Timeline From 64-496

By amonp
  • 64

    64 Persecution of Christians begins under Roman emperor Nero

  • 250

    250 Persecution under Roman emperor Decius.

    Decius required all to worship the gods of the state or be tortured and killed.
  • 251

    Council of Carthage

    This council allowed people who lapsed in their faith during the persecution to be brought
    back into the Church after a period of penance.
  • 303

    Persecution under Roman emperor Diocletian.

    Diocletian ordered the destruction of all Christian churches, imprisonment of bishops and priests, and the execution of all who refused to participate in the public worship of pagan
    gods.
  • 313

    Emperor Constantine issues the Edict of Milan.

    This edict granted religious toleration to Christians and unleashed the spread of
    Christianity.
  • 325

    Council of Nicaea.

    This council, called by Emperor Constantine, set forth the Nicene Creed and affirmed that
    Jesus and the Father are consubstantial – of the same substance.
  • 330

    Emperor Constantine divides the Roman Empire into East and West.

    The West was centered in Rome, and the East was centered in Constantinople (present-day
    Istanbul, Turkey).
  • 330

    Construction of the first St. Peter's Basilica in Rome

  • 397

    Councils of Hippo and Carthage determine which books will become part of the New Testament.

  • 410

    The Visigoths destroy the city of Rome

  • 431

    Council of Ephesus.

    Hypostatic Union This council condemned a heresy that said that Jesus was two persons in one body, and the council declared that the Virgin Mary is truly the Mother of God (Theotokos)
  • 451

    Council of Chalcedon.

    This council affirmed that Christ is fully human and fully divine (the hypostatic union).
  • 476

    The Western Roman Empire collapses.

  • 496

    Clovis, the King of the Franks, coverts to Catholicism.