Timeline of Roman Empire
and Old Testament Events |
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Date* (B.C.) | | Roman Empire / Rome | | Biblical Events |
8th
century | |
753 - Traditional date for the founding of Rome and Rome as a kingdom by Romulus. | | | | 753 to 715 - Reign of Romulus. | | | | 715 to 673 - Reign of Numa Pompilius. Creation of the Roman senate and the priestly offices. | | | | 753 to 509 - Period Ruled by the Seven Kings of Rome. |
| | | 798 - Prophetic book of Jonah written. | | | | 796 - Prophetic book of Amos written. | | | | 796 to 719 - Prophetic book of Hosea written. | | | 740 to 711 - Prophetic book of Micah written. | | | 723 - FALL OF SAMARIA | Samaria, the capital of Israel (northern 10 tribes) falls to Assyrian King Shalmaneser V. Israelites are taken captive to Assyria. | | | | 711 - Prophetic book of Nahum written. | | | Reigns of the
Kings of Israel | | | | | 814 to 798 - Jehohaz | | | | 798 to 782 - Jehoash | | | 793 to 753 - Jeroboam II **
(co-regency from 793 to 782) | | | 753 - Zechariah | | | 752 - Shallum | | | | 752 to 742 - Menahem | | | | 752 to 732 - Pekah | | | | 742 to 740 - Pekahiah | | | | 732 to 723 - Hoshea | | | Reigns of the
Kings of Judah | | | | 796 to 767 - Amaziah | | 792 to 740 - Azariah (Uzziah) **
(overlap with Amaziah 792 to 767) | | | 750 to 732 - Jotham **
(co-regency from 750 to 740) | | | 735 to 715 - Ahaz **
(overlap with Jotham 735 to 732) | | | | 715 to 686 - Hezekiah | |
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7th
century | | | 673 to 642 - Reign of Tullus Hostilius. Building of the Curia Hostilia, the senate house. | | | 642 to 617 - Reign of Ancus Marcius | | | | 617 to 578 - Reign of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus. Building of the Circus Maximus. Rome gets the first system of sewers. |
| | | 626 - Prophetic books of Habakkuk and Zephaniah written. | | | | Reigns of the
Kings of Judah | | 696 to 642 - Manasseh **
(co-regency from 696 to 686) | | | 642 to 640 - Amon | | | 640 to 609 - Josiah | | | 609 - Jehoahaz (Shallum) | | | 609 to 598 - Jehoiakim |
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6th
century | | | 578 to 534 - Reign of Servius Tullius. Sacred boundary of Rome defined. Rome takes its first census. | | | | 534 to 509 - Reign of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the last Roman king. He builds the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. | | | | 509 - Roman Republic begins. Tarquinius Superbus expelled. First consuls are Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus. | | | | 508 - The office of Pontifex Maximus (high priest) is created when these powers are stripped from the consuls. |
| | 597 - FALL OF JERUSALEM | | Jerusalem, the capital of the Kingdom of Judah, falls at the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He captures Judah's King Jehoiachin and takes him as prisoner to Babylon. He sets up Zedekiah as the new King of Judah | | | | 596 to 586 - Prophetic book of Joel written. | | | | 590 - Prophetic book of Obadiah written. | | | 586 - Temple destroyed | | Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar lays siege to Jerusalem. He destroys the city and burns Jerusalem's temple. The destruction of the temple is started on the 9th of Ab (Hebrew month). | | | | 520 - Prophetic book of Haggai written. | | | | 520 to 518 - Prophetic book of Zechariah written. | | | | | 516 - The rebuilding of Jerusalem's (Solomon's) temple is completed. | | | | Reigns of the
Kings of Judah | | | 598 to 597 - Jehoiachin | | | | 597 to 586 - Zedekiah |
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5th
century | | | 496 - Rome defeats the Etruscan-led Latin League at the battle of Lake Regillus. | | | | 449 - The Decemviri publishes the Twelve Tables of Roman law. | | | | 447 - Tribal Assembly created. Two quaestors elected for the first time. | | | | 443 - The office of consul is replaced by an assembly of military tribune with consular powers, the Tribuni militum consulari potestate for this year. Office of Censor created. Duties of Censor were Consular duties until this point, where consuls are replaced. |
| | c. 400 - Prophetic book of Malachi, the last book to be considered part of the Old Testament, is written. |
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4th
century | | | 396 - Rome captures and sacks the Etruscan city of Veii after a 10-year siege, the final assault being conducted by Marcus Furius Camillus. Roman soldiers earn their first salary. | | | | 390 - The Gauls defeat the Roman army at the battle of the Allia. The Gauls also sack Rome. | | | | 375 to 371 - Years of Anarchy where no magistrates elected. | | | | 340 - Rome enters the Latin War on the side of the Samnites. | | | | 338 - End of the Latin War. Latin League dissolved and territory placed under Roman control. | | | | 326 - Second Samnite War begins. | | | | 304 - End of the Second Samnite War. Rome establishes many new colonies and gains control over much of central and southern Italy. |
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3rd
century | | | 264 to 241 - First Punic War against Carthage. | | | | 241 - Following the defeat of Carthage, Sardinia and Corsica becomes the first Roman province. | | | | 224 - Rome defeats invading Gallic army at the Battle of Telamon. | | | | 223 - Rome defeats Gauls in Cisalpine Gaul. | | | | 218 to 201 - Second Punic War against Carthage. Rome is defeated at the Battle of the River Trebia. | | | | 216 - Hannibal inflicts a disaster for Rome at the Battle of Cannae. | | | | 214 to 205 - First Macedonian War, Romans defeated. | | | | 213 to 211 - Siege of Syracuse where Rome captures the city. | | | | 204 to 202 - Scipio Africanus Major invades Africa. Hannibal recalled and defeated in the Battle of Zama in 202 B.C. | | | | 202 to 196 - Second Macedonian War which ends with Roman victory. |
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2nd
century | | | 197 - Hispania Ulterior and Hispania Tarraconensis become Roman provinces. | | | | 192 to 189 - Syrian war against the Seleucid dynasty. | | | | 172 to 167 - Third Macedonian War which ends with Roman victory. | | | | 154 to 138 - War against the Lusitanians. | | | | 149 to 146 - Third Punic War against Carthage. | | | | 149 to 148 - Fourth Macedonian War. | | | | 146 - Scipio Aemilianus Africanus (Scipio Africanus the Younger) puts an end in the Punic and Macedonian threat by destroying the cities of Carthage and Corinth. Macedonia and Africa are annexed as provinces. | | | | 121 - Rome acquires the province of Transalpine Gaul (south of modern France) and a safe land route to Hispania. |
| | Events Between
Old and New Testaments | | | The Maccabean Revolt | | | | 175 - Antiochus IV Epiphanes becomes ruler of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. In an effort to unify the Greek elements of his empire, he begins campaign to force the Greek culture onto Judea. | | | | | 167 - A Jewish priest, Mattathias, starts a revolt against the Seleucid overlords of Judea by refusing to worship the Greek gods. Mattathias dies about a year later. One of his five sons, Judas, becomes military chief of the rebellion. Judas would later be known as Judas Maccabaeus (or Judah the Maccabee), which translated means "Judah the Hammer." Judas was called "the hammer" as recognition of his ferocity in battle. | | | | | 164 - Judas Maccabeus leads an army of Jewish dissidents to victory over the Seleucids. After the victory, he enters Jerusalem in triumph and religiously cleanses the Temple (which had been profaned by the pagan Seleucids). | On the twenty-fifth day of the Jewish month of Kislev the Temple was re-dedicated. Supposedly, only one day's supply of oil was available to burn in the candelabrum (holder for one or more candles) and it miraculously lasted for eight days. In commemoration of this event Jews celebrate Hanukkah each year. | | | | | 160 - Judas Maccabeus dies in battle. Two of Judas' brothers continue the war to gain Judea's independence. | | | | | 147 - Judea gains independence. | | | | 129 - Collapse of the Seleucid empire. |
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1st
century | | | 91 to 88 - Social wars. The last rebellion of the Italian nations against Rome. | | | | 67 - Pompey clears the Mediterranean of pirates. | | | | 63 - Roman troops occupy Palestine (Judea). Jerusalem falls. | | | | 60 to 54 - First triumvirate formed. It is an informal coalition between Julius Caesar, Pompey and Crassus used to govern the Roman Republic. | | | | 44 - Caesar is assassinated on the Ides of March. | | | | | 30 - Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide. Egypt becomes a Roman province. | | | | | | 27 - End of the Republic and beginning of the Roman Empire. Octavian is now called Augustus Caesar and becomes the sole ruler of Rome. |
| | | 63 - Fall of Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans. | | | | | 5 - Jesus is born of the virgin Mary in Bethlehem. | |
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