal in the Second Punic War; others say from Egyptian ‘Afru-ika’ or Motherland. As to Germany (Gaul), many Caesars in their names had the name or title Germanicus; this Germania was popularized by Germanicus Julius Caesar (Nero Claudius Drusus). As to Europe; likely from Europa (Greek mythology – one of Zeus’ wives)
Second Two Centuries of the Early Church Fathers
| Chronology of the Early Church Fathers | |||
| Name / Event | Date | Place | Notes: (c. = circa/about) |
| ‘Amen’ ‘Alleluia’ | c. 101 | Christians use certain Jewish terms in rites | |
| Ignatius uses ‘Catholic’ | c.105 | ‘Catholic’ – ‘universal’ Church; Letter Smymaeans | |
| Ignatius martyred | 107 | Rome | |
| Alexander | c106-9 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Roman Creed | c.110 | Predated what became the ‘Apostles Creed’ | |
| Xystus or Sixtus | 116 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Hadrian | 117 | Rome | Emperor of Roman Empire |
| Bishop Sixtus | c.120 | Introduces the Sanctus (Holy, Holy…) in service | |
| Telesphorus | 126 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Hadrian renames | c.129 | Jerusalem called Aelia Captiolina | |
| Roman temples to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva on Temple Mt; Aphrodite temple also up | |||
| Shepherd of Hermas | c.130 | ||
| Second Jewish Revolt | 132 | ||
| Hyginus | c.137 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Pius I | 141 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Justin Martyr | c.150 | Apology… | |
| Didache | c.150 | ||
| Anicetus | c.156 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Plague sweeps Empire | 164 | Empire | |
| Polycarp martyred | 166 | Rome | Bishop Polycarp killed |
| Eleutherius | 175 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Martyrs of Lyons | 177 | ||
| Irenaeus | 178 | Lyons | Bishop, author, teacher |
| Victor I | 190 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Pertinax & Didius | 193 | Emperors | |
| Septimius Severus | 193 | Emperor | |
| Clement of Alexandria | 194 | Alexandria | Writes: Montanus |
| Tertullian | c.200 | N. Africa | Bishop T’s Liber Apologeticus |
| Clement of Alexandria may be first to record the use of the ‘fish’ as Christian symbol | |||
| Zephyrinus | 202 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Alban a priest | 209 | Britain | Martyred |
| Callistus | 218 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Elagabalus | 218 | Rome | Emperor |
| Urban I | 222 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
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Roman Empire 268 AD (broken into 3 empires)
| Chronology of the Early Church Fathers | |||
| Name / Event | Date | Place | Notes: (c. = circa/about) |
| About c.220 AD, Germanic ‘Goths’ are invading Asia Minor and the Huns of Mongolia began invading China ending Han Dynasty. Great Wall no longer stops the Huns. | |||
| Urban I is martyred | c. 230 | ||
| Pontian | 230 | Rome | Becomes bishop of Rome |
| For certain teachings | 232 | Rome | Origen excommunicated |
| Hippolytus exiled | c.233 | Rome | Speaking agst. bishops of Rome |
| Bishop Origen | c. 235 | Alexandria | Writes on ‘Martyrdom’ |
| Early in house Baptistry | c. 240 | Syria | In Dura Europos |
| Bishop Origen | c. 245 | N. Africa | Writes Hexapla parallel Bible |
| Roman is 1,000 | 247 | Empire | Rome’s millennium |
| Bishop Cyprian | 248 | Carthage | Cyprian succeeds Donatus |
| Goths attack Rome | 248 | Goths attack and threaten Rome | |
| Emperor Decius | 249 | Rom. Empire | Citizens req. to sacrifice to ‘gods’ |
| Gnosticism | c. 250 | Ascent through ‘knowledge;’ good vs. evil | |
| Bishop Cyprian | c.250 | Cyprian Christian school of rhetoric open | |
| Decius ‘Edict’ | 250 | Empire | Law req. sacrifice to Rom. ‘gods’ |
| Decius ‘Persecution’ | 250 | Christians killed for witness; many ‘apostatized’ | |
| Bishop Fabian | 250 | Rome | Fabian martyred |
| Emperor Gallus | 251 | Rom. Empire | Succeeds Decius after his death. |
| Bishop Cornelius | c.251 | Rome | Excommunicates Novitian |
| Cyprian calls for unity | c.251 | Empire | Also calls Tertullian ‘the master’ |
| Emperor Valerian | 253 | Succeeds Aemilianus 3 month term | |
| Like other Roman Emperors had done; Valerian commands sacrifice to ‘gods’ | |||
| Bishop Saturninus | 257 | Toulouse | Tied to bull; dragged to death |
| Sixtus II, bishop Rome | 258 | Rome | Condemned w/ 8 others |
| Emperor Valerian | c.258 | Rom. Empire | Orders death to Rome’s bishops |
| Cyprian, Sixtus II with 6 deacons and Lawrence of Rome all martyred | |||
| Emperor Gallienus
Germanic Goths |
260
267 |
Son of Valerian; stopped persecution edict
Sack Athens, Corinth, Sparta; burn Clesus Library at Ephesus |
|
| Emp. Claudius Gothicus | 268 | Rom. Empire | Empire being broken up |
| St. Valentine priest | 269 | Executed in Rome – refused to sacrifice to ‘gods’ | |
| Bishop Gregory died | c.270 | of Pontus | Of Neocaesarea – in ‘Turkey’ |
| Quintillus Emperor | 270 | Rom. Empire | Suicide after short reign |
| Emperor Aurelian | 270 | Rom. Empire | Defeated Goths, Vandals, Carpi |
| Tacitus Emperor | 275 | Rom. Empire | Died after campaign vs. Goths |
| Emp. Marcus Aurelius | 276 | Rom. Empire | Defeated Franks in Gaul |
| Emperor Diocletian | 284 | Rom. Empire | Divided Rome in 4: ‘Tetrarchy’ |
| Christians persecuted | 286 | Rome | Sebastian – Rome shot w/arrows |
| Rome at war w/ Persia | c.295 | Near East: Narseh son of Shapur I, declares war | |
Page Break
| Chronology of the Early Church Fathers | |||
| Name / Event | Date | Place | Notes: (c. = circa/about) |
| Roman Empire | 285 | Rom. Empire | Split into West & East Empires |
| Emperor Maximian | 285 | Rom. Empire | Caesar under Diocletian |
| Emperor Maximian | 286 | Rom. Empire | Augustus of the West R. Empire |
| Emperor Diocletian | 286 | Rom. Empire | Augustus of the East Rom. Emp. |
| Flavius Constantius I | c. 288 | Gaul | Praetorian Prefect to Maximian |
| Flavius Constantius I | Divorces Helena; marries Maximian stepdaughter Theodora | ||
| Constantine the Great | 292 | About age 20; son of Constantius and Helena | |
| City of Tikal, Maya | 292 | Mayan Emp. | oldest date recorded: on Stele 29 |
| March 293, Gaius Aurelius Diocletianus established the Tetrarchy (rule by four) | |||
| Emperor Constantius I | 293 | Rom. Empire | Caesar with Maximian |
| Emperor Galerius | 293 | Rom. Empire | Caesar under Diocletian |
| Codex Hermogenianus | 295 | Collection of Roman laws and documents | |
| Pope Caius dies | 296 | Pope Marcellinus becomes bishop of Rome | |
| Emperor Galerius | 298 | Mesopotamia | Defeats Persians |
| Armenia: State Religion | 300 | Armenia: first state to adopt Christianity Religion | |
| Diocletian Persecution | 303 | Also called the ‘Great Persecution’; arrest leaders | |
| ‘Great Persecution’ | 303 | 303-313 Christian persecution Roman Empire | |
| Emperor Diocletian | 303 | Empire | Orders all Churches destroyed |
| Procopius – Scythopolis | 303 | Palestine | Procopius, among martyrs |
| Pope Marcellinus dies | 304 | Marcellus I become bishop of Rome (Pope) | |
| Saint Agnes | 304 | Rome | She becomes famous martyr |
| Saint Alban | 304 | Britain | 1st recorded British Martyr |
| Saint Vincent | 304 | Saragossa | Martyred in Spain |
| Emperor Constantius I | 305 | Rom. Empire | Augustus of the West Roman E. |
| Emperor Galerius | 305 | Rom. Empire | Augustus of the East R. Empire |
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