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*ca.110 ''[[w:Apocalypse of Peter|Apocalypse of Peter]]'', apocryphal work, considered Scripture by [[Clement of Alexandria]] and the list in the [[w:Muratorian fragment|Muratorian Canon]].
*ca.110-112 Roman magistrate [[w:Pliny the Younger|Pliny the Younger]], imperial governor of the province of [[w:Bithynia et Pontus|Bithynia et Pontus]], writes to Emperor Trajan for instructions regarding official policy concerning Christians (''[http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/readfile?pageno=117&fk_files=2025 Epistulae X.96]''; [[w:Epistulae_(Pliny)#Book_10|Book 10]]); the contents of the letters were to become the standard policy toward Christians for the rest of the pagan era, also containing the earliest external account of Christian worship, and reasons for the execution of Christians.
*ca.117-138 [[w:Rylands Library Papyrus P52|Rylands Library Papyrus P52]] is generally accepted as the earliest extant record of a canonical [[New Testament]] text, dating somewhere between 117 A.D. and 138 A.D.
*120 Beginning of time of the Apologists: [[Justin Martyr]], [[Apostle Aristides|Aristides]], [[Tatian]], [[Athenagoras of Athens]], [[Theophilus of Antioch|Theophilus]], [[Minucius Felix]], [[Tertullian]] and [[Apostle Quadratus|Quadratus]], writing to defend the Church against internal heresies, and to defend the faith before the Jews, and before the larger pagan world, using Greek philosophic concepts and terms.
*124 Apostles [[Apostle Quadratus|Quadratus]] and [[Apostle Aristides|Aristides]] present Christian apologies to Emperor Hadrian at Athens.
*156 Beginning of [[Montanism]].
*165 Martyrdom of [[Justin Martyr|Justin]].
*166 Pope [[Soter of Rome|Soter]] inaugurates in Rome a separate annual feast for [[Pascha]], in addition to the weekly [[Lord's Day|Sunday]] celebrations of the [[Resurrection]], which is also held on a Sunday, in contrast to the [[Quartodeciman|Quartodecimans]]. *167 Death of [[w:Abercius of Hieropolis|Abercius of Hieropolis]], Wonderworker and Equal to the Apostles.
*ca. 170 Emergence of [[w:Muratorian fragment|Muratorian Canon]].
*ca. 175 Tatian’s [[w:Diatessaron|Diatessaron]] harmonizes the four canonical gospels into single narrative.
*177-180 [[w:Persecution_of_early_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire#Persecution_under_Marcus_Aurelius|Persection under Emperor Marcus Aurelius]] (161-180).
*ca.180 Death of early Church chronicler [[w:Hegesippus (chronicler)|Hegesippus]], who wrote against the heresies of the Gnostics and of [[Marcion]].
*180 [[Irenaeus of Lyons]] writes ''Against Heresies'' ; Saint Dyfan first martyr in British Isles (at Merthyr Dyfan, Wales); death of [[w:Scillitan Martyrs|Scillitan Martyrs]] in North Africa.
*180-192 [[w:Theodotion|Theodotion's]] Greek translation of the [[Old Testament]].
*193-211 [[w:Symmachus the Ebionite|Symmachus']] Greek translation of the [[Old Testament]].
*195 Bishop Saint Elvan dies at Glastonbury.
*196 Syriac gnostic philosopher [[w:Bardaisan|Bardaisan]] writes of Christians amongst the Parthians, Bactrians (Kushans) and other peoples in the Persian Empire.
*197 [[Quartodeciman]] controversy; [[Tertullian]] writes ''[[w:Apologeticus|Apologeticus]],'' his most famous work, including the phrase ''"the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church"'' (Apologeticus, Ch.50).
*200 Martyrdom of [[Irenaeus of Lyons]].
*215 Conversion of [[Tertullian]] to [[Montanism]].
*220 [[w:Sextus Julius Africanus|Sextus Julius Africanus]] writes the ''Chronographiai'', a history of the world up to year 217.
*225 Death of [[Tertullian]]; martyrdom of [[Tatiana of Rome]].
*ca.225-250 ''[[w:Didascalia Apostolorum|Didascalia Apostolorum]]'', ''"Teaching of the Apostles"'', oldest extant manual of church order describes church life at that time; circulated widely in Persia, being translated early on from Greek into Syriac.
*227 [[Origen]] begins ''Commentary on Genesis'', completes work on ''First Principles''.
*232 Heraclas becomes Pope of Alexandria.
*235-238 [[w:Persecution_of_early_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire#Persecution_under_Maximinus_the_Thracian|Persecution under Emperor Maximinus Thrax]]; martyrdom of St. [[Hippolytus of Rome]].
*236 Hieromartyr [[w:Pope Anterus|Antheros]], Bp. of Rome.
*238 During reigns of Gordian and [[w:Philip the Arab|Philip the Arab]] the church proclaims the faith openly and increasingly attracts well-educated converts.
*240 Church at [[Dura-Europos]] built (earliest identified Christian church).
*248 [[Origen]] writes in ''Against Celsus'' that the [[Pax Romana|Roman empire is a Divine Will]].
*249-251 [[w:Persecution_of_early_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire#Persecution_under_Decius_Trajan|Persecution under Emperor Decius]].
*250 Hieromartyr [[w:Pope Fabian|Fabian]], Bp. of Rome; martyrdom of [[Pionius of Smyrna]].*257-260 [[w:Persecution_of_early_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire#Persecution_under_Valerian|Persecution under Emperor Valerian]] (253-260). *257 Hieromartyr [[w:Pope Stephen I|Stephen]], Bp. of Rome, and those martyred with him.
*255-256 Three Councils of Carthage.
*258 Bp. [[w:Cyprian|Cyprian of Carthage]] martyred.
*264 Excommunication of [[Paul of Samosata]].
*265 The word "[[Homoousios]]", "of the same substance", to define relationship between [[God the Father|Father]] and Son, used for first time by Modalist Monarchians of Cyrene, playing an important part in defining Orthodoxy at [[First Ecumenical Council|Nicene Council]] in 325.
*268 Death of [[w:Firmilian|Firmilian]], Bp. of Caesarea.
*274-275 [[w:Persecution_of_early_Christians_in_the_Roman_Empire#Persecution_under_Aurelian|Persecution under Emperor Aurelian]].
*270 Before 270, Gregory Thaumaturgus sees first known apparition of the Theotokos; Death of [[Gregory the Wonderworker|Gregory Thaumaturgus]]; [[w:Porphyry of Tyre|Porphyry of Tyre]] writes ''Against the Christians'', a powerful anti-Christian book, causing several Christian contemporaries to try and refute him, and which was later banned and burned in 448; first priest ordained in [[w:Al-Mada'in|Seleucia-Ctesiphon]].
*285 [[Anthony the Great]] flees to the desert to pursue a life of prayer.
*286 Martrydom of [[Maurice]] and the [[w:Theban Legion|Theban Legion]].
*290 Brief persecution of Persian Christians under [[w:Bahram II|Bahram II]].
*ca.300 Bp. [[w:David of Basra|David of Basra]] undertook [[missionary]] work in India, among the earliest documented Christian [[missionaries]] in India.
*300 By this date, the Chrisitan population is about 6,200,000, or 10.5% of the population of the Roman Empire (based on population of 60 million).
*301 [[Gregory the Enlightener|Gregory the Illuminator]] converts King Tiridates I of Armenia to the Christian faith.
*302 20,000 Martyrs burned at Nicomedia.
*303 Outbreak of the [[w:Diocletianic Persecution|Great Persecution]] (303-311), as Diocletian and Galerius launch the last and most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire; martyrdom of [[George the Trophy-bearer]]; martyrdom of [[Genesius of Rome|Genesios of Rome]].
*305 Martyrdom of [[Panteleimon]] and [[Catherine of Alexandria]]. Martyrdom of Bishop Ianouarios of Beneventio of Campania and his Companions.
*ca.305-311 [[Lactantius]] writes ''Divinae Institutiones'', the first systematic Latin account of the Christian view of life.
*312 Vision and conversion of [[Constantine the Great]]; defeat of Maxentius at the [[Battle of Milvian Bridge]], making Constantine Emperor of the West; martyrdom of [[Lucian of Antioch]], who had completed a recension of the [[Septuagint]] and the Four [[Gospels]] in Greek, and inspired the development of the [[w:School of Antioch|School of Antioch]] and Biblical textual study.
*313 [[Edict of Milan]] issued by [[Constantine the Great]] and co-emperor Licinius, officially declaring religious freedom in the Roman Empire, specifically naming religious toleration for Christianity, restoration of property to Christian churches, and legal recognition.
*314 [[Council of Ancyra]] held; [[Council of Arles of 314|Council of Arles]] condemns [[Donatism]].
*315 [[Council of Neo-Caesaria]] held; [[Constantine the Great]] abolished crucifixion in the Roman Empire.
*316 Lactantius writes ''"De Mortibus Persecutorum"'', a graphic account of the lives and horrible deaths of those who persecuted the church.
*318 Publication of ''[[On the Incarnation]]'' by [[Athanasius the Great]], influencing the condemnation of [[Arianism]]; beginnings of [[Arianism|Arian Controversy]].
*318 [[Pachomius the Great]], disciple of [[Anthony the Great]], organizes a community of ascetics at Tabennis in Egypt, founding [[cenobitic]] [[monasticism]].
*319 Translation of relics of [[Theodore the GeneralStratelates|Theodore Stratelates]] ("the General").
*320 Expulsion of [[Arius]] by [[Alexander of Alexandria]]; martyrdom of [[Forty Martyrs of Sebaste]].
*320-21 Licinius' measures against Christians in the east enforced.
*321 [[Constantine the Great|Constantine]] declares [[Lord's Day|Sunday]] a holiday in honor of the [[Resurrection]].
*323 [[Constantine the Great]] builds church on the site of the martyrdom of [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] in Rome.
*324 [[Constantine the Great|Constantine]] defeats Licinius and becomes sole emperor; the [[Labarum]] with the "Chi-Rho" Christogram became the official standard of the Roman Empire.
==Notes==
The following are published writings that provide an overview of Church history:
'''From an Orthodox perspective''' * [[Eusebius of Caesarea]] (Bishop of Caesarea), Geoffrey Arthur Williamson, Andrew Louth. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=fWBlwD5Vs4QC&source=gbs_navlinks_s The history of the church from Christ to Constantine].'' Transl. Geoffrey Arthur Williamson. Penguin Classics, 1989. 434pp. ISBN 9780140445350
* [[Alexander Schmemann|Schmemann, Alexander]]. ''The Historical Road of Eastern Orthodoxy''.
* [[Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia|Ware, Timothy]]. ''The Orthodox Church: New Edition''. (ISBN 0140146563)
'''From a [[Heterodox]] perspective'''
* Andrew Brian McGowan, Brian E. Daley (S.J.), Timothy J. Gaden (Eds.). ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=9bAyYn_QkbkC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false God in Early Christian Thought: Essays in Memory of Lloyd G. Patterson].'' Volume 94 of Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae. BRILL, 2009. 407pp. (ISBN 9789004174122)
* Bainton, Roland H. ''"The Early Church and War."'' '''The Harvard Theological Review.''' Vol. 39, No. 3 (Jul., 1946), pp.189-212.
* Boer, Harry R. ''A Short History of the Early Church''. (ISBN 0802813399)
* Cairns, Earle E. ''Christianity Through the Centuries: A History of the Christian Church''. (ISBN 0310208122)
* Gonzalez, Justo L. ''The Story of Christianity, Volume 1: The Early Church to the Reformation''. (ISBN 0060633158)
* Hall, Stuart G. ''Doctrine and Practice in the Early Church''. (ISBN 0802806295)
* Hurtado, Larry W. (Dr.). ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=_MH-_ZQuZrgC&source=gbs_navlinks_s Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity].'' Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005. (ISBN 9780802831675)
* Hurtado, Larry W. (Dr.). ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=w5FpP9ZxqlYC&source=gbs_navlinks_s The Earliest Christian Artifacts: Manuscripts and Christian Origins].'' Cambridge 2006.
* Noll, Mark A. ''Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity''. (ISBN 080106211X)
* [[Jaroslav Pelikan|Pelikan, Jaroslav]]. ''The Christian Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine, Volume 1: The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition (100-600)''. (ISBN 0226653714)
