The First Century: 1-100 AD
The first century of the Common Era was remarkably eventful: the Roman Empire at its peak, the birth of Christianity, major technological advances, and pivotal political changes.
Quick Timeline
| Date | Event |
|------|-------|
| 1 AD | Augustus rules Rome; Pax Romana in effect |
| ~4-6 AD | Birth of Jesus (most scholars' estimate) |
| 14 AD | Death of Augustus; Tiberius becomes emperor |
| ~30-33 AD | Crucifixion of Jesus |
| 37-41 AD | Reign of Caligula |
| 41-54 AD | Reign of Claudius |
| 43 AD | Roman conquest of Britain begins |
| 54-68 AD | Reign of Nero |
| 64 AD | Great Fire of Rome |
| 66-73 AD | Jewish-Roman War |
| 69 AD | Year of the Four Emperors |
| 70 AD | Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem |
| 79 AD | Eruption of Mount Vesuvius buries Pompeii |
| 80 AD | Colosseum completed |
| 96-98 AD | Reign of Nerva; beginning of the "Five Good Emperors" |
The Roman Empire
The first century was Rome's golden age.
- Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD)
- Tiberius (14-37 AD)
- Caligula (37-41 AD)
- Claudius (41-54 AD)
- Nero (54-68 AD)
- Galba, Otho, Vitellius (69 AD)
- Vespasian (69-79 AD)
- Titus (79-81 AD)
- Domitian (81-96 AD)
- Nerva (96-98 AD)
Rome's population: Approximately 1 million—the first city in history to reach this milestone.
Empire's population: 55-70 million people across three continents.
Christianity's Origins
The most historically consequential development of the first century:
- Jesus's ministry (~27-30 AD)
- Crucifixion (~30-33 AD)
- Paul's conversion (~33-36 AD)
- Paul's missionary journeys (45-67 AD)
- Paul's letters (the earliest Christian writings)
- Peter and Paul martyred in Rome (~64-67 AD)
- Gospels written (~65-95 AD)
By century's end, Christianity had spread across the Mediterranean, with communities in Rome, Greece, Asia Minor, Egypt, and beyond.
The Jewish-Roman War (66-73 AD)
A pivotal conflict with lasting consequences:
- Jewish revolt against Roman rule
- Roman siege of Jerusalem (70 AD)
- Destruction of the Second Temple
- Mass casualties and displacement
- Fall of Masada (73 AD)
This war fundamentally changed Judaism and accelerated Christianity's separation from its Jewish roots.
Pompeii and Vesuvius (79 AD)
- Buried Pompeii and Herculaneum
- Killed approximately 2,000 people
- Preserved an entire Roman city
- Provides unparalleled archaeological insight
Pliny the Younger's eyewitness account remains the earliest detailed description of a volcanic eruption.
Technology and Culture
- Roman concrete perfected
- Glass-blowing became widespread
- Codex (book format) began replacing scrolls
- Improved aqueduct and road engineering
- Medical advances (Dioscorides' pharmacology)
- Seneca's philosophical works
- Pliny the Elder's Natural History
- Josephus's historical writings
- Earliest Christian texts
- Tacitus and other historians
The Wider World
- Han Dynasty China (contemporaneous major empire)
- Parthian Empire (Rome's eastern rival)
- Kushan Empire in Central Asia
- Early kingdoms in sub-Saharan Africa
Trade connected Rome to China via the Silk Road, with Roman goods found as far as Vietnam.
Why It Matters
- Christianity emerged to become the world's largest religion
- Roman legal and political concepts influenced Western civilization
- Latin evolved into Romance languages
- Architectural and engineering innovations persisted for millennia
- Historical records preserve this era in unusual detail