Location:
Israel
Coordinates:
31.7683, 35.2137
Events at Jerusalem (96)
1003 BC
ID: 2743
David captures Jerusalem - makes it capital of united kingdom, 'City of David' established
ID: 2743
1000 BC
ID: 2744
Davidic Covenant - Nathan prophesies eternal dynasty for David, theological foundation of monarchy
ID: 2744
975 BC
ID: 2745
David's census and plague - unauthorized census brings plague, David buys threshing floor of Araunah for future Temple site
ID: 2745
970 BC
ID: 2746
Death of David, Solomon becomes king - after succession struggle with Adonijah, Solomon established on throne
ID: 2746
966 BC
ID: 2747
Solomon begins Temple construction - with Hiram of Tyre's help, using cedar of Lebanon, forced labor
ID: 2747
959 BC
ID: 2748
Solomon dedicates First Temple - Ark of Covenant installed, cloud of glory fills Temple, sacrifices offered
ID: 2748
950 BC
ID: 2749
Queen of Sheba visits Solomon - tests his wisdom, establishes trade relations, gives 120 talents of gold
ID: 2749
950 BC
ID: 5734
Queen of Sheba brings spices to Solomon - controls frankincense and myrrh trade from Yemen, establishes trade relations
ID: 5734
931 BC
ID: 2750
Death of Solomon - Rehoboam succeeds, northern tribes gather at Shechem to negotiate
ID: 2750
925 BC
ID: 2753
Shishak of Egypt invades - raids Jerusalem, Rehoboam pays tribute from Temple treasures (confirmed by Karnak inscription)
ID: 2753
701 BC
ID: 2763
Sennacherib besieges Jerusalem - Hezekiah pays tribute but city not taken, army destroyed (Sennacherib's prism confirms tribute)
ID: 2763
701 BC
ID: 2801
Siloam Inscription carved - describes meeting of tunnel diggers from both ends, remarkable engineering feat
ID: 2801
700 BC
ID: 2764
Hezekiah's tunnel completed - 533-meter water tunnel under Jerusalem, Siloam inscription describes construction
ID: 2764
622 BC
ID: 2765
Josiah's reform - Book of Law found in Temple, covenant renewed, pagan altars destroyed throughout land
ID: 2765
605 BC
ID: 2768
First deportation to Babylon - Nebuchadnezzar takes Daniel and Judean nobles after Jehoiakim submits
ID: 2768
597 BC
ID: 2769
Second deportation to Babylon - Jehoiachin surrenders, 10,000 exiled including Ezekiel (Babylonian Chronicle confirms March 16, 597 BC)
ID: 2769
597 BC
ID: 2770
Zedekiah made king - Nebuchadnezzar installs Jehoiachin's uncle as puppet king of Judah
ID: 2770
594 BC
ID: 2771
Jeremiah prophesies 70 years of exile - tells Judeans to settle in Babylon and seek its welfare
ID: 2771
589 BC
ID: 2772
Zedekiah rebels against Babylon - makes alliance with Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar responds with massive invasion
ID: 2772
588 BC
ID: 2773
January 588 BC
Final siege of Jerusalem begins - Nebuchadnezzar's army surrounds city, 18-month siege starts
ID: 2773
586 BC
ID: 2774
July 586 BC
Destruction of First Temple - Jerusalem falls on 9th of Av, Temple burned, walls demolished, mass deportation to Babylon
ID: 2774
538 BC
ID: 2784
Cyrus Decree - allows Jews to return and rebuild Temple (Cyrus Cylinder confirms policy of repatriation)
ID: 2784
538 BC
ID: 2785
First return from exile - Zerubbabel leads 42,000 Jews back to Jerusalem, altar rebuilt
ID: 2785
536 BC
ID: 2786
Second Temple foundation laid - old men weep remembering First Temple's glory, young rejoice
ID: 2786
534 BC
ID: 2787
Temple construction halted - Samaritan opposition and local resistance stop work for 16 years
ID: 2787
520 BC
ID: 2788
Haggai and Zechariah prophesy - urge resumption of Temple building, work resumes under Darius I
ID: 2788
515 BC
ID: 2789
Second Temple completed - dedicated in sixth year of Darius, Passover celebrated with joy
ID: 2789
458 BC
ID: 2790
Ezra returns to Jerusalem - brings 1,500 exiles, commissioned by Artaxerxes to teach Law
ID: 2790
457 BC
ID: 2791
Ezra's marriage reform - discovers widespread intermarriage, public confession and covenant to separate from foreign wives
ID: 2791
450 BC
ID: 2808
Hebrew Bible reaches near-final form - Ezra the Scribe traditionally credited with compiling and editing texts
ID: 2808
445 BC
ID: 2792
Nehemiah arrives as governor - inspects ruined walls at night, begins reconstruction despite Sanballat's opposition
ID: 2792
445 BC
ID: 2793
Jerusalem's walls rebuilt - completed in 52 days despite threats, armed workers, night and day guards
ID: 2793
444 BC
ID: 2794
Great Assembly - Ezra reads Law to people from dawn to noon, covenant renewed, Feast of Tabernacles celebrated
ID: 2794
433 BC
ID: 2795
Nehemiah's second governorship - returns from Persia, finds abuses, enforces Sabbath, closes gates to merchants
ID: 2795
430 BC
ID: 2809
Malachi prophesies - last Old Testament prophet, announces coming of Elijah before 'great and terrible day,' 400 years of prophetic silence begins
ID: 2809
175 BC
ID: 2962
Antiochus IV Epiphanes becomes Seleucid king - begins aggressive Hellenization of Judea, calls himself 'God Manifest'
ID: 2962
175 BC
ID: 2963
Jason buys High Priesthood - pays Antiochus for position, builds gymnasium in Jerusalem, youth exercise naked
ID: 2963
171 BC
ID: 2964
Menelaus outbids Jason for High Priesthood - steals Temple vessels to pay bribe, not even from priestly family
ID: 2964
169 BC
ID: 2965
Antiochus plunders Temple - returning from Egypt, kills thousands of Jews, takes Temple treasures including golden altar
ID: 2965
168 BC
ID: 2966
Jason attacks Jerusalem - hearing false rumor of Antiochus's death, Jason tries to retake priesthood, civil war erupts
ID: 2966
167 BC
ID: 2967
Antiochus massacres Jerusalem - 40,000 killed in three days, 40,000 sold as slaves, attacks on Sabbath when Jews won't fight
ID: 2967
167 BC
ID: 2969
Hannah and seven sons martyred - mother watches seven sons tortured to death for refusing to eat pork, then dies herself
ID: 2969
167 BC
ID: 2968
December 167 BC
Abomination of Desolation - Antiochus sacrifices pig on Temple altar, dedicates Temple to Zeus Olympios, bans circumcision and Sabbath
ID: 2968
166 BC
ID: 2971
Maccabees decide to fight on Sabbath - after 1,000 killed refusing to defend on Sabbath, Mattathias permits defensive warfare
ID: 2971
166 BC
ID: 2972
Death of Mattathias - appoints son Judah Maccabee ('The Hammer') as military leader, Simon as counselor
ID: 2972
164 BC
ID: 2976
December 25, 164 BC
Temple rededicated - exactly three years after desecration, one day's oil burns eight days (tradition), Hanukkah established
ID: 2976
160 BC
ID: 2979
Jonathan becomes leader - retreats to wilderness, rebuilds forces through guerrilla warfare and diplomacy
ID: 2979
152 BC
ID: 2980
Jonathan becomes High Priest - appointed by Seleucid pretender Alexander Balas, Hasmoneans gain religious authority
ID: 2980
143 BC
ID: 2981
Jonathan assassinated - lured to meeting by Tryphon, captured and killed, Simon takes leadership
ID: 2981
142 BC
ID: 2982
Judean independence achieved - Simon negotiates end of Seleucid tribute, 'yoke of Gentiles' lifted, coins minted
ID: 2982
141 BC
ID: 2983
Acra fortress falls - Simon captures last Seleucid stronghold in Jerusalem, complete control achieved
ID: 2983
140 BC
ID: 2984
Simon declared Prince and High Priest - assembly makes position hereditary, Hasmonean dynasty formally established
ID: 2984
106 BC
ID: 2988
Pharisee-Sadducee split emerges - John Hyrcanus breaks with Pharisees, joins aristocratic Sadducees, religious parties crystallize
ID: 2988
104 BC
ID: 2989
Death of John Hyrcanus - Hasmonean state at peak, son Aristobulus I takes title 'King,' imprisons family
ID: 2989
103 BC
ID: 2990
Alexander Jannaeus becomes king - marries widow Salome Alexandra, brutal expansion, will crucify 800 Pharisees
ID: 2990
88 BC
ID: 2991
Jannaeus crucifies 800 Pharisees - watches from banquet as victims' families killed before their eyes, thousands flee
ID: 2991
76 BC
ID: 2992
Death of Alexander Jannaeus - widow Salome Alexandra becomes queen, makes peace with Pharisees, golden age
ID: 2992
67 BC
ID: 2993
Hasmonean civil war begins - brothers Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus II fight for throne after mother Salome's death
ID: 2993
63 BC
ID: 2994
Pompey conquers Jerusalem - enters Holy of Holies (shocking sacrilege), 12,000 Jews killed, Judea becomes Roman client
ID: 2994
47 BC
ID: 2995
Julius Caesar appoints Antipater - Idumean (Herod's father) becomes power behind weak Hyrcanus II
ID: 2995
40 BC
ID: 4665
Parthians invade Roman Syria - briefly control Jerusalem, install Antigonus as king
ID: 4665
37 BC
ID: 2996
Herod the Great becomes king - Roman Senate appoints Idumean as 'King of the Jews,' takes Jerusalem after siege
ID: 2996
30 BC
ID: 4848
Hillel and Shammai establish rival schools - Two approaches to Jewish law: Hillel lenient, Shammai strict
ID: 4848
29 BC
ID: 2997
Herod executes wife Mariamne - kills Hasmonean wife in paranoid rage, later executes own sons
ID: 2997
19 BC
ID: 2998
Herod begins Temple reconstruction - massive beautification project, won't be fully complete until 64 AD
ID: 2998
30
ID: 3002
April 30
Crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth - executed as 'King of the Jews' during Passover, followers claim resurrection
ID: 3002
34
ID: 4098
Martyrdom of St. Stephen - first Christian martyr, stoned to death outside Jerusalem while Saul (later Paul) holds the cloaks
ID: 4098
40
ID: 3003
Caligula orders his statue in Temple - Jews prepare to die rather than allow, Caligula assassinated before implementation
ID: 3003
42
ID: 4099
Martyrdom of St. James the Greater - first apostle martyred, beheaded by Herod Agrippa I in Jerusalem
ID: 4099
44
ID: 3004
Great Famine under Claudius - predicted by prophet Agabus, Queen Helena of Adiabene brings relief from Egypt
ID: 3004
49
ID: 4123
Council of Jerusalem - first Church council, decides Gentiles need not be circumcised, Paul and Barnabas attend
ID: 4123
50
ID: 4838
Council of Jerusalem - Gentiles accepted without full Torah observance, first major Judaizer controversy resolved
ID: 4838
62
ID: 4100
Martyrdom of St. James the Just - brother of the Lord, first bishop of Jerusalem, thrown from Temple pinnacle then stoned
ID: 4100
66
ID: 3007
August 66
First Jewish Revolt begins - Eleazar ben Simon stops daily sacrifice for emperor, declaration of war
ID: 3007
68
ID: 3011
Jewish civil war in Jerusalem - John of Gischala, Simon bar Giora, and Eleazar fight each other, burn food supplies
ID: 3011
70
ID: 4126
Destruction of Jerusalem Temple - Titus destroys Second Temple on 9th of Av, fulfilling Christ's prophecy
ID: 4126
70
ID: 4820
August 9, 70
Destruction of Second Temple - Romans destroy Jerusalem Temple, Jewish Christians flee to Pella, end of Temple Judaism
ID: 4820
107
ID: 4109
St. Simeon of Jerusalem martyred at 120 - successor of James the Just, crucified under Trajan after long torture
ID: 4109
132
ID: 4019
Bar Kokhba revolt begins - Hadrian's plan to rebuild Jerusalem as pagan city triggers massive Jewish revolt
ID: 4019
132
ID: 4827
Bar Kokhba declares himself Messiah - Rabbi Akiva endorses him, Christians refuse to join rebellion
ID: 4827
135
ID: 4134
Bar Kokhba revolt crushed - Jerusalem renamed Aelia Capitolina, Jews banned from city, Judea renamed Syria Palaestina
ID: 4134
135
ID: 4828
Bar Kokhba revolt crushed - Jerusalem renamed Aelia Capitolina, Jews banned, final Jewish-Christian split
ID: 4828
160
ID: 4833
Melito of Sardis travels to Palestine - Investigates and lists Old Testament canon, one of first canonical lists
ID: 4833
313
ID: 4916
Birth of St. Cyril of Jerusalem - future Doctor of the Church and author of Catechetical Lectures
ID: 4916
350
ID: 4917
St. Cyril becomes Bishop of Jerusalem - writes 23 Catechetical Lectures for those preparing for baptism
ID: 4917
386
ID: 4918
March 18, 386
Death of St. Cyril of Jerusalem - Doctor of the Church, witnessed miraculous appearance of cross in sky over Jerusalem
ID: 4918
614
ID: 4689
Persians capture Jerusalem - take True Cross to Ctesiphon, Jews help Persian assault
ID: 4689
614
ID: 4877
Persian conquest of Jerusalem - Jews help Persians, briefly control city, massacre of Christians reported
ID: 4877
630
ID: 4765
Heraclius recovers True Cross - returns it to Jerusalem after defeating Persians
ID: 4765
638
ID: 4878
Muslim conquest of Jerusalem - Jews allowed to return after Byzantine ban, new era begins
ID: 4878
749
ID: 4921
December 4, 749
Death of St. John Damascene - Doctor of the Church, wrote 'Fountain of Knowledge' and hymns still used in Eastern liturgy
ID: 4921
1034
ID: 3734
Robert the Magnificent goes on pilgrimage - leaves for Jerusalem, appoints young bastard son William as heir
ID: 3734
1099
ID: 5105
Venice transports First Crusade - provides ships for crusaders, establishes trading posts in conquered territories
ID: 5105
1099
ID: 177
July 15, 1099
First Crusade captures Jerusalem - Crusaders massacre Muslims and Jews, blood knee-deep in streets
ID: 177
1119
ID: 183
Knights Templar founded by nine knights - protect pilgrims, become international bankers
ID: 183
1174
ID: 199
Saladin unites Egypt and Syria - begins systematic reconquest of Crusader states
ID: 199