Date

Description

Sources

216 AD
[17] has AD 217 or 218.
[35] has 217 AD

In the reign of the Roman emperor Caracalla, Osrhoene and the capital city of Edessa (Urhoy) became a colony within the Roman Empire, (but the kingdom of Osrhoene continued as a Roman client kingdom). King Abgar X Severus was deposed, (killed?) and replaced by his son Ma’nu IX.
Sextus Julius Africanus visited Osrhoene at this time and made copies of the archives of Edessa

[7], p. 58 & p. 152.
[27]
[15]
[17], p. 142
[35], pp. 27, 32

October 1^st AD 217 to 2^nd May 218 AD
([41] has 239 or 240 AD and [49] has 216 AD)

Birth of Mani who later founded his own religion, (see below under AD 242). Mani's religion was only very loosely based upon Christianity and was a vigorous competitor to orthodox Christianity, particularly in the 4^th century. Manicheism became particularly widespread, extending from western Europe to China.

[41]
[49], p. 177 ff.

8^th April
217 AD

Roman emperor Caracalla or Antoninus was assassinated during his attack on Parthia, [35], [49]. His 'cubiculo Augusti' or Chamberlain was a Christian called Marcus Aurelius Prosenes who died shortly afterwards on 3^rd May in the same year. His tombstone inscription survives, [49].

[35], p. 27
[49], p. 142 f.

218 AD

Elagabalus became Roman emperor. He reigned until AD 222.

[49], p. 145

222 AD

Death of Bardaisan.
First year of the reign of the emperor Alexander Severus, 222 - 235 AD who had many Christians amongst his courtiers including Sextus Julius Africanus.

[33], p. 36.
[35], p. 56
[38], p. 21
[49], pp. 107, 144

200 - 250 AD

Origen visited the Roman province of Arabia several times and records that there were Christian congregations and 'overseers' in most towns. On his second visit, he met Beryllus, bishop of Bostra in Arabia between 233 and 250 AD, who was a prolific and respected author, (it is greatly to be regretted that none of his works survive).

[35], pp. 51, 57, p. 97:map

224 AD

The Arsacid or Parthian dynasty in Persia was replaced by the Sassanid or Persian dynasty. However, the Arsacid dynasty retained control of Armenia until AD 428.

[44], p. 3
[60], p. 10

By 225 AD

There were Christian bishops of Qatar and monasteries were built there before AD 300

[60], p. 44

226 – 229 AD

Origen quotes from what he calls a ‘Gospel According to the Hebrews‘ in his ‘Commentary in Matthew’ at Mt19v16ff. And again in his ‘Commentary in John,’ book 5, which was written in Alexandria between 226 and 229 AD; ‘..and the gospel is, in truth, one in the midst of four.’ The phrase, 'One in the midst of four' in Origen's Greek text is ‘dia tessaron’ i.e. "Diatessaron". This comment is somewhat ambiguous, but it may be the earliest reference to the Diatessaron gospel harmony by this title.

Petersen, “Diatessaron”, pp. 37 note 9, 259

227 or 226 AD

Ardeshir son of Pabqan became king of Persia and founder of the Sassanian dynasty. He and his descendants were Zoroastrians (fire worshippers) by religion.

[7], p. 152.
[35], p. 27
[37], p. xi

230 AD

Ardeshir beseiged Nisibis.

[35], p. 60, note 40

231 AD

Council of Alexandria. Origen, in the course of a journey in this or the following year was ordained as an Presbyter (Elder) by Bishop Theoctistus in Caesarea with the support of Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem. On his return to Alexandria, Origen was asked to leave town, [49] or more likely, he left because Demetrius bishop of Alexandria condemned him at the council of Alexandria, [35]. Anyway, shocked by this, Origen left Alexandria and made his home in Caesarea (Palestine).

[35], p. 57
[49], p. 186 f.

232 AD

A house church has been excavated at Dura Europus Mesopotamia dated to 232 AD.

[35], p. 75

233 AD

Ardeshir captures Nisibis and Harran which were later recaptured by emperor Gordian in 243 AD.

[33], p. 111

235 AD

Died Roman emperor Alexander Severus. He was succeeded by emperor Maximinus Thrax who reigned until AD 238. Emperor Maximinus purged all of the imperial household, presumably removing many Christians who had been present in the previous reign.

[49], p. 144

236 AD

Fabian became bishop of Rome. He sat until his martyrdom during the Decian persecution, see below.

[49], p. 142

238 or 239 AD

The Persian king Ardeshir takes control of Armenia from the Romans. There was a successful Roman counter attack later in AD 243 led by the young Roman emperor Gordian III who reigned from AD 238 until his murder in AD 244.

[49], p. 129

240 - 243 AD

Three legal documents written in Syriac from the third century (dated 28 Dec 240, 1 Sept 242 and 243, respectively) have been found. These were discovered in the Euphrates valley (Brock 1991, Drijvers 1972).

[26]
[27]

c. 2^nd May
242 AD

Shabor (or Shapur) I son of Ardeshir became king of Persia.

According to his own writings quoted in [49], Mani was 24 years old in the year that Ardeshir took the city of Hatra. In the same year, on or shortly before the 8^th of the month Pharmouthi = 2^nd May, [49] in AG 553 = 2^nd May 242, [37] Shabor son Ardeshir became king of Persia. Mani wrote seven Aramaic books for his own religion and another apology called 'Sabuhragon' written in middle Persian for king Shabor I. One of the seven Aramaic books he wrote was called, 'The living gospel'. Mani's Aramaic gospel must have borrowed large amounts of narrative from the Old Syriac gospel. We know this because Augustine of Hippo, who was a Manichee before he was a Catholic, quotes the gospel from a Latin translation of Mani's edition. When Augustine quotes the Manichean gospel in his writings they often show Old Syriac variants which Mani must have carried over into his own version. Thus, in addition to Marcionite Luke, there was another Old Syriac gospel text type, the Manichean living gospel.

[37] p. xi
[49], p 178

242 AD

Abgar XI Farhat son of Ma’nu IX became (presumably Persian client) king of Osrhoene and reigned 2 years. In the same year, Udhainat II became king of Palmyra.

[15]
[35], p. 61, note 40.

243 AD

Emperor Gordian III recaptures Harran and Nisibis from the Persians in the battle of Resaina.

[33], p. 111

244 AD
(or 241 AD, [7])

The client kingdom of Osrhoene with the capital city at Edessa is abolished, the king Abgar XI Farhat is deposed and the region is absorbed into the Roman empire.

[7], p. 58
[15]

244 – 249 AD

Reign of Roman emperor Marcus Julius Philipus the Arabian who was a Christian, (or perhaps he revered Christ as part of a pantheon).

The emperor Philip made significant territorial concessions to Shabor I king of Persia in return for a truce, [49]. Shabor I enforced his 'fire worship' religion (Zoroastrianism) in the newly annexed territories with extreme violence, through his servant Kartir. According to an important Persian inscription, this Kartir attacked and persecuted all the other faith groups including; the Roman pagan religion, Jews, Buddhists, the Brahmins, Nazarenes (i.e. Aramaic speaking Christians), Christians (i.e. Christians who spoke Greek), Baptizers (probably a reference to the Mandean cult) and the Manicheans, [49], p. 129 f.

In the west, during the reign of Philip, there was a brief, 5 year respite from Christian persecution.

[1]
[35], p. 58
[49], pp. 107, 129 f.

247 - 249 AD

Origen's third visit to Arabia.

[35], pp. 57-58

248 AD

The Romans who had abolished the kingdom of Edessa, (Osrhoene) installed a Governor, Aurelianus son of Haphsai, son of Bar Kalba (a freedman of Antonius Caesar). He is mentioned in pagan Syriac inscriptions attributed to Bar Nahar (or Bar Nahad) son of Rinai ruler of the Arabs, (Parthia).
Michael the Syrian mentions Aurelianus son of Haphsai in his Chronicle.

[29]

249 - 251 AD

Short tyranny of the Roman emperor Decius, who died in the summer of AD 251 whilst he was fighting the Goths.

[35], p. 60
[49], p. 133

250 - 251 AD

In January AD 250, the emperor Decius issued an edict which began a major persecution of Christians. Fabian bishop of Rome was martyred on 20th January AD 250, [49]. The persecution was particularly bad in Alexandria and in Cathage. Babylas, (or Babola) bishop of Antioch was martyred on 24^th January AD 250, [49] and Alexander, bishop of Jerusalem died in prison during torture. Origen was injured by torture but survived for a while.
Pionius was martyred in Smyrna for celebrating the anniversary of Polycarp's martyrdom. (This Pionius was probably the transcriber of the account of Polycarp's martyrdom.)
Sylvanus, bishop of Emesa, (Homs) was martyred in the city's arena. He was Aramaic speaking and had been bishop of Emesa since AD 210.

[1]
[35], pp. 60, 63
[6], p. 134
[7], p. 33
[49], pp. 131, 142

251 AD

There was a synod in Rome and another in Cathage.

[7], p. 31

252 AD

Antioch was taken by the Persian king Shabur I.

[49], p. 134

252 AD

Persecution starts again under the new Emperor Gallus during a plague that swept across the entire Roman empire at that time.

[1]

253 AD
August

Valerian becomes Roman Emperor

[1]
[49], p. 133

253 AD - 268 AD

Unusually severe natural and man-made disasters followed in the Mediterranean world, disease, wars, drought, earthquakes and even a tidal wave. Half the population of Alexandria was destroyed, (Christians were usually blamed for these disasters and attacked).

[1]

254 AD

Tyre, Palestine. Origen a prominent Christian theologian, eventually dies at the age of 69 from his wounds after being stretched on a rack, 'to the fourth hole' during Decius' persecution a few years before.

[1]
[7], p. 33
[49], p. 187

255 AD
([38] has 256 AD)

Ardeshir (really king Shabor I of Persia) captures Dura Europus, Nisibis and Carrhae (i.e. Harran) from the Romans but fails to capture Edessa and fails to take Palmyra from king Udhainat, ([13] has 256 - 257 AD). Nevertheless, he took many prisoners including many Christians whom he deported back to Persia. According to the Nestorian Chronicle, (see [42]) they built churches all over the orient including two at Ranshahr or Rev-Ardeshir, where the bishops resided. One was called the church of the Romans where the services were spoken in Greek and the other was called Karmanum where the services were spoken in Syriac. This is the first of two large deportations, see also later under 260 AD. Further evidence of the parallel Syriac and Greek bishoprics in Persia appears later in AD 340 and in AD 424, (see below).

[13]
[35], p. 61 note 40.
[38], p. 28
[42], p. 59

256 AD

Synod of Carthage

[7], p. 31

August 257 AD

Valerian's first edict of Christian persecution.

[1]
[49], p. 134

258 AD

Valerian's second and worst edict of Christian persecution. This was particularly bad in North Africa where Cyprian, bishop of Carthage was martyred. Cyprian was beheaded on 14^th September AD 258, [49]. In a letter Cyprian wrote sometime between 6^th August and his death, he says that Valerian had purged all Christians from the imperial household, confiscated their property and sent them to do hard labour on the imperial estates, [49]. The persecution during which Cyprian was martyred lasted until the death of Valerian in AD 260.

[1]
[7], pp. 33, 34
[49], pp. 134, 146

259 AD

Dionysius became bishop of Rome. He sat until AD 268.

[49], p. 218

260 AD, (according to [33], [35], [38] and [49])

The Roman emperor Valerian was defeated in the East by king Shahpuhr or Shabor I king of Persia. King Shabor I captured emperor Valerian and humiliated him before killing him. He then recaptured Edessa and Syria. He sacked Antioch and took Syria from the Romans.

After King Shabor I of Persia had captured Antioch, he again deported large populations from Antioch, Cappadocia, Cilicia and Syria including many Christians to Persia. The deportees included Demetrianus bishop of Antioch, [49] who later became bishop of Beth Lapat, also known as Gundeshapur in Persia, [60]. This is the second of two large deportations, see under 255 AD for the first. According to Sassanian inscriptions cited in [49], the Aramaic speaking believers deported by Shabor I were called 'N'sl'y', a word derived from 'Nazarenes' whilst the Greek speaking believers were called, 'Klystyd'n', a word derived from the Greek noun 'Christians'. This gives us important independent information about the bilingual nature of the Christianity which existed in Antioch and the names of the two cultural groups. The term 'Nazarene' first occurs in Acts 24v5, and it reoccurs at the end of the 4^th century in the writings of Jerome who tells us that the Nazarenes had their own Aramaic version of the gospel. This Sassanian inscription identifies the Nazarene group unambiguously as the term used to describe Aramaic speaking Christians deported from Antioch.

After a few months, a successful Roman counter attack was launched by Roman troops under Callistus with the army of Odainath (Aramaic name: Udhainat II) who was prince, (really king) of Palmyra. Afterwards, Palmyra controlled Mesopotamia for 12 years as a Roman client.

[1]
[7], 152
[33], pp. 110 - 111
[35], pp. 6-7, 60, 61:note
[38], p. 28
[49], p. 50
[60], p. 30 but the date is given as AD 253

260 AD
(sources have 259 AD)

Valerian's son Gallienus becomes emperor and decrees Christianity legal for the first time in AD 261, [49]. Emperor Gallienus gave orders to king Udhainat of Palmyra, to attack and destroy the Roman general Callistus at Emesa or Homs in Syria because he had rebelled, (he had probably tried to take the throne when Valerian was killed).

[1]
[35], p. 61:note
[49], p. 145

260 AD

King Udhainat II of Palmyra, takes control of Antioch and appoints Paul of Samosata as bishop of Antioch. Paul had been trained in Christianity at Edessa. The training of Paul of Samosata demonstrates that Edessa had a Christian school at the beginning of the third century AD. The ruins of Palmyra contain the remains of many churches built at this time. This points to the official favour that Christianity enjoyed in the east at this early time.

[35], p. 62

261 AD

The emperor Gallienus orders the return of church property which had confiscated by Valerian.

[49], p. 218

262 AD

The Palmyrene king Udhainat II (Roman name Odenathus) defeats the Persians and beats them back to the capital Ctesiphon recapturing Nisibis and Dura Europus as he went. The emperor Gallienus proclaimed king Udhainat Imperator, (a designation given to victorious Roman generals) and put him in charge of the Roman legions in the east.

[35], pp. 6-7, 23:map, 60, 61:note

264 AD

Paul of Samosata, bishop of Antioch was censured for his doctrine and extravagant lifestyle by the council of Antioch held in this year.

[35], p. 62
[49], p. 218

267 AD

The Palmyrene king Udhainat II again defeated the Persians in a second campaign, again all the way to the the Persian capital Ctesiphon but was then assassinated. He was succeeded by his son Wahb-Allat, (Roman name Vaballathus) in whose name the government was taken over by his mother, Queen Bath-Zebinah, (Roman name Zenobia). At this time her domain and the control of Palmyra included Cilicia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine and Arabia.

[35], p. 61 &note

268 AD

Died Dionysius bishop of Rome.

[49], p. 218

268 AD

A synod at Antioch, attended by 80 bishops including Maximus of Bostra. The synod formally deposed Paul of Samosata bishop of Antioch and elected in his place Domnus son of Demetrianus, (probably the Demetrianus bishop of Antioch who had been deported to Persia in AD 260). They could not evict Paul however, because he enjoyed the protection of Zenobia, queen of Palmyra.

[35], p. 62

c. 268 AD

General Zabdas of Palmyra occupied Egypt and started to conquer Asia Minor in a direct challenge to Roman power.

[35], p. 61

270 AD

Aurelian became Roman emperor, reigning until AD 275. This emperor is said to have given a legal ruling in favour of Domnus, bishop of Antioch against his predecessor, Paul of Samosata.

[49], p. 107

c. 270 AD

Anthony of Egypt, (d. AD 356) after listening to the NT being read, sells his possessions and moves out of his village to live as a hermit, (AD 305). Others followed his example. The network of hermits associated occasionally. This was essentially the beginning of the monastic movement, 270 AD - 300 AD in Nitria Egypt (where some spoke Coptic) and in Palestine. The nascent monasteries were anti-Arian in theology and initially separate to the Arian hierarchical church system.

[7], pp. 43 - 44
[35], p. 101
[49], p. 228

272 AD

Hormezed son of Shabor I became king of Persia.

[37] p. xi

273 or 274 AD

Bahram I or Wurharen son of Hormezed became king of Persia.

[37] p. xi

273 AD
[33], [35] and [49] have 272 AD

The emperor Aurelian defeats Queen Zenobia and destroys Palmyra. He thus recaptured Antioch. Paul of Samosata who had already been formally deposed from his see as bishop of Antioch in AD 268, was expelled after losing the protection of Queen Zenobia.

[2]
[33], p. 110
[35], p. 62
[49], p. 220

276 or 277 AD

Bahram II son of Wurharen with Bahram III Sunganshar became joint kings of Persia.

[37] p. xi

279 AD

St. Sargis and St. Bakhos martyred

Syrian Orthodox Church website

286 AD

Zoroastrianism was adopted by the Sassanid dynasty of kings as the official religion in Persia. This happened due to the influence of the Zoroastrian high priest Kartir. After this date, apostasy from the newly recognized religion became punishable by death.

[60], pp. 12, 29

286 AD
17th September
Year 1 anno Diocletiani
Year 1 'Era of the Martyrs'

Accession of Diocletian.
This date is year 1, of the anno Diocletiani dating system used in 6th century Rome and still used today by the Coptic Church. This system, like all ancient calendars, had no year zero. The Coptic dating system uses this reference date but says, for example, the year 400 in the 'Era of the Martyrs' connecting this base date with the sufferings of many Christians during Diocletian's reign. 286 AD is based on 532 AD as the benchmark date for the AD dating system, because the AD dating system was invented in 532 AD, (the AD system has no year zero either).

Other commentators place Diocletian's accession in AD 284, [49].

[1]
[2]
[5], p. 100 – 101
[49], pp. 147, 221

c. 289 AD

Qone became bishop of Edessa according to The Chronicle of Edessa. He sat until AD 313.

Via [38], p. 40

291 AD - 371 AD

Hilarion, a monk was born in the village of Tabatha, five miles south of Gaza. He went to school in Alexandria, became a Christian and joined Anthony and his Anchorite sect in the Egyptian desert. (For more details on Anthony of Egypt, see under AD 270 above.)

[35], p. 106

293 or 294 AD

Narsai Garmanshar became king of Persia.

[37] p. xi

294 AD

In the ninth year of Diocletian, Abgar of Edessa was referred to, not as king, but as Praetor.

[17], p. 142

296 – 297 AD

David bishop of Basra in Iraq visited the Christians in Kerala India.

[60], p. 42

296 AD

The Roman general and Caesar Galerius was defeated by the Persians near Harran.

Galerius was one of four rulers set up by Diocletian Augustus including himself. This tetrarchy consisted of Diocletian Augustus then Maximian Augustus then Caesar Constantius I and finally Caesar Galerius.

[33], p. 111
[49], p. 222

297 - 298 AD

Diocletian successfully attacks Persia and resides in Antioch during the campaign

[1]
[33], p. 111

297 - 298 AD
(609 AG)

The Romans conquered Nisibis.

[28], p. 6

299 AD

Birth of Ephrem Syrus in Nisibis, though C. McCarthy in her edition of his Diatessaron commentary gives his approximate birth date as 306 AD.

[25]

End 3rd century.

Christians were reportedly very numerous in the Nabataean population of Idumaean Palestine at this time.

[35], p. 105

31^st March
302 AD

Replying to Julianus proconsul of Africa, who had informed him of the prevalence of Manicheism in his province, Diocletian ordered Manichean books and Manichean sectarian leaders to be burnt. The emperor justified this decision on the basis that the Manichees were undoing 'what once has been fixed and established by antiquity'.

[49], p. 222

302 or 303 AD

Hormezed II son of Narsai Garmanshar became king of Persia.

[37] p. xi

23rd February
303 AD

Diocletian decrees the destruction of all church buildings and scriptures. St. George and St. Barbara martyred 303 A.D. Paul of Samosata, the deposed bishop of Antioch who was educated at Edessa[35], was martyred at about this time. Edessa again suffers a disastrous flood.

[1], + SOC website
[33], p. 124.
[35], p. 55
[49], p. 224

28^th April
303 AD

Diocletian rounds up 268 Christians he found in Nicomedia, (the eastern Roman capital) and he had them all murdered. Only the bishop, Anthimus was spared.

[49], p. 225

May
303 AD

The walls of Edessa were destroyed by order of Diocletian, [41].

[41]

1^st May
305 AD

Diocletian Augustus and Maximian Augustus each went into voluntary retirement. They left the running of the empire, and the persecution of Christians, to the newly promoted Constantius I Augustus and Galerius Augustus. Galerius promoted general Severus and his nephew Maximinus Daia each to the rank of Caesar.

[49], p. 226

305 AD

Anthony of Egypt moved out into the Egyptian deserts and inaugurated the western Hellenized monastic movement.

[35], p. 101

306 AD

Hilarion leaves Antony's Anchorite community in Egypt and becomes a recluse, south of Majuma in Palestine in the desert south of Gaza where he lived for 22 years becoming famous for miracles of healing and attracting many disciples. Hilarion preached in Aramaic. The scholar Jerome, wrote an account of Hilarion's life in about 391 AD.

[35], p. 106
[47], volume 1, pp. 140, 146

25^th July
306 AD

Died Constantius I Augustus in York, Britain and his son, Constantine supported by the legions in Britain was proclaimed Augustus in his place. ([5] has the year as AD 305.)

[5], p. 65
[49], pp. 147, 229

26^th October
306 AD

Maxentius son of Maximian had himself proclaimed emperor in Rome. He ended the persecution of Christians in the territories he controlled, (Italy).

[49], p. 229

309 or 310 AD

Shabor II son of Hormezed became king of Persia. I translate the following from the Syriac in [37], “This man reigned for 70 years and persecuted the Church severely, killing innumerable martyrs in the land of Persia.”

[37] p. xi

August
309 AD

Martyrdom of Habib, a deacon of the church at Edessa, Gurya and Shmona in Edessa during the see of Qona, bishop of Edessa. They were buried on a hilltop called Beth Alah Qiqla, (A strange name, probably an error, literally meaning, 'the place of God's dunghill'). [33] gives a date between AD 309-10.

[17], pp. 72, 188
[33], pp. 83-84, 184

310 AD

The Roman legions in Spain transferred their allegiance to Constantine.

[49], p. 229

310 AD

Papa became bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon capital of Persia. He sat until AD 329.

[60], p. 30

30^th April
311 AD

Galerius Augustus publishes a decree in the capital city, Nicomedia legalizing Christianity. This was his last act, Galerius died on the 5^th May. The decree began a short pause in the persecution, rather than an end.

[49], p. 229

311 AD

Maximinus Daia instigated a persecution of the Armenian Church.

[44], p. 5
Eusebius, H.E. 9.8.3

25^th November
311 AD

Maximinus Daia put to death Peter, bishop of Alexandria and many other bishops in Alexandria, Egypt.

[49], p. 230

7^th January
312 AD

Maximinus Daia put to death Lucian of Antioch at Nicomedia. Lucian was a great scholar and teacher who had many disciples at Antioch. His scholarship influenced key members of the clergy who attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, [49]. It is interesting to note that Lucian was originally educated at the School of Edessa, [35].

[35], p. 55
[49], p. 230
[60], p. 58

c. 28^th October
312 AD

Constantine marched south and attacked Maxentius (who had declared himself Roman emperor in AD 306). He defeated Maxentius' legions and Maxentius drowned whilst making his escape across the river.

[49], p. 231

312 - 313 AD
(AG 624)

Bishop Cona (or Qona) of Edessa laid the foundation of a cathedral church there. He was succeeded by bishop Sha`ad. The source for this information is The Chronicle of Edessa, see [38], [41]

[17], p. 188
[33], p. 181
[38], p. 40
[41]

June
313 AD

Edict of Milan: The emperors Constantinus Augustus and Lucinius Augustus jointly decree freedom of religion and worship throughout the Roman empire. This decree effectively legalized Christianity in the whole of the Roman empire.

[2] Eusebius HC 10.5
[49], p. 234