Page 149 - Biblical Backgrounds

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Roman Emperors during the 1 Century through about 120AD:

Thankfully, multiple Roman emperors are named in the New Testament. This gives us a great advantage
in determining the date range in which certain biblical events occurred. For instance, the rule of
Augustus ended in 14 AD. He was said to be the Roman emperor when Jesus was born in Luke 2:1. So
the birth of Jesus had to take place before 14 AD. Other indicators help us determine more closely when
that event happened, but this is helpful. Tiberius was the emperor when Jesus died on the cross.
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Caligula and Claudius were emperors when the early church was beginning, and during Paul’s 1 . 2 and
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3 missionary journeys as well. Claudius is mentioned by name in Acts 11:28. During Paul’s third
missionary journey, is when Nero came to power. Nero had Paul executed and committed suicide in 68
AD. Peter is also said to have lived in Rome and been martyred there between 63AD and 68AD. 197

Another reason to know the dates is that it helps us understand what was happening during the early
church period politically. Most are unaware that there was a change in Roman emperor between Acts
11:28 and Acts 25:11. They simply assume it is the same person. It was not the same man. The emperor
Paul appealed to, Nero, was so hated that his own people struck him from the record after his death.
That is who Paul was trying to get in front of. That Nero would have him killed. Nero was also the
emperor when Paul wrote to obey the governing authorities in Romans 13.

Dates Emperor Emperors in Scripture
31BC – 14AD Augustus Luke 2:1
14AC - 37AD Tiberius Mark 6:14-28; Luke 3:1
37AD - 41AD Caligula Not mentioned in Scripture
41AD – 54AD Claudius Acts 11:28
54AD – 68AD Nero Acts 25:11. Nero was emperor when Paul appealed his case
to Caesar in 57AD.
68AD – 69AD Galba Not mentioned in Scripture
69AD Otho Not mentioned in Scripture
69AD Aulus Vitellius Not mentioned in Scripture
69AD - 79AD Vespasian Not mentioned in Scripture
79AD – 81AD Titus Not mentioned in Scripture. Destroyed Jerusalem and the
temple in 70AD.
81AD – 96AD Domitian The Emperor, when Revelation was written, most likely.
96AD – 98AD Nerva Not mentioned in Scripture
98AD -138AD Trajan Not mentioned in Scripture
117AD – 138AD Hadrian Not mentioned in Scripture

Roman and Jewish wars during the epistles:

Some of the regions ruled by Rome had come under their power willingly and were reasonably happy to
function under the empire’s rule. This was not the case with Judea. Rome and the people of Judea never
really got along well at any point. The Jews resented Roman rule and longed for the day when the
Messiah would remove it and set up the promised kingdom. This is a general statement, as some were

197 https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Peter-the-Apostle/Tradition-of-Peter-in-Rome

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