Timeline (153)
153 dated rows from the bridge, the branch foundings, and the libraries. Years are the ones already in those records. High, medium, and low say how tight the date is, not whether the event happened.
0–49
- bridge · c. 30 – c. 33medium
Jesus of Nazareth (crucifixion in Jerusalem)
Source: Wikipedia: Crucifixion of Jesus
- bridge · c. 34 – c. 37medium
Paul goes to 'Arabia' after his conversion
Source: Galatians 1 (KJV, PD)
- bridge · c. 30 – 62medium
James the Just and the Jerusalem church
- branch · 1st – 3rd centurylow
Simonians
Source: Simonians
50–99
- bridge · 66 – 135low
War with Rome and the dispersal of Jerusalem's Jesus-followers (incl. the Pella tradition)
- branch · late 1st – 2nd centurylow
Nicolaitans
Source: Nicolaism
- branch · c. 100 – 2nd centurymedium
Cerinthians
Source: Cerinthus
100–149
- bridge · c. 100 – c. 400medium
Jewish-Christian gospels (Hebrews, Nazoraeans, Ebionites)
- bridge · c. 100 – c. 400medium
Docetism: Christ only 'seemed' to suffer
Source: Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Smyrnaeans (ANF trans., PD)
- bridge · c. 130 – c. 180medium
Basilides' substitution teaching, as reported by Irenaeus
Source: Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1.24 (ANF trans., public domain) — hostile source
- bridge · c. 135 – c. 632low
Did Jewish-Christian groups survive to shape the Qur'an?
- branch · c. 144 (break with Rome) – 5th century (Syria); scattered reports to the 10th centurymedium
Marcionites
Source: Marcionites
- branch · c. 136 (Valentinus in Rome) – late 4th century; named in canons to 692medium
Valentinians
Source: Valentinus and Valentinians
- branch · 2nd – 4th centurylow
Sethians (Sethian Gnostics; "Gnostikoi")
Source: Gnosticism
- branch · c. 120 – 4th century (Egypt)medium
Basilideans
Source: Basilides
- branch · early 2nd – 3rd centurylow
Carpocratians
- branch · 2nd – early 5th centurymedium
Ebionites
Source: Ebionites
- branch · c. 116 (date of the revelation) – 10th century (if identified with the Mughtasila)low
Elkasaites (Elchasaites)
Source: Elcesaites
150–199
- bridge · c. 150 – c. 350medium
Second Treatise of the Great Seth (NHC VII,2)
Source: Second Treatise of the Great Seth, NHC VII,2 (Bullard & Gibbons trans.; copyrighted — link only)
- bridge · c. 150 – c. 350medium
Apocalypse of Peter (Coptic, NHC VII,3)
Source: Apocalypse of Peter, NHC VII,3 (Brashler & Bullard trans.; copyrighted — link only)
- bridge · c. 150 – c. 200medium
Protevangelium of James
- bridge · c. 150 – c. 200medium
Infancy Gospel of Thomas
- bridge · c. 170 – c. 450medium
Tatian's Diatessaron (single harmonized gospel)
Source: Tatian, Diatessaron (Arabic version, ANF vol. 9 trans. Hill/Hogg, PD)
- bridge · c. 150 – c. 450medium
Peshitta (standard Syriac Bible)
Source: Wikipedia: Peshitta
- branch · c. 157 or c. 172 (date disputed) – mid-6th centurymedium
Montanists (the New Prophecy)
Source: Montanists
- branch · c. 170 – 5th centurymedium
Encratites
Source: Encratites
- branch · late 2nd – 10th centurymedium
Bardaisanites
Source: Bardesanes and Bardesanites
- branch · 2nd century – 5th century (as a separate group)medium
Quartodecimans
Source: Easter Controversy
- branch · late 2nd – 4th centurymedium
Monarchians / Sabellians (Modalists)
Source: Monarchians
- library · 180 – 400medium
Catechetical School of Alexandria
200–249
- bridge · c. 220 – c. 380medium
Pseudo-Clementine Homilies and Recognitions
- bridge · c. 230 – c. 400medium
Didascalia Apostolorum
- bridge · c. 238 – c. 250medium
Origen's disputes in Roman Arabia (Bostra)
- bridge · 216 – 277low
Mani and the 'seal of the prophets'
Source: Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'Mani'
- branch · 240 (Mani's public mission) – 16th century (Fujian)medium
Manichaeans
Source: Manichaeism
- library · 232 – 638medium
Library of Caesarea Maritima (Origen and Pamphilus)
Source: Eusebius, Church History VI (Origen, Alexander's library at Jerusalem, Caesarea)
- library · 212 – 325medium
Library of Alexander at Jerusalem
Source: Eusebius, Church History VI (Origen, Alexander's library at Jerusalem, Caesarea)
300–349
- bridge · 325 – 381high
Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381): the Trinity defined
- bridge · c. 330 – c. 360medium
Frumentius and King Ezana: Aksum becomes Christian
Source: Socrates Scholasticus, Church History Book 1 (NPNF trans., PD)
- bridge · c. 306 – 373medium
Ephrem the Syrian
Source: Wikipedia: Ephrem the Syrian
- branch · c. 318 – late 7th century (Lombard Italy)medium
Arians / Homoians
Source: Arianism
- branch · 311/312 – c. 600 (last mentions in Gregory the Great's letters)medium
Donatists
Source: Donatists
- branch · c. 305 – 5th century (later traces uncertain)medium
Melitians (Meletians) of Egypt
Source: Meletius of Lycopolis
- branch · c. 301/314 (conversion) – present; anti-Chalcedonian from 506/554medium
Armenian Apostolic Church (Miaphysite branch)
Source: Armenia
- branch · c. 330s–340s (Ezana) – presentmedium
Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (Miaphysite branch)
Source: Abyssinia
- library · 330 – 1204medium
Constantinople: imperial library and scriptoria
Source: Eusebius, Life of Constantine IV.36 (fifty Bibles for Constantinople)
350–399
- bridge · 363 – 489medium
School of the Persians at Edessa
Source: Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'Edessa'
- bridge · c. 375 – c. 378medium
Queen Mavia's revolt and her Arab bishop Moses
Source: Socrates Scholasticus, Church History Book 4 (NPNF trans., PD)
- bridge · c. 374 – c. 377medium
Epiphanius, Panarion ('Medicine Chest' against 80 heresies)
Source: Wikipedia: Panarion
- bridge · c. 375 – c. 377low
Collyridians: Marian devotion in Arabia (per Epiphanius)
- bridge · c. 380 – c. 525medium
Himyar's official monotheism (Rahmanan)
- bridge · c. 350 – 428medium
Theodore of Mopsuestia, 'the Interpreter'
- bridge · c. 386 – c. 451medium
Nestorius, deposed patriarch of Constantinople
Source: Wikipedia: Nestorius
- bridge · c. 399 – c. 502medium
Narsai, founder-teacher of the School of Nisibis
Source: Wikipedia: Narsai
- branch · c. 370s – late 6th centurymedium
Priscillianists
Source: Priscillianism
- branch · c. 360s – 5th centurymedium
Apollinarians
Source: Apollinarianism
- branch · c. 360 – 5th centurymedium
Pneumatomachians ("Macedonians")
Source: Pneumatomachi (Macedonians)
- branch · c. 360s – the label used into the Middle Ageslow
Messalians (Euchites)
Source: Messalians
- branch · first crisis 393–403; second crisis 6th century to 553medium
Origenists
Source: Origen and Origenism
- library · 363 – 489medium
School of Edessa (School of the Persians)
Source: EDESSA
400–449
- bridge · 410 – 424high
Synods of Seleucia-Ctesiphon (410, 424): the Church of the East organizes
Source: Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'Christianity i. In Pre-Islamic Persia: Literary Sources'
- bridge · c. 410 – 633medium
al-Hira, Lakhmid capital and Arab Christian center
Source: Encyclopaedia Iranica, 'Hira'
- bridge · 431 – 433high
Council of Ephesus (431): Mary as Theotokos
Source: Wikipedia: Council of Ephesus
- bridge · c. 423 – 459medium
Simeon Stylites and the conversion of Arab pilgrims
Source: Wikipedia: Simeon Stylites
- bridge · c. 410 – c. 700medium
Beth Qatraye: Christianity on the Gulf coast
Source: Wikipedia: Beth Qatraye
- bridge · c. 400 – c. 700low
Was there an Arabic Bible before Islam?
- branch · 410 (Synod of Isaac) – presentmedium
Church of the East (so-called "Nestorians")
Source: Nestorius and Nestorianism
- branch · c. 405 – 431 (Ephesus); Semi-Pelagian debate to 529 (Orange)medium
Pelagians
Source: Pelagius and Pelagianism
450–499
- bridge · 451high
Council of Chalcedon (451): Christ 'in two natures'
Source: Wikipedia: Council of Chalcedon
- bridge · c. 456 – c. 800low
Church of the Kathisma ('Seat' of Mary) between Jerusalem and Bethlehem
Source: Wikipedia: Kathisma Church
- bridge · c. 450 – c. 600medium
Legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus
- bridge · c. 451 – 521medium
Jacob of Serugh
Source: Wikipedia: Jacob of Serugh
- bridge · 489 – c. 650medium
School of Nisibis
- branch · 451 (rejection of Chalcedon) – presentmedium
Miaphysites (non-Chalcedonian / Oriental Orthodox)
Source: Monophysites and Monophysitism
- branch · 451 – presentmedium
Coptic Orthodox Church (Miaphysite branch)
Source: Coptic Orthodox Church
- library · 489 – 650medium
School of Nisibis
Source: School of Nisibis (Wikipedia)
500–549
- bridge · 512 – 568high
Pre-Islamic Christian inscriptions in Arabic script (Zabad 512, Jabal Usays 528, Harran 568)
Source: Wikipedia: Zabad inscription
- bridge · c. 517 – c. 525medium
Yusuf As'ar Yath'ar (Dhu Nuwas), Jewish king of Himyar
Source: Wikipedia: Dhu Nuwas
- bridge · 523high
Martyrdom of the Christians of Najran
Source: Wikipedia: Martyrs of Najran
- bridge · c. 525 – c. 535medium
Book of the Himyarites and the Letter of Simeon of Beth Arsham
- bridge · c. 525 – c. 540medium
Kaleb (Ella Asbeha) of Aksum invades Himyar
Source: Wikipedia: Kaleb of Axum
- bridge · c. 535 – c. 565medium
Abraha, Christian ruler of Yemen
Source: Wikipedia: Abraha
- bridge · c. 500 – 636medium
Ghassanids: Christian Arab kings for Byzantium (al-Jabiya)
Source: Wikipedia: Ghassanids
- bridge · c. 500 – 578medium
Jacob Baradaeus and the Miaphysite church network
Source: Wikipedia: Jacob Baradaeus
- bridge · c. 500 – c. 750medium
Resafa (Sergiopolis), shrine of St Sergius
Source: Elizabeth Key Fowden, The Barbarian Plain: Saint Sergius between Rome and Iran (1999)
- bridge · c. 500 – c. 1000medium
Syriac/Arabic Infancy Gospel (Jesus speaks in the cradle)
- branch · 518 (Severus deposed) / 542–543 (parallel hierarchy) – presentmedium
Syriac Orthodox Church (Miaphysite branch)
Source: Syriac Orthodox Church
- library · 530 – 900medium
Monastery of Qenneshre
Source: Qenneshre (Wikipedia)
550–599
- bridge · c. 550 – c. 750low
al-Qalis, Abraha's cathedral at Sanaa
Source: Wikipedia: Al-Qalis Church
- bridge · c. 552 – c. 570low
The 'Year of the Elephant': Abraha's march on Mecca (Q 105)
Source: Qur'an, Surat al-Fil (105)
- bridge · c. 550 – c. 600low
'Adi ibn Zayd, Christian poet of al-Hira
Source: Wikipedia: Adi ibn Zayd
- bridge · c. 580 – 602medium
al-Nu'man III, last Lakhmid king, becomes Christian
- bridge · c. 550 – c. 600low
Quss ibn Sa'ida, Christian preacher at the 'Ukaz fair
- bridge · c. 590 – c. 750medium
Gulf monasteries: Siniya Island and Sir Bani Yas
- bridge · c. 570 – 632medium
Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah
Source: Wikipedia: Muhammad
- bridge · c. 582low
Bahira the monk meets the young Muhammad at Bostra
- bridge · c. 570 – c. 632low
The hanifs: Abraham's 'pure monotheism'
Source: Qur'an 3:67 (Abraham as hanif)
- bridge · c. 550 – c. 605low
Zayd ibn 'Amr ibn Nufayl
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3826–3828 (on Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl)
- bridge · c. 550 – c. 610low
Waraqa ibn Nawfal, Khadija's Christian cousin
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3 (Beginning of Revelation) — insider tradition, compiled 9th c.
- bridge · c. 580 – c. 627low
'Ubayd Allah ibn Jahsh, the hanif who became a Christian in Ethiopia
- bridge · c. 560 – c. 631low
Umayya ibn Abi al-Salt, monotheist poet of Ta'if
- bridge · 568 – 645medium
Birmingham Qur'an folios (radiocarbon 568–645)
Source: 'Birmingham Qur'an manuscript dated among the oldest in the world' (press release, 22 July 2015)
- library · 550 – 870low
School of Gundeshapur (Beth Lapat)
- library · 554 – 630medium
Vivarium (Cassiodorus)
Source: Cassiodorus
- library · 563 – 806medium
Iona scriptorium
600–649
- bridge · c. 600 – c. 650medium
Palm-tree miracle (Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew and Dormition texts)
- bridge · c. 629 – c. 636medium
Syriac Alexander Legend (Neṣḥānā d-Aleksandros)
Source: E. A. Wallis Budge, The History of Alexander the Great, being the Syriac Version (1889, PD)
- bridge · c. 600 – c. 683low
The icon of Mary and Jesus in the Ka'ba
Source: 'The Prophet Muhammad Safeguards Jesus and Mary's Icons in the Ka'ba' (on al-Azraqi, Akhbar Makka)
- bridge · c. 610medium
First revelation on Mount Hira
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 3 (Beginning of Revelation) — insider tradition, compiled 9th c.
- bridge · c. 615 – c. 628medium
First hijra: Muslim refugees at the court of the Negus
- bridge · c. 610 – c. 630low
al-Najashi (Ashama ibn Abjar), the Christian Negus
Source: Wikipedia: Najashi
- bridge · 602 – 628high
Byzantine–Sasanian war; Persians take Jerusalem (614); Q 30:2–5
- bridge · 630high
Heraclius returns the True Cross to Jerusalem
Source: Wikipedia: Heraclius
- bridge · c. 628 – c. 637low
The Muqawqis of Egypt and Maria the Copt
Source: Wikipedia: Maria al-Qibtiyya
- bridge · 630 – 631low
Tabuk expedition: pacts with Christian Ayla and Dumat al-Jandal
Source: Wikipedia: Expedition of Tabuk
- bridge · 631 – 632low
Christian delegation from Najran in Medina; the mubahala
Source: Wikipedia: Mubahala
- bridge · c. 600 – c. 632low
Why does the Qur'an call Christians 'Nasara'?
- bridge · c. 600 – c. 632low
Who were the Qur'an's 'Sabians'?
- bridge · c. 610 – c. 690low
The 'Believers' movement: an open monotheist community?
Source: Fred M. Donner, Muhammad and the Believers: At the Origins of Islam (2010)
- bridge · c. 612 – c. 622medium
Qur'an, Sura 19 (Maryam)
Source: Qur'an, Surat Maryam (19)
- bridge · c. 624 – c. 632medium
Qur'an, Sura 3 (Al 'Imran): Mary's family and Jesus
Source: Qur'an, Surat Al Imran (3), Arabic with translations
- bridge · c. 625 – c. 632low
Qur'an 4:157–159: 'they did not kill him, nor crucify him'
Source: Qur'an 4:157–159, 4:171
- bridge · c. 625 – c. 632low
Qur'an 4:171 and 5:73: 'Do not say Three' / 'God is the third of three'
Source: Qur'an 4:157–159, 4:171
- bridge · c. 628 – c. 632medium
Qur'an, Sura 5 (al-Ma'ida): the Table and 'me and my mother as two gods'
Source: Qur'an, Surat al-Ma'ida (5)
- bridge · c. 615 – c. 622medium
Qur'an, Sura 18 (al-Kahf): Companions of the Cave and Dhu al-Qarnayn
Source: Qur'an, Surat al-Kahf (18)
- bridge · c. 610 – c. 632low
Qur'an 112 (al-Ikhlas): 'He begets not, nor is He begotten'
Source: Qur'an, Surat al-Ikhlas (112)
- bridge · c. 625 – c. 750low
Qur'an 61:6 ('a messenger after me named Ahmad') and the Paraclete
Source: Qur'an 61:6
- bridge · c. 610 – c. 622low
Qur'an 85:4–10: 'the People of the Ditch'
Source: Qur'an, Surat al-Buruj (85)
- bridge · c. 614 – c. 622low
Qur'an 30:2–5 (al-Rum): 'The Romans have been defeated'
Source: Qur'an, Surat al-Rum (30):2–5
- bridge · c. 626 – c. 632low
Qur'an 33:40: Muhammad as 'seal of the prophets'
Source: Qur'an 33:40
- branch · 633 (Pact of Union in Alexandria) – 713 (last imperial revival under Philippikos)high
Monothelites (Monoenergists)
Source: Monothelitism and Monothelites
- library · 635 – 875medium
Lindisfarne scriptorium
- library · 614 – 1100medium
Bobbio Abbey
Source: Columbanus, Saint
650–699
- bridge · 691 – 692high
Dome of the Rock inscriptions (691/2)
- branch · mid-7th century – 17th century (Catholic conversion of the Bulgarian Paulicians)low
Paulicians
Source: Paulicians
- library · 674 – 870medium
Wearmouth-Jarrow
250–299
- branch · 251 – 7th centurymedium
Novatianists
Source: Novatianism
- branch · c. 260 – 4th centurymedium
Paulianists (followers of Paul of Samosata)
Source: Paul of Samosata
900–949
- branch · mid-10th century – 15th centurymedium
Bogomils
Source: Bogomilism
- library · 930 – 1100medium
Rila Monastery
1100–1149
- branch · 1143 (Cologne report) – c. 1321–1330medium
Cathars (Albigensians)
Source: Cathari
1150–1199
- branch · c. 1173 – presentmedium
Waldensians
Source: Waldensians
750–799
- library · 798 – 1204medium
Stoudios Monastery scriptorium
700–749
- library · 719 – 1100medium
Abbey of St Gall
Source: Gall, Abbey of Saint
- library · 724 – 1100medium
Reichenau Abbey
Source: Monastic Island of Reichenau (UNESCO World Heritage List no. 974)
950–999
- library · 963 – 1100medium
Mount Athos (Great Lavra)
Source: Athos, Mount
850–899
- library · 886 – 893medium
Pliska Literary School
Source: Pliska (Wikipedia)
- library · 893 – 972medium
Preslav Literary School
- library · 886 – 1100medium
Ohrid Literary School (Clement and Naum)
- library · 863 – 885medium
Great Moravia: the Cyril and Methodius mission (Mikulčice / Velehrad)
Source: Cyril and Methodius, Saints
1000–1049
- library · 1037 – 1100medium
Kyiv: St Sophia library under Yaroslav
- library · 1000 – 1100medium
Novgorod: birch bark letters and the Novgorod Codex
Source: Novgorod Codex (Wikipedia)
1050–1099
- library · 1051 – 1100medium
Kyiv Caves Monastery (Pechersk Lavra)
Source: Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (Wikipedia)