Date

Description

Sources

332 BC

Persian power was destroyed by the Greeks under the command of Alexander the Great.

[7], p. 8

323 BC

Alexander the Great died of fever at al-Iskandariyya a small town near present day Baghdad, Iraq.

[60], p. 10

312 BC
1st October

Accession of Seleucus I Nicator the founder of the Seleucid dynasty. He ruled a vast kingdom which include Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and parts of Turkey.
This date is important as year 1 of the 'age of the Greeks' or AG dating system used in Syria and Mesopotamia throughout antiquity.

[2], p. A3
[18], p. 73
[17], p. 179
[25] has 311 BC.
[60], p. 10

190 BC

The Seleucid empire was conquered by the Romans.

[44], p. 4

159 BC

Start of the (H)asmonean dynasty of Israeli kings.

Josephus Ant. Jud. 14 ch 16.4

Winter 130 – 129 BC

Edessa in the kingdom of Osrhoene came under Parthian rule.

[60], p. 10

133 or 132 BC

About this time kings begin to reign in Edessa.

[41]
[35], p. 31

129 BC

The Parthians who were from an area south east of the Caspian sea, began to rule in Iraq.

[60], pp. xxiii, 10

95 BC

Accession of king Tigran II the Great of Armenia. Tigran II ruled an empire which stretched from Syrian Antioch to the Caspian Sea. He died in 55 BC.

[44], p. 4

85 BC

Osrhoene and Edessa were part of Armenia under king Tigran II.

[29]

68 BC

Abgar II began to reign at Edessa. Plutarch called him, 'An Arab phylarch'. He was associated with Crassus.

In ancient Syriac sources like the Syriac acts of the apostle John, (Edited by Wright, pp. 54.10-59.5 ) Edessa was first known as 'Urhai of the Parthians'. Parthian Jews are mentioned by Luke amongst the crowd in Jerusalem at Pentecost.

[35], p. 32
Wright, Wm. 'Apocryphal acts of the apostles' 2 vols, 1871
Acts 2v9

61 BC
Hebrew 3rd month, the day of the fast.
During the 179th Olympiad.
Caius Antonius and Marcus Tullius Cicero were Roman consuls that year.

Roman General Pompey besieges and takes Jerusalem, [Josephus]. This date marks the conquest of the Greeks by the Romans in the east, ([60] has 63 BC).
Hyrcanus becomes high priest.

Josephus Ant. Jud. 14, ch 4.4, and ch 16.4
[60], p. 15

55 BC

Death of Tiran II the Great of Armenia.

[44], p. 4

53 BC

Death of Abgar II of Edessa.

[35], p. 32

45 BC
1st January

Julius Caesar inaugurates the Julian calendar, (Y=365.25 days). The vernal equinox occurred on 25th March in 45 BC. Dates within the year given in the Julian calendar drift ahead of the equinox reference points by 11m:14s per year, or 18h:43m:20s per century. For example, in 84 AD, exactly 128 years after 45 BC, (counting integers without a zero AD) the spring equinox occurred on Julian date 26th March 84 AD, 1 Julian calendar day later than the spring equinox in 45 BC. Despite this slight drift versus the solar cycle, the AD system when it was invented in AD 532 used the Julian calendar rather than our modern Gregorian calendar, corrected as it now is with reference to an atomic clock, (see below). Accordingly, in this work of chronology, the Julian calendar has been used for 'AD' dates. As an example, to relate the modern calendar to the Julian calendar; On January 1^st 2005, the Julian calendar lagged the modern calendar by 16 days, 9 hours, 24 minutes and 28.8 seconds.

According to R. M. Tennent, 'Science data book' Publ. for the OU by Oliver & Boyd 1976, p. 38, the present calendar is based upon a corrected Gregorian tropical solar year of 365.242 days = 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 45.9747 seconds.

[5], p. 71.

37 BC
During the 184th Olympiad.
Caius Domitius Calvinus was Roman Consul for the 2nd time and Caius Asinius Pollio for the 1st time that year.

Herod I became king of Judea. He was awarded the kingdom by the Roman Senate, Octavian Caesar and Mark Anthony the Roman general.

[7], p. 9
[12], p. 285
Josephus Ant. Jud. 14, ch 14.5

34 BC
It was the Jewish Sabbatical year, (happens every 7th.).
The first year of the 185th Olympiad.
Marcus Agrippa and Caninius Gallus were the Roman Consuls that year.

Herod and the Roman general Sosius beseige Jerusalem. The city falls and king Antigonus is captured after 55 days in the 3rd month, 'during the solemnity of the fast'.
This ended the 126 year dynasty of the (H)asmonean kings of Israel.

Josephus Ant. Jud. 14, ch 15.14, ch 16.2, ch 16.4 and 15 ch 1.2.

c. 33 BC

Mark Anthony conquers Armenia.

Josephus Ant. Jud. 15 ch 4.3

31 BC
In the 7th year of Herod's reign.
During the 187th Olympiad, (?). Should read 185th Olympiad?

Octavian triumphed over Mark Anthony at the battle of Actium to become sole emperor. Caesar conquers Egypt and kills Cleopatra making a present of some of her domains to Herod. According to Julias Africanus the battle of Actium occurred during the 186th Olympiad.

Julias Africanus says about Herod, "And Anthony himself also proclaimed Herod as king, and gave him, in addition, the cities Hippus, Gadara, Gaza, Joppa, Anthedon, and a part of Arabia, Trachonitis, and Auranitis, and Sacia, and Gaulanitis; and besides these, also the procuratorship of Syria. Herod was declared king of the Jews by the senate and Octavius Augustus, and reigned 34 years."

About this time, a massive earthquake in Judea kills about 10,000 people.

[7], p. 8
Josephus Ant. Jud. 15 ch 5.1-2, 4, 7.3

27 BC

Octavian was renamed Augustus by the Roman Senate.

[7]

25 - 24 BC

A severe famine occurs in Judea.
Petronius is Prefect of Egypt at this date.
Simon son of Boethus of Alexandria became high priest.

Josephus Ant. Jud. 15 ch 9.1, 9.3

c. 22 - 11 BC

Herod takes 12 years to build Caesarea Maritima and harbour on the site of an earlier city called Strato's Tower, (which was called Magdala in Aramaic, the home town of Mary Magdalene).
Manahem a noted Essene prophet lived.

Josephus Ant. Jud. 15 ch 9.6 & ch 10.5

20 BC

Herod starts to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. He rebuilds the outer cloisters, (this takes 8 years).
Rebuilding work continued into the reign of Nero Caesar.
Phraates was king of Parthia at this time.

Josephus. Ant. Jud. 15 ch 1.
15 ch 11.3 - 5

Dio Cassius LIV.8

13 BC

Herod completes the rebuilding of the outer court of the Temple.

Josephus. Ant. Jud. 15 ch 11.5

11 BC

The second Temple is largely completed and rededicated. The Priests finish building the inner court and other inner structures.

Josephus. Ant. Jud. 15 ch 11.5

9 BC

Aretas IV becomes king of Nabataea, an independent Arab kingdom at this time. He styled himself 'Friend of the people' in both Greek an Aramaic: Philopatris and Rakhem Ammu

[35], p. 72

c. 5 BC

Saturninus was succeeded as Roman president of Syria by Quintilius Varus at about this date.

Josephus. Ant. Jud. 17, ch 1 & 5

4 BC

Abgar V Ukomo, (or Ukama = dark) king of Urhai (Edessa) son of Marsquonu III rules Osrhoene for the first time: 4 BC to 7 AD. His second reign was from AD 13 to AD 50. Tacitus calls him, 'Akbar, king of the Arabs.'

This Abgar was the 14th king of Osrhoene, the 11th king was Abgar Sumaca, (i.e. 'Abgar The Red').

[10], p. 257
[15]
[17], p. 144
[35], pp. 31 - 32

Early June 3 BC
(AG 309 in the month of Sivan of the Greek era, see above. The Hebrew third or forth month)

Birth of Jesus which occurred during the first census of the entire Roman world.

According to Julias-Africanus, Actium happened during the 186th Olympiad. The year of the first enrollment was the 29th year of Augustus as measured from Actium, (= 3 BC). The second enrollment was made in the 37th year after Caesar Augustus' victory at Actium, (i.e. in 6 AD). Kurinius, (Cyrenius) governor of Syria is mentioned in Jos. AJ 17, p42 & AJ 18, p1. One of his first tasks as governor was the third enrollment which was the one that occurred in 9 AD, (see below). Suetonius records all three enrollments, (see [9], Suetonius, 'XII Caesars': Augustus 27).

The year of Jesus' birth is recorded in the the Syriac archives of Edessa found in the Nitrian monastery Egypt in 1841 and now preserved in the British library. The texts were discovered and published by William Cureton in 1864, [17].

Lk2v1 - 2a
Lk2v8
[9], p. 69
[17], p. 72
The time of year Jesus was born can be computed from the date of the annunciation given in Luke 1 v 26.
[41]

1 BC

Herod was about 70 years old when he became fatally ill and Josephus reports a lunar eclipse, (ch 6.4). A little later Herod dies after reigning 37 years since he was declared king by the Romans, (hence he died in 1 BC). Herod was succeeded by his son Archelaus who became Ethnarch in Judea, of whose brothers Herod Antipas became Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, and Philip became Tetrarch of Gaulonitis, Trachonitis and Paneas, (ch 8).

Josephus. Ant. Jud. 17, ch 6.
[7], p. 9

March
6 AD

Earliest datable Syriac writing is in the form of inscriptions from Birecik, dating from the month Adar, AG 317 = March 6 AD. Bibliography:

Maricq A. “La plus ancienne inscription syriaque: cell de Birecik” Syria 39 (1962), pages 88-100.
Pirenne, J. “Aux origines de la graphie syriaque” in Syria 40 (1963).
Drijvers, H. Old-Syriac (Edessean) Inscriptions (Leiden: Brill, 1972).
Han J.W. Drijvers and John F. Healey, "The Old Syriac Inscriptions of Edessa and Osrhoene", 1999 Brill (This edition contains an image, a transcript and a translation. A copy of which can be found on another website:- www.peshitta.org.)

[26]

7 to 13 AD

Marsquonu IV son of Marsquonu III Saflul becomes ruler of Osrhoene.

[15]

9 AD

Archelaus, Tetrach of Judea was banished beyond the Alps to Vienna 'a city of Gaul'. Archelaus had behaved so harshly, that he was accused before Caesar. This behaviour led to his banishment.

In the immediate aftermath of the banishment of Archelaus, senator Kurinius, (Cyrenius) who had been consul, became governor of Syria as mentioned in Jos. AJ 17, p. 42 & AJ 18, p. 1. One of his first tasks as governor was the third enrollment which was a local enrollment which occurred in 9 AD as an audit of Archelaus' former territory. This census was confined to Archalaus' defunct domains and was conducted to assess the taxation value of the kingdom of Archalaus now confiscated by the state, (Josephus).

The governorship of Judea passed to Coponius (a Roman knight) at the same time.

[11], pp. 466 - 7
[7], pp. 9-12
Josephus Ant. Jud. 17 ch13. Josephus Ant. Jud. 18 chs 1 - 2.
[12], p. 285
Luke 3 v 1.

9 AD

Abortive revolt of Judas the Galilean, Hillel a Gaulonite from the Galilean city of Gamala. This was triggered by the political vacuum and the local census. This Judas also introduced the theocratic, anti-Roman philosophy of the Zealots which steadily gained in popularity and ended in the war with Rome around AD 70. He is referred to in the Dead Sea scrolls as, 'The Teacher of Righteousness', [49].

Josephus Ant. Jud. 18 ch1
For this revolt, see Acts 5 v 37
[49], p. 39

10 AD

Died Judas the Galilean, Hillel.

[49], p. 39

13 AD

Abgar V Ukomo, (or Ukama = dark) of Urhai (Edessa) son of Marsquonu III rules Osrhoene for the second time: AD 13 to AD 50. His first reign was from 4 BC to 7 AD. Tacitus calls him, 'Akbar, king of the Arabs.'

[15]
[17], p. 144
[35], pp. 31 &ndash 32

14 AD
19th August

Death of Augustus at the age of 75 years and the first year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar

[9], p. 110

19 - 45 AD

Reigns of Gundaphorus and Gad who were rulers of an Indus kingdom, whose encounter with Thomas the Apostle is recorded in the 'Acts of Thomas', [7]. King Gundaphar was a historical monarch of first century AD India. This is known from coins which include his name found during recent archaeological excavations, [60].

The 'Acts of Thomas' as we now have the text is mythical in character. However there is sufficient historical information remaining in the text to show that it was re-written based upon an earlier, more factual account. This work survives in several Syriac manuscripts, the oldest of which is a 5^th century vellum palimpsest preserved in the Saint Catherine Monastery, Mt Sinai, Egypt.

[7], pp. 150 – 151
[60], p. 42

27 AD

A Jewish Sabbatical year, they occur every 7th year.

See under 34 BC.

28 AD
February.
15th year of Tiberius' reign.

Jesus Christ starts His public ministry.
in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar. Pontius Pilatus is already installed as Roman Governor.

Luke 3 v 1
[17], pp. 146-7 has various dates.

c. 29 AD

Syro-Phoenician woman meets Jesus Christ.
Evidence of early Syrian believers in Jesus and Jesus' largely ignored healing and preaching activities in the Roman province of Syria.

Mark 7 v 24 - 31

c. 30 AD

Jesus Christ and his disciples stayed in villages near Caesarea Philippi the capital of Philip's Tetrarchy. These villages were Arab settlements.

Mark 8 v 27
[35], p. .40, note 45.

c. 30 AD

Abgar, king of Edessa sends his envoy Ananias with a letter asking Christ for his healing.

[17], p. 195.

30 AD
Approximately mid April.
14th Nisan AG 341
17th year of Tiberius.
During the Roman Consulate of Rubellius Geminus and Fufius Geminus.

Yeshu`a Meshiha or, as His name is written in the west, Jesus Christ was executed by crucifixion whilst celebrating the Passover in Jerusalem by Pontius Pilatus, Roman governor of Judea. His resurrection after three days and three nights began the Christian Church.
Date attested by Julias Africanus and the Edessene Syriac city archive. The latter also cross-checks with consuls for the year given by Tacitus, see [17].

[10], p. 365
The Four Gospels.
[17], pp. 147, 187
[19], p. 113 for the date of Passover.

30 AD
Late May

Partheans and Mesopotamians were present during Pentecost in Jerusalem. Evidence of early exposure of Jewish people from the Edessa area to the Christian gospel.

Acts 2 v 9
[19], p. 113 for the Pentecost time of year.

35 AD

Lucius Vitellius becomes Roman governor of Syria.
Artabanus was king of Parthia at this date.

[9], p. 268.

c. 35 AD

Stephen, a Greek speaking Jewish convert to Christ was martyred by stoning.
Conversion and baptism of Paul and his time in Damascus. Paul flees for his life from Damascus to Arabia - probably Bostra a city in the Hawran mountains, a region also known as Auranitus south of Damascus.
The historian Hippolytus, (c. 170 - c. 236) preserves a record of Timion one of the 72, (Luke 10v1) who was the first bishop of Bostra and an associate of Ananias who had baptized Paul.
Foundation of the church at Antioch, Syria.

Acts 7 - 8
[7], p. 19
Acts 9 v 5 & 25
Acts 11v 19
[35], pp. 42, 50-51, 51:note13, p97:map
[49], p. 45

35 - 37 AD

Thomas the Apostle preaches the gospel in Mesopotamia on his way to India, [16]. The other apostles scattered after the martyrdom of Stephen began preaching the gospel in Phoenicia, Cyprus and in the city of Antioch in Syria, (Acts). From the first, the believers in Jerusalem and in these new places were culturally divided into two groups, the Jewish converts to Christianity who were called Nazarenes and the Greek converts who were called Christians, [49].

[16]
Acts 11v19-20, 26
Acts 24v5
[49], p. 50

36 AD

Death of Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea.

[49], p. 49

c. 36 AD

Paul returns to Damascus after lying low in Arabia, (probably Bostra, in the Hawran mountains).

Galatians 1 v 17
[35], pp. 42, 50 p71:map.

37 AD
16th March

Death of Tiberius at an age of 77 years and the first year of the reign of Gaius (Caligula) Caesar.
Artabanus was king of Parthia at this date and definitely a pagan.

[9], p. 329
[9], pp. 147, 159.

37 to c. 45 AD
([16] has 65 AD, but this date is probably too late)

The apostle, Mar Addai or Thaddeus, lived in Edessa. He died c. 45 AD of natural causes. Addai was one of the 70 Apostles. He went to preach the gospel in Mesopotamia, (Edessa and Nisibis).
Some of the books of the Old and the New Testament were copied into Syriac in Edessa during this period.

[16]

Bar Hebraeus via [17], p. 158

37 AD, (based on Addai's date of arrival)

Abdu, son of Abdu second only to king Abgar of Edessa healed after Mar Addai prayed.
This man Abdu, is mentioned by Tacitus, [10].
Addai quotes the Gospel of Mark 16 v 15, part of the last 8 verses of Mark's gospel which are missing in some Syriac versions.

[17], p. 145
[10], Annals VI 31 & 32
[17], pp. 7 & 148

39 AD

Martyrdom of the Apostle Ya`cob (or James), the brother of the Apostle John, who was beheaded by king Herod Antipas.
Paul goes to Jerusalem to meet Peter and Ya`cob (or James) the 'Just' for the first time and then returns to Antioch in Syria and then to his home to Tarsus in Cilicia. Paul does not meet the apostle John, (he is also absent from the body of the Apostles at this time as recorded in Acts 12 v 17).
Death of Herod Antipas at Caesarea Maritima.

Acts 12 v 2
Acts 22 v 17
Galatians 1 v 18.
Acts 12 v 19 – 23
[49], p49

40 AD

The Jews destroy a Greek altar in Jamnia, [49]. In response, Caligula Caesar orders his own statue to be placed inside the Jerusalem Temple. To accomplish his aim, he ordered Petronius, legate of Syria to go to Jerusalem with an army. This Roman action was averted when king Herod Agrippa I persuaded Caligula to change his mind, and the statue was never installed.

[7], p. 12
[12], p. 285
[49], p. 49

40 AD

Death of Aretas IV king of Nabataea, an independent Arab kingdom at this time.

[35], p. 72

41 AD
24th January

Death of Caligula after reigning 3 years, 10 months and 8 days and the beginning of the reign of Claudius Caesar.

[9], pp. 329 & 183

41 AD

Herod Agrippa I, becomes (Roman client) king of Judea.

[7], p. 9
[49], p. 49

43 AD

Peter moves home from Jerusalem to Rome and starts to preach.

[17], p. 35

44 AD

Death of Herod Agrippa I, king of Judea. He was succeeded by his son, Herod Agrippa II, then only 16 years old. At this time, Gaius Cassius Longinus was President of Syria and Cuspius Fadus was made Procurator of Judea by the emperor Claudius.

[7], p. 9
Josephus Ant. Jud. 15 ch 11.4
Tacitus Annals XII.11, [10].
[49], p. 49

c. 49 AD

Claudius ejects all Jews from Rome, (including Priscilla and Aquila) probably due to the intensely hostile reaction of conservative Jews to the gospel message of Jesus as their Messiah, [49].
Paul the Apostle preaches in Corinth, (this was the first time the gospel of Jesus Christ had been preached there).

[9], p. 202
Acts 18 v 2 ff.
[49], p. 58

49 AD

Cassius and Abgar V 'the Arab king of Edessa' meet at Zeugma. Izates was king of Adiabene and Gotarzes was king of Parthia at this time.

Tacitus Annals XII.12-14, [10]

c. 49 AD

Abgar V moves the capital of Osrhoene from Nisibis to Edessa, together with all the city records, archives, pagan gods etc. and deposits them between two schools in Edessa, one dedicated to Greek studies and one to Syriac studies.

[17], pp. 126, 142

50 AD

Death of Abgar V Ukama of Edessa who was succeeded by his son, Marsquonu V whose mother's name was Augustin.

[15]
[17], pp. 13 & 155
[35], p. 32

c. 50 AD

A bilingual inscription by /srn/ = 'Tsaren' queen of Adiabene in Syriac and Palestinian Aramaic was found just outside Jerusalem, near the Damascus Gate. Josephus refers to her using a Greek name, 'Helen'.

[3], pp. 180, 243
Josephus Ant. 20.4.3 §95

51 AD

Vologeses becomes king of Parthia

[10], p. 398

53 AD

Council of Jerusalem. Peter travels from Rome to attend. Paul, Titus and Barnabas visit Peter, James the Just and John the apostles meet in Jerusalem. Paul and his companions return to Antioch afterwards.

Galatians 2 v 1- 9
Acts 15 v 1 - 35

54 AD
13th October

Death of Claudius during the 14th year of his reign and the beginning of the reign of Nero Caesar.

[9], pp. 212 & 329

54 AD

Peter the Apostle travels from his home in Rome and preaches in Antioch, Syria.

[16]
Galatians 2 v 11

Paul is arrested and tried before Ananias the Jewish High Priest.

Acts 23 v 2

57 AD

Death of Marsquonu V son of Abgar V king of Osrhoene, succeeded by Marsquonu VI, who is thought to have returned to Paganism.

[15]
[17]

62 AD

Died Festus, the Roman procurator of Judea. Herod Agrippa II deposes the high priest, Joseph Kabi son of Simon who had only recently become high priest and replaced him with Ananus son of Ananus who was a Sadducee.

[49], p. 58

c. 62 AD

James the Just, bishop of Jerusalem and the half-brother of Christ martyred in the city. Ananus who was the Jewish high priest at that time had organized a show trial and the subsequent murder of James.

[7], p. 19
Ananias mentioned Acts 23 v 2.
[49], p. 58

c. 62 AD

Symeon son of Clopas the uncle of the Lord and James the Just, also called 'James the Righteous' became bishop of Jerusalem, (Hegesippus).
Lucceius Albinus is sent as procurator of Judea to replace Festus. Herod Agrippa II deposes the high priest Ananus whom he had installed, [49].

Hegesippus via Eusebius HC 4.22.8
[49], p. 59

65 - 87 AD

The apostle Thaddeus or Addai who had died earlier after preaching the gospel in Urhay = Edessa was succeeded by Mar Aggai (or Aggaeus) who continued to preach the gospel in Mesopotamia, (Edessa and Nisibis).

[16]
[17], pp. 18 & 21

66 AD

The Apostles and the Christian community abandoned Jerusalem and fled to Pella, a town east of the river Jordan.

[60], p. 13

c. 66 AD

The Pharisees meet at Jamnia to decide the future of Judaism and they decide to expel the Christian Jewish sect from their synagogues.

[60], p. 24

66 AD

The emperor Nero crowns Trdat I as king of Armenia.

[44], p. 4

66 - 72 AD

The Jewish war with Rome, destruction of Jerusalem, Masada etc.

[7], p. 9

68 AD

Martyrdom of the Apostles Peter, Peter's wife and Paul, (Peter crucified and Paul beheaded by Nero). This occurred 25 years after Peter moved to Rome.

[17]

69 AD
Early January.

Death of Nero followed by Roman civil war until the middle of 70 AD.

[9], pp. 216, 244, 246 & 329.

70 AD
1st July

Vespasian becomes Roman emperor.
Vologeses (or Vologaesus) was king of Parthia at this date.

[9], pp. 246, 283, 291 & 329

71 to 91 AD

Abgar VI Bar Marsquonu VI becomes king of Osrhoene

[15]

73 AD
October, (the former Tishri AG 385)

Dated Syriac tomb inscription to a man named Ma'nu at Serrin in the kingdom of Osrhoene

[30], pp. 14, 16, 31

77 AD

Vologeses I reign ends in Parthia

[10], p. 398

77 - 78 AD
(AG 389)

There survives an unsubstantiated record of Aggai or Aggaeus, the disciple and successor of Addai or Addaeus the Apostle, making a copy of an ancient gospel in Edessa.

[17], p. 158

79 AD
23rd June

Death of Vespasian and the beginning of the reign of Titus Caesar.

[9]

81 AD
1st September

Death of Titus and the beginning of the reign of Domitian Caesar.
Vologaesus was still king of Parthia at this date.

[9], pp. 298, 300 & 329

88 - 121 AD

Mar Mari preached the gospel in Mesopotamia.

[16]

91 AD

Abgar VI Bar Marsquonu VI was deposed as king of Osrhoene. Afterwards, no king reigned there until 109 AD.

[15]

96 AD
18th September

Death of Domitian and Nerva becomes emperor. He reigned until AD 98, [49].
John the Apostle returns from exile on Patmos to live in Ephesus. Probable date of the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation.

[2] + Eusebius HC 3.20.
[9], p. 312
[49], p. 144

97 AD
[9], [49] have 98 AD

At the death of Nerva, Trajan becomes emperor

Eusebius HC 3.21
[9], p. 329
[17], p. 63
[49], p. 144

100 AD

Death of Herod Aggrippa II, the last of the Herodian dynasty.

[35], p. 34

104 AD, [58]
([38] gives the period of his see as c. 105 to 115 AD)

Mar Peqidha became the first bishop of Adiabene. The Chronicle of Arbela states that Bishop Pequidha was originally converted to Christianity through the preaching and discipleship of Addai the Apostle.

The Chronicle of Arbela is an important historical source for the Syriac speaking east. The text has been published twice, initially by Mingana with a French translation and again more recently by Kawerau with a German translation; Mingana, A. 'Sources Syriaques' Publ. in Leipzig, O. Harrassowitz, and in Mosul both in 1907 and Kawerau, P. 'Die Chronik von Arbela,' CSCO vols. 467 & 468, 1985 from a MS in Berlin.

The Chronicle of Arbela, via [38], p. 15 & [58], p. 8

105 - 107 AD

A persecution in Antioch, Jerusalem and Alexandria is precipitated by an imperial order to sacrifice to the 'gods' (really demons) of Rome.
Theophorus Ignatius, called 'Luminous' second bishop of Antioch and Metropolitan of Syria is arrested and taken in chains to Rome where he was thrown to the lions during the reign of Trajan Caesar.
On the way to Rome, writing to the church at Smyrna, he quotes from Luke's gospel, Luke 24 v 26 - 40.
"St. Peter himself ordained St. Aphodius and St. Ignatius the Luminous as successors. They did succeeded him after he fell martyr in Rome."
Symeon son of the Lord's uncle Clopas, and the 2^nd bishop of Jerusalem martyred by crucifixion by order of Atticus the provincial governor at the age of 120 years. He was succeeded by Justus, (says Hegesippus). Others have dated Symeon's martyrdom between AD 99 and 103, [49], p. 113, however, all these murders were triggered by the same imperial order to sacrifice to the Roman (false) gods and the indicated dates of the martyrdoms show good agreement from widely dispersed sources.
Martrdom of Sharbil of Edessa in the month of Nisan, AG 416 = (April 105 AD) whom had been high priest of idols and was converted through the evangelism of bishop Bar Samya of Edessa who was himself attacked in September of the same year, but not killed.

[1]
[2]
SOC website.
Ignatius, Smyrnaeans 3.
Eusebius HC 3.32 quoting Hegesippus.
[17], pp. 41, 63, 179, 186
[49], pp. 63, 113

107 AD

The Parthian king Xosroes murders the second bishop of Arbela (modern Arbil) in the buffer state of Adiabene between Armenia and Parthia.

(The chronicle of Arbela, translation by Mingana 1907) via [14]
+Map, [10], p. 424

109 AD

After a period of 18 years without a king, Abgar VII son of Ezat becomes king of Osrhoene. Judging by later events, this king was a Parthian nominee.

[15]

c. 110 AD

Papias, bishop of Phrygian Hierapolis writing in his 'Expositions of the sayings of the Lord' mentions Mark's gospel by name and mentions that Matthew had also recorded Jesus' sayings 'in the Hebrew tongue' (Aramaic).

Eusebius HC 3.39

112 AD

Trajan's correspondence with Pliny which designated Christianity as illegal becomes a de facto part of Roman law.

[49], p. 62

115 AD

During Trajan's reign, the Roman army under the commander Lusius Quietus captures Edessa and deposes (the Parthian nominee) king Abgar VII. There followed a period of 2 years where no king reigned in Edessa. The historian Dio Cassius says: 'Trajan came to Edessa, and there saw Abgarus for the first time. For although Abgarus had previously sent envoys and gifts to the emperor on numerous occasions, he himself, first on one excuse or another, had failed to put in an appearance, as was also the case with Mannos, the ruler of a neighboring region of Arabia'

[17], p. 182
[15]
[35], p. 31n
Dio Cassius Roman History lxviii.21, 22

115 AD

Adiabene (east of Edessa) was invaded by the Romans and named "Assyria" by them. See map given in [15].

(The chronicle of Arbela, translation by Mingana 1907)
[15]

117 AD

Death of Trajan and beginning of the reign of Aelius Hadrian Caesar.

[2]