CHRISTIAN HISTORY: 306 – 610
From Constantine to Muhammad
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Chronology of Early Church Fathers and related Events |
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| Name / Event | Date | Place | Notes: (c. = circa/about) |
| Constantius dies | 306 | Britain | Father of Constantine |
| Emperor Constantine I | 306 | Rom. Empire | Caesar of the West until 337 |
| Marcellus | 308 | Rome | Bishop of Rome (30th Pope) |
| Miltiades | 311 | Rome | Bishop of Rome |
| Donatist Controversy | 311 | N. Africa | Carthage has – ‘apostate bishop’ |
| Bishop Peter martyred | 311 | Alexandria | Head of school of Alexandria |
| 312 Constantine the Great victory at Milvian bridge attributes to XP, ‘Christ’ | |||
| Edict of Milan | 313 | Rom. Empire | Equal toleration for all religions |
| Rule: Heresy a crime | 313 | By emp. Constantine, Theodosius & Theodosius | |
| Council of Arles | 314 | Gaul (France), condemned Donatism | |
| Sylvester I | 314 | Rome | Bishop of Rome until 335 |
| c.318 persecution of Christians in Eastern Roman Empire under Emperor Licinius | |||
| Churches | 320 | West Empire | Churches start becoming wealthy |
| Eusebius of Caesarea | c.323 | Writes Ecclesiastical History, & other works | |
| Constantine victory | 324 | Constantine defeats Licinius | |
| Emperor Constantine | 324 | Reunites Roman Empire; becomes sole emperor | |
| Council of Nicaea | 325 | Nicea, Turkey | Called by Constantine |
| 20 Canons by 318 Christian leaders; cannoned books of Bible; and Nicaean Creed | |||
| The Nicene Creed: We believe in one God, the Father Almighty… and in Jesus Christ…
Canon 3: forbidden for any bishop, presbyter, deacon, clergy to own a dwelling Canon 4: Bishop should be appointed by all the bishops in the province (no Pope) – Canon 6: Let the ancient customs in Egypt, Libya and Pentapolis prevail, that the Bishop of Alexandria have jurisdiction in all these, since the like is customary for the Bishop of Rome also. Likewise in Antioch and the other provinces, let the Churches retain their privileges… bishop (must have) consent of the Metropolitan (their city). Canon7: Bishop of Jerusalem honored; 18: deacons can administer the Eucharist Council: set date for Pascha, Pesach, Passover – Easter |
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| Codex Vaticanus | c.325 | oldest nearly complete copy of the Greek Bible | |
| Post-Nicene Fathers | 326- | After 325 Council, many are called post-N Fathers | |
| Chur. of Holy Sepulchre | 326 | Jerusalem | Construction begins |
| Athanasius | 328 | Alexandria | A… become bishop |
| Helena (Constantine’s mom) dies in 328; she founded Church of Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (said to be over tomb of Christ).
In 135 Emperor Hadrian level area to build temple to Aphrodite; 326 Constantine ordered the pagan temple to be destroyed and Helena lead plans to build Church. |
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| Bishops judicial power | 335 | Constantine grants bishops certain powers | |
| ‘Pope’ Mark | 336 | Rome | Becomes bishop of Rome |
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Chronology of Post-Nicene Fathers and related Events |
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| 1st recorded Christmas | 336 | “25 Dec.: natus Christus in Betleem Judeae” | |
| Julius I | 337 | Rome | Becomes bishop of Rome |
| Emp. Constantine dies | 337 | Nicomedia | Dies in modern Turkey |
| Constantine called the bishops to baptize him, returned to hot baths of Helenopolis, Nicomedia and died the last day of the 50 day Pentecost festival following Easter | |||
| Constantine II | 337 | Becomes joint emperor of Roman Empire | |
| Constantius II | 337 | Joint emperor of Roman Empire with brothers | |
| Constans | 337 | Joint emperor; defeated Constantine II in 340 | |
| Eusebius of Caesarea | c.338 | Antioch | Writes: Life of Constantine |
| Eusebius dies | c.340 | Recorded that E… turned down offer to be bishop | |
| Council of Antioch | 341 | Antioch | Minor council to confirm Nicene |
| Council of Sardica | c.342 | Sardica | To settle Arian controversies |
| Council of Carthage | c.348 | Carthage | One of many in C…, N. Africa |
| Carthage dealt with baptism, ordinances, canons, ‘heretics,’ bishop’s authority, etc. | |||
| Codex Sinaiticus | c.350 | OT & ‘oldest complete copy of the N.T.’ (Greek) | |
| Sanctus hymn ‘Holy’ | c.350 | Enters liturgy in many Churches (mainly Eastern) | |
| Liberius | 352 | Rome | Becomes bishop of Rome |
| Council of Milan | 355 | Milan, Italy | Called by Constantius II |
| Emperor Flavius Julian | 361 | Rom. Empire | Died 363; anti-Christian emperor |
| Basil of Caesarea | 362 | Asia Minor | Becomes Deacon |
| Emperor Vatentinian I | 364 | Rom. Empire | Emperor of the West to 375 |
| Cappadocian Fathers: Basil the Great, bishop Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus
Eastern Orthodox: Three Hierarchs: Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus, and John Chrysostom |
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| Basil & Gregory Nazia.. | 358 | Compile Origen’s works (Philocalia) | |
| Hillel II – of Sanhedrin | c.359 | Produces Hebrew Calendar; 670 Seleucid year | |
| Arianism expanding | c.360 | Believed Jesus did not always exist, created | |
| The Huns of Asia | c.360 | Europe | Huns invade eastern Europe |
| Damasus I | 366 | Rome | Becomes bishop of Rome |
| Bishop Frumentius | c.367 | Ethiopia | Spreads gospel in Africa |
| Hilary of Poitiers dies | c.367 | Once exiled for defense against Arianism | |
| Ephrem the Syrian dies | c.373 | Edessa | 1,000+ treaties, sermons, hymns |
| Gregory of Nyssa | c.375 | Nyssa | Produces: Great Catechism, etc. |
| Basil the Great dies | 379 | Caesarea | Theologian, author, bishop |
| Emperor Theodosius I | 379 | Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire to 392 | |
| Martin of Tours | c.380 | Spread Christianity throughout Gaul (France) | |
| Council Constantinople | 381 | Restored Nicene creed and prohibited Arianism | |
| Jerome | 382 | Rome | Secretary to Pope; starts Vulgate |
| Jerome | translation would | take years in various | in places |
| Pope Damasus dies | 384 | Rome | He had Catholic churches built |
| Pope Siricius | 384 | Rome | Becomes bishop of Rome |
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Chronology of Post-Nicene Fathers and related Events |
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| 4 Doctors of the Western Church: Gregory the Great, Ambrose, Augustine, Jerome | |||
| Bishop Cyril dies | 386 | Jerusalem | Theologian, archbishop of Jer. |
| Ambrose baptizes | 387 | Milan | Ambrose baptized Augustine |
| In 390, Ambrose refused mass to emperor Theodosius, Emperor of the East, for killing 7,000 people in the Massacre of Thessalonica until he recalled his army and repented. Ambrose warned against the problems of intermarriage with pagans and Jews. Ambrose said, ‘when I go to Rome, I fast on Saturday, but in Milam I do not.’ | |||
| Emperor Theodosius I | 392 | Rom. Empire | Sole emperor of East and West |
| Emperor Honorius | 395 | Rom. Empire | a devout Catholic; west Empire |
| Augustine | 395 | Hippo | Wrote On Christian Doctrine |
| Bishop Valerius dies | 396 | Hippo | Augustine becomes bishop |
| Bishop Ambrose dies | 397 | Milan | Ambrosius left many writings |
| Bishop Augustine | 397 | Hippo | Wrote Confessions |
| Anastasius | 399 | Rome | Becomes bishop of Rome |
| Chrysostom | c.400 | East | Publishes Liturgy; he dies 407 |
| John Chrysostom ‘Golden Mouth,’ was bishop of Constantinople; a great preacher | |||
| c.400 Augustine publishes On the Trinity, which he worked on for 20 years. | |||
| Pope Innocent I | 401-417 | Claims ‘apostolic power’ for bishop of Rome | |
| THE LATIN VULGATE BIBLE: Jerome was commissioned by the Pope to revise the Latin Bible. In 384 after the death of Pope Damasus, Jerome was forced to leave Rome; after traveling through Antioch and several shrines in Palestine, he settled in Bethlehem in 386. In 387 he studied the Hexapla of Origin (Bible in 6 languages). About 390 he began to translate the Old Testament from the Hebraica veritas. The Entire Latin Vulgate was finished about 405. | |||
| Council of Carthage | 417 | 200+ bishops, Augustine denounces Pelagianism | |
| Emperor Valentinian III | 423 | Rom. Empire | Rules west Roman Empire to 455 |
| Augustine | 426 | The City of God finished after about 13 years. | |
| Vandals invade Africa | 429 | From Spain | Vandals were Arian Christians |
| Bishop Augustine dies | 430 | Hippo Regius | Dies in Roman Africa; Algeria |
| Augustine, one of the Latin Fathers of the Church, wrote on nearly every Christian doctrine. He started the foundation for ‘divine predestination.’ Augustine said, ‘Predestination is nothing else than the foreknowledge and foreordaining of those gracious gifts which make certain the salvation of all who are saved.’ But he added, the it does not exclude the possibility that one chosen to grace can still go to hell. Augustine converted his residence into a monastery, and observed religious poverty. | |||
| Pope Celestine | 431 | Pope sends Palladius to be bishop in Ireland | |
| Patrick | 432 | Patrick begins missionary work in Ireland | |
| Attila the Hun | 433 | The Huns attack Roman provinces | |
| Britain | 436 | Roman troops leave Britain | |
| Vandals take Carthage | 439 | Vandals conquer from Morocco to Tunisia | |
| Pope Sixtus III dies | 440 | He introduced Sanctus into Western liturgy | |
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Chronology of Christian Events |
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| Cyril of Alexandria dies | 444 | He was a bishop; served over Council of Ephesus | |
| Cyril was a theologian, ‘Pope of Alexandria,’ and Doctor of the Church. His uncle, Theophilus had served as the ‘Pope of Alexandria.’ Many of his writing have survived.
The pope or ‘Patriarch’ of Alexandria is the highest-ranking bishop of Egypt. |
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| Britain | 449 | Angles and Saxons arrive in south east Britain | |
| Pope Leo I | 449 | Letter: ‘brother Flavian’ bishop of Constantinople | |
| Leo’s Tome: ‘…Eutyches, who seemed to b deserving to the …title of Presbyter, is now shown to be… inexperienced… into this folly (some) fall… from the truth, (looking) not to the words of the Prophets, not to the letters of the Apostles, nor to the authority of the Gospels, but to themselves; and become teachers of error…’ | |||
| Council of Chalcedon | 451 | Asia Minor | Fourth Ecumenical Council |
| Council: against Eutyches, Monophysites and others who erred on the nature of Christ | |||
| Vandals attack Rome | 453 | Rome | The city is spared for pope Leo |
| Attila the Hun dies | 453 | Hungary | defeated 70+ Roman cities |
| Mayans 100+ gods | c.460 | Mexico | Pyramids for human sacrifice |
| ‘Leonine’ Sacramentary | c.460 | Pope Leo credited with oldest Sacramentary | |
| Pope Leo dies | 461 | Rome | Text of prayers and chants |
| 476 Romulus Augustus – last Western Roman Emperor forced to abdicate title | |||
| Theoderic the Visigoth | 475 | Balkans | Son of king Theodemir |
| Theoderic or Theodoric began king of Italy and Balkans – he was king of the Ostrogoths | |||
| Odoacer – king of Italy
Odoacer acquires Sicily |
476
476 |
Italy
Sicily |
First barbarian king of Italy
Treaty w/ Vandals |
| Fall of Roman Empire | 476 |
Year of last Emperor
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‘Romulus Augustus’ |
| Clovis age 15; King | 481 | Gaul (France) | Silian Franks; first Merovingian |
| Gelaius I becomes pope | 492 | Rome | One of the last Berber popes |
| Odoacer assassinated | 493 | Italy | Theodoric killed him at banquet |
| Pope Gelasius I dies | 496 | Rome | ended pagan Lupercalia festival |
| Anastasius II | 496 | Rome | Died 498 short of 2 years as pope |
| King Clovis baptized | c496 | Gaul (France) | Bishop Remigius baptizes King |
| Clovis’ wife was a Christian; after his baptism, 3000 of his warriors were baptized
By 511 Christianity extended to many of the Gauls |
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| Clovis King of Franks | 509 | becomes 1st King of the Franks (all France) | |
| Clovis dies | 511/513 | France | Buried at basilica in France |
| Clovis’ kingdom to his sons: Theuderic, Chlodomer, Childebert and Clotaire | |||
| Pope Symmachus dies | 514 | Rome | in 499 called Synod of 72 bishops |
| Christians killed | 523 | Najran | 200-300 martyred by Dhu Nuwas |
| Pope Hormisdas dies | 523 | Rome | Dominated by Acacian schism |
| Queen Hu | 528 | N. China | Buddhist Hu kills son and others |
| Pope Felix IV dies | 530 | Built Church in the Roman Forum on Palatine Hill | |
| Emperor Justinian I | 527-532 | fought Persians – Sasanian Empire (was Parthian) | |
| Four popes die | 532-537 | Boniface II, John II, Agapetus I, and Silverius | |
| Emperor Justinian I | 535/536 | Byzantine ruler invades Naples, Italy | |
| Babylonian Talmud | Compiled between late 5th and early 6th century | ||
| Pope Vigilius 537-555 | Rome | father noble Roman consul; brother was senator | |
| Empress Theodora, wife of Justinian I – emperor of Byzantine, paid pope Vigilius and others for support; yet Justinian supported Chalcedonian Christianity. They both did much for Christianity, building more than 25 churches including the Hagia Sophia | |||
| Hagia Sophia begins | 537 | ‘Holy Wisdom;’ Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) | |
| Ecumenical Council | 553 | at Constantinople affirms previous councils | |
| By mid-6th century: Rome, Constantinople and Carthage were mostly of Chalcedonian (dyophysite) belief; Alexandria, Jerusalem and Antioch were primarily monophysite. In 451 the Council of Chalcedon taught that Jesus’ humanity and divinity are of two natures – and one Spirit – the Son of God – divine, and Son of Man – born in flesh of the virgin and human; yet, Emanuel – God with us. Monophysitism holds that Jesus has one nature all divine or a synthesis of divine and human. | |||
| Pope Pelagius I dies | 561 | Rome | 2nd of the Byzantine Papacy |
| Emp. Justinian I dies | 565 | Constantinople | Eastern Rome/Byzantine emp. |
| Emperor Justin II | 565 | Nephew of Justinian and Theodora rules | |
| Justin II | 572 | War with Sassanid (Iran); refuses to pay tribute | |
| Pope John III dies | 574 | Rome | His father was a Roman senator |
| Pope Benedict I dies | 579 | Rome | There have been 15 Benedicts |
| Pope Pelagius II dies | 580 | Rome | Promoted celibacy of clergy |
| Visigoths of Spain | 580 | Spain | Begin to convert to Christianity |
| Gregory the Great becomes Pope | 590
Rome |
His father was a wealthy patrician. He was well-educated and well-traveled. | |
| Gregory lecture and wrote often. Though pope, he was subject to the Emperor. He not only cared for souls, but had to oversee that crops were sufficient for the poor. He claimed at the Roman See (Church) had universal authority. The ‘Roman Pontiff’ wrote a ‘Book of Pastoral Rule’ and many letters ‘to all bishops.’ | |||
| Ash Wednesday | 590 | Fasting tradition 6 ½ weeks before Lent begins | |
| Black Plague (Death) | Europe | Plague wipes out about 1/3 of Europe’s people | |
| Gregory of Tours dies | 594 | He was a Gallic bishop and historian | |
| Muhammad | c.595 | Mecca | Marries 1st wife Khadijah |
| Muhammad’s father died before his birth c.570; and his mother died c.576. His grandfather sent him to Syria to live with his uncle Abu Talib; where he meets Khadijah. They have Zainab, Ruqayyah, Umm Khultoom and Fatima Zahra. His uncle taught him some Christian teachings, as did Najran Christians; and Muhammad begins to believe in ‘one God.’ At the time, the Kaaba was a place of over 100 idols. | |||
| Gregory sends monks | 596 | Britain | Pope sends monks to the English |
| Augustine the monk | 596/7 | Preaches to Ethelbert king of Kent, England | |
| Augustine – bishop | 597 | Becomes first Archbishop of Canterbury, England | |
| Archbishop of Canterbury is the head bishop or leader of the Church of England. From Augustine of Canterbury to Justin Welby in 2017 were 1420 years and 105 bishops. Before the Reformation the post was under the pope and Roman Catholic Church. | |||
| Pope Gregory I dies | 604 | He was the first monk to become pope | |
| Archbishop Laurence | 604 | England | made 2nd Archb… of Canterbury |
| Muhammad | 610 | Mecca | Qur’anic ‘revelation’ begins |
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