586 A NEW CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE. 



51 Caractacus, the British king, is carried in chains to Rome. 



52 The council of the Apostles at Jerusalem. 

 55 St. Luke writes his Gospel. 



59 The emperor Nero puts his mother and brothers to death. 



61 Boadicea, the British queen, defeats the Romans, but is conquered soon after 



by Suetonius, governor of Britain. 



62 St. Paul sent in bonds to Rome ; writes his Epistles between 51 and 66, 



63 The acts of the Apostles written. 



Christianity is supposed to be introduced into Britain by St. Paul, or some of 

 his disciples, about this time. 



64 Rome set on fire, and burned for six days ; upon which began, under Nero, 



the first persecution against the Christians. 

 70 St. Peter and St. Paul put to death. 



76 Whilst the factious Jews are destroying one another with mutual fury, Titus, 

 the Roman general, takes Jerusalem, which is razed to the ground, and 

 the plough made to pass over it. 

 79 Herculaneum overwhelmed by an eruption of Mount Vesuvius. 

 85 J ulius Agricola, governor of South Britain, defeats the Caledonians under 

 Galgacus, on the Grampian hills ; and first sails round Britain, which he 

 discovers to be an island. 

 96 St. John the Evangelist wrote his Revelations — his Gospel in 97. 

 121 The Caledonians reconquer from the Romans all the southern parts of Scot- 

 land. 

 135 The second Jewish war ends, when they were all banished Judea. 

 139 Justin writes his first apology for the Christians. 



152 The emperor Antoninus Pius stops the persecution against the Christians. 

 222 About this time the Roman empire begins to sink under its own weight. The 

 Barbarians begin their eruptions, and the Goths have annual tribute not 

 to molest the empire. 

 260 Valerius is taken prisoner by Sapor, king of Persia, and flayed alive. 

 274 Silk first brought from India ; the manufactory of it introduced into Europe 



by some monks, in 551 ; first worn by the clergy in England, 1534. 

 306 Constantine the Great begins his reign. 

 308 Cardinals first created. 



313 The tenth persecution ends by an edict of Constantine, who favours the 



Christians, and gives full liberty to their religion. 



314 Three bishops, or fathers, are sent from Britain to assist at the council of 



Aries. 

 325 The first general council at Nice, when 318 fathers attended against AriuSj, 



where was composed the famous Nicene creed, which we attribute to them. 

 32S Constantine removes the seat of empire from Rome to Byzantium, which is 



thenceforward called Constantinople. 

 331 orders all the heathen temples to be destroyed. 



363 The Roman emperor Julian, surnamed the Apostate, endeavours in vain to 



rebuild the temple of Jerusalem. 



364 The Roman empire is divided into the eastern (Constantinople the capital) 



and western (of which Rome continued to be the capital) each being now 

 under the government of different emperors. 



400 Bells introduced by bishop Paulinus, of Campania. 



404 The kingdom of Caledonia or Scotland revives under Fergus. 



406 The Vandals, Alans, and Suevi, spread into France and Spain, by a conces- 

 sion of Honorius, emperor of the West. 



410 Rome taken and plundered by Alaric, king of the Visi-Goths. 



412 The Vandals begin their kingdom in Spain. 



420 The kingdom ot France begins upon the Lower Rhine, under Pharamond. 



426 The Romans, reduced to extremities at home, withdraw their troops from 

 Britain, and never return ; advising the Britons to arm in their own de- 

 fence, and trust to their own valour. 



446 The Britons, now left to themselves, are greatly harassed by the Scots and 



Picts ; upon which they once, more make their complaints to the Romans, 

 but receive no assistance from that quarter. 



447 Attila (surnamtd the scourge of God) with his Huns ravages the Roman em- 



pire. 



