- 35 b. Ignatius. His letters to churches and to Polycarp are widely quoted in the early church
- 51 The Jewish persecution of Christians in Rome becomes so disruptive that the Jews are expelled from the city
- 60 b. Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor. "He was a man of long ago and the disciple of one 'John' and a companion of Polycarp," according to Irenaeus
- 64 Emperor Nero blames the fire that destroys much of Rome on the Christians. He persecutes the church ruthlessly, and uses Christians as candles to light his garden. It is likely that both Peter and Paul were executed during this persecution
- 68 The end of Nero's reign
- 69 b. Polycarp, in Smyrna. He was a strong defender of the faith in Asia Minor combating the Marcionites and the Valentinians. Irenaeus reported that Polycarp had communication with John the Apostle and 'others who had seen the Lord'
- 81 Domitian becomes Emperor. As Emperor, he persecuted both Jews and Christians
- 96 The end of Domitian's reign
- 96 d. Clement of Rome. He wrote influential epistles to Corinth
- 98 Trajan becomes Emperor. Trajan eventually instituted a policy toward Christians that stayed in effect until the time of Aurelius. His policy was not to seek Christians out, but if they were brought before the authorities they were to be punished, usually executed, for being Christians
- By the end of the first century it is possible to document congregations in almost every city that Paul visited on his three missionary journeys. There are also a few churches in Egypt and along the coast of Northern Africa
- 107 Ignatius led to Rome and martyred
- 115 b. Ireneaus, the first great Catholic theologian and author of Against Heresies, a treatise against the gnostics
For further study
Download these lectures from Covenant Theological Seminary's Ancient and Medieval Church History by Dr. David Calhoun:
