The Early Church in the Apostolic Period: 35-120

35 b. Ignatius. His letters to churches and to Polycarp are widely quoted in the early church

51 The Jewish persecution of Christians in Rome becomes so disruptive that the Jews are expelled from the city

60 b. Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor. "He was a man of long ago and the disciple of one 'John' and a companion of Polycarp," according to Irenaeus

64 Emperor Nero blames the fire that destroys much of Rome on the Christians. He persecutes the church ruthlessly, and uses Christians as candles to light his garden. It is likely that both Peter and Paul were executed during this persecution



68 The end of Nero's reign

69 b. Polycarp, in Smyrna. He was a strong defender of the faith in Asia Minor combating the Marcionites and the Valentinians. Irenaeus reported that Polycarp had communication with John the Apostle and 'others who had seen the Lord'

81 Domitian becomes Emperor. As Emperor, he persecuted both Jews and Christians

96 The end of Domitian's reign

96 d. Clement of Rome. He wrote influential epistles to Corinth

98 Trajan becomes Emperor. Trajan eventually instituted a policy toward Christians that staid in effect until the time of Aurelius. His policy was not to seek Christians out, but if they were brought before the authorities they were to be punished, usually executed, for being Christians
By the end of the first century it is possible to document congregations in almost every city that Paul visited on his three missionary journeys. There are also a few churches in Egypt and along the coast of Northern Africa

107 Ignatius led to Rome and martyred

115 b. Ireneaus, the first great Catholic theologian and author of Against Heresies, a treatise against the gnostics