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*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==
'''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)
