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Updated 5929± 11 20 2025
[2009-02-16]
The Regnal Years and Dates of Roman Emperors
from Julius Caesar thru Domitian
Abstract:
To
pursue a deeper
and better understanding of the fundamentals behind the within discoveries the
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Guide for… “Tuning into the frequency of the Creator…”
Once
the year of the Passover of Crucifixion is established it becomes a relatively
easy matter to place many other events more or less firmly in time. Under the guidance of Yahweh and based upon
an 18 CE crucifixion,
and/or upon 18± celestial
events dated using astronomical tables, a number of New Testament events, various rulers over
Israel and Judae, the War
and the Destruction of Jerusalem, and also the Regnal Years and Dates of
all Roman Emperors from Julius Caesar through Caesar Domitian, have been
identified and dated.
Key
to my understanding of the time references used by Josephus is: 1. a visible
crescent of the moon defining each New Moon, 2. Josephus, not any particular
ruler, culture, or country, determines what calendar and what rules he is using
to designate time, 3. Josephus is using accession periods, e.g. accession year,
accession months, etc., i.e. the first year counted, in whichever direction, of
any time period, reign, etc., starts at the beginning of the next calendar
year, calendar month, etc., whether civil or sacred, 4. a difference in the
wording used, e.g. “in” or “after”, may define whether or not an inclusive count
is used, but these items may not always be reliably translated, and 5. Josephus
is always very precise in his time statements, and 6. Josephus is recording
Jewish history even while apparently recording Roman history, e.g. when giving
the history of Roman emperors who are in control of
The
complete details of my study re the Roman Emperors may be seen below this
initial brief outline:
I.
The
death of Alexander the Great
§ “Alexander died in
the hundred and fourteenth Olympiad” and between Tishri 22, 327 BCE and the
beginning of July 1, 326 BCE.
II.
The death of Caesar Julius
- Ides of March (March
15), 49 BCE.
§ Augustus
was born September 23, 67 BCE [Note: September 23, 67 BCE is a pre-Caesar
Julius’ calendar revision date. September 23, 67 BCE in a corrected
calendar comes out to Elul 24 or 25, 67 BCE, but this date is not when
Augustus was born.]
§ Augustus’ (seasonally
corrected) date of delivery was June 28 [Sivan (or Tammuz) 26 (or 27), 67
BCE; Notice the number 26 as well as 3, i.e. the Third Moon, Sivan!] Augustus’
mother’s calculated LMP was September 21 (seasonally corrected) [Elul or Tishri
11, 68 BCE; Notice its relationship to the Day of At-One-Ment!] and Augustus
was most likely conceived October 4 (seasonally corrected) [Tishri 21, 68 BCE;
Notice its relationship to the Eighth Day and the beginning of the Scriptural year!]
[While Augustus was conceived on about October 4, 68 BC, Jupiter was in
Capricorn from December 24, 69 BC until January 6, 67 BC. Quickening may also
have happened within the month associated with Capricorn, however, using an
astrological chart based on the uncorrected pre-Julian calendar reform finds
Augustus being conceived in the sign of Capricorn.]
§
The beginning of Augustus’ reign: Adar 27 or 28, 47 BCE [April 1 or
2, 47 BCE ± 1 lunar month (March 3 or May 1.)]
§ Augustus died “on the fourteenth
day before the Kalends of September at the ninth hour, just thirty-five days
before his seventy-sixth birthday,” i.e. Av 19 or 20, 10 CE [August 19, 10 CE.]
§
Tiberius was born on November 16, 56 BCE (as dated per the then current
Roman calendar) and on August 22, 56 BCE per a seasonally adjusted calendar [Av
(or Elul) 24 (or 25), 56 BCE.]
- Tiberius was
appointed the heir of Augustus on June 26, 1 BCE [Tammuz 4 or 5, 1 BCE].
- Tiberius died on 4
Adar I/Adar II, 23 CE [after sunset March 15, 23 CE.]
V.
Gaius (Caligula) Caesar’s reign
§ Caius’ was born August 31, 4 BCE
[Elul 8 (or 9,) 4 BCE.]
§ Caius’ accession period, per
Josephus, began on the eve of the visible new moon crescent at sunset February
10, 23 CE [Tevet/Shevat 1, 23 CE,]
§ Caius’ de facto reign
began after Tiberius died after sunset on March 15, 23 CE.
§
Dio claims that Caius’ reign began March 26, possibly
because as Suetonius puts it: “It had been provided by decree of the
senate that the execution of the condemned should in all cases be put off for
ten days” and “since
[Tiberius’] cruelty endured even after his death.”
§ Caius died in the afternoon on January 24, 27 CE [Tevet (or Shevat) [10th (or 11th)
Moon] 21, 27 CE.] (Notice: This is subsequent to the expected solar
eclipse on Claudius’ birthday August 1, 26 CE!)
VI.
Claudius’ reign
§ Claudius
was born August 1, 24 BCE [Tammuz or
Av 26, 24 BCE.]
§ Claudius’
de jure reign began in his 50th year of life when Caius died: In the afternoon on January 24, 27 CE [Tevet (or Shevat) [10th (or 11th)
Moon] 21, 27 CE.]
§ Claudius’ son Britannicus was born, most likely, on
January 20,
26 CE [Tevet or Shevat (10th or 11 Moon) 11 or 12, 26 CE,] (or
less likely in January or February, 27 CE) and he died before the end of
extended festivities attributed to the feast of Saturn in (December, 40 CE or)
January 41 CE [Tevet or Shevat, (40/) 41 CE.]
§
Claudius’ daughter Octavia was born between mid May, 28 CE and mid
June, 29 CE.
§
Claudius’ wife Messalina, the mother of Britannicus and Octavia, was
killed in 32 CE after she married another man behind Claudius’ back and
conspired to have Claudius killed. Narcissus took the initiative for this and
was nominated as emperor of
§
The marriage of Claudius and
Agrippina, the Agrippina’s killing of Octavia’s former fiancé Lucius Silanus,
Octavia’s espousal to Domitian (Nero,) and the adoption of Domitian as
Claudius’ son all took place in 33 CE – at a time when Domitian was 9 years old
and Octavia was only 3 or 4 years old.
§
Octavia was married to Nero (between December 15 and 31, 39 CE) at an
age of only 10 or 11, Nero being then 16 years old.
§ Josephus is
making no statement as to the length of Claudius’ “reign” per se, but is making
instead a statement re the length of time that Claudius was “administering the
government.” Considering the apparent fact that Claudius was a consul, and thus
a part of the government, prior to becoming emperor of Rome, I find that
Josephus’ statement “But Claudius himself, when he had administered the
government thirteen years, eight months, and twenty days, died” is referencing
a time period beginning with Tishri 22, 26 CE, and ending, when Claudius died,
on either Zif 21 or Sivan 21, 40 CE [May 22 or else June 20 or 21, 40 CE.]
§ Claudius’ death was concealed for almost 4 or 5 month until October 13,
40 CE when his death was finally made public.
VII.
Nero’s reign
§ Nero was born
December 15, 23 CE.
§
Nero began his de facto reign
after a period of co-regency with Claudius, which co-regency, based upon
Josephus’ reckoning of Nero’s years of reign, began between Aviv 1, 39 CE
[March 14 or 15 or April 14, 39 CE]
and Tishri 1, 39 CE [September 9 or October 8 or 9, 39 CE.]
§
Nero’s 1st civil year of de jure reign began Tishri 1, 39 CE,
[September 9, or October 8 (or 9,) 39 CE,] which year is largely concurrent
with his 16th civil year of life. He was not yet 17 years old, by
Roman reckoning when Claudius died.
§ Josephus counts Nero’s 1st
sacred year of reign from the beginning of Aviv 22, 40 CE [April 23 or May 22, 40 CE.] Josephus
is using sacred years of reign when referencing certain time periods within the
war of the Jews in his work The War of
the Jews.
§
Nero’s reign, as recognized by Josephus, ended on
Aviv 9, 53 CE [March 19, 53 CE,] when he first “heard of the insurrection in
§
Nero died some
time within a very few days prior to the time when Galba, sometime between June
1 and June 6, 53 CE [between Sivan 24 and 30, 53 CE,] received the “advice…
from
§ Other events
during Nero’s reign:
1. Nero’s poisoning
of his step-brother Britannicus ((14 or) 15 years old) before the end of
extended festivities attributed to the feast of Saturn in (December, 40 CE or)
January, 41 CE [Tevet or Shevat, (40/) 41 CE.]
1. Paul, the
apostle, arrives to
Rome [Monday night July 19, or Tuesday
July 20, 45 CE;]
2. Paul’s
release from bondage in
3. Nero’s first
Quinquennial games [October 3 or 5 through 12, 46 CE;]
4. Nero’s comet
[first seen in the lunar month between
December 17, 46 CE and January 15, 47 CE;]
5.
Nero’s matricide [March 19, 47 CE;]
6.
The great
earthquake in
7. Nero “dearly
loved Poppaea, whom he married twelve days after his divorce from Octavia;”
8. Octavia was divorced and later,
“in her twentieth year,” killed, i.e. 19 years old [in the first half
of 48 CE;]
9. Nero’s daughter’s, Claudia Augusta, birth and death [March(?) and June(?), 48 CE;]
10.
Nero’s burning of
11.
Seneca’s first letter to Paul (Chapter XII) re
Nero’s fire of
12. The apostle Paul’s last
letter to Seneca [August 1, 50 CE;]
13. Nero’s second
Quinquennial games [October 3 or 5 through 12, 50 CE;]
14.
Seneca’s death [October, 50 CE;] and
15. The death of
Nero’s wife Poppaea [October, 50 CE.]
16.
The beginning of the War of the Jews: Artemisius [Jyar,] 51 CE [between May 30 and June 28, 51 CE;]
VIII.
Galba’s reign
§ Galba began his reign as Caesar
of Rome when, sometime between June 1 and June 6, 53 CE [between Sivan 24 and
30, 53 CE,] he received the “advice… from
§ Galba died after sunset on
January 15, 54 CE [Day 15 in the 11th Moon, Shevat 15, 54 CE,] but
Josephus counts Galba’s reign as ending on January 8, 54 CE [Shevat 8, 54 CE]
when…
Piso:
§ Piso was adopted as Galba’s son on
January 8, 54 CE [Shevat 8, 54 CE.]
§ Piso was killed before sunset
January 15, 54 CE [Day 14 in the 11th Moon, Shevat 14, 54 CE.]
IX.
Otho’s reign
§ “II. The emperor Otho was born upon
the fourth of the calends of May [“IIII.
Kal. Mai;” 28th April], in the consulship of Camillus Aruntius and Domitius
Aenobarbus…”
§ Otho’s de facto reign began when
Galba died after sunset on January 15, 54 CE [Day 15 in the 11th
Moon, Shevat 15, 54 CE.]
§ This allows for Otho’s accession
period to be reckoned, alternatively, all the way from the beginning of the
Civil War Aviv 9, 53 CE [March
19, 53 CE.]
§ Otho died on Adar III 22, the 22nd
Day of the Fourteenth Moon, 54 CE [April 19, 54 CE.] Otho’s funeral was
performed on April 19, 54 CE.
§ Vitellius reign is recognized by Josephus as
having begun with the beginning of the Civil War on Aviv 9, 53 CE [March 19, 53 CE] on the anniversary of Nero’s
matricide.
§ Vitellius died on Kislev 6
[December (24 or) 25,] 54 CE.
§ Upon Vitellius’ death Domitian,
the son of Vespasian, was first [briefly] celebrated as the new Emperor of
Rome.
Astronomical correlations to Vitellius’ reign:
Dio is giving reference to a comet during the reign of
Vitellius as well as of a lunar eclipse in the middle of the summer. The
following event satisfies all criteria provided in
his record:
1.
The comet observation is confirmed by recordings of
the ancient Chinese astronomers who states: “This comet had a tail
measuring about 5 degrees and was seen between June 9 and July 9 of that year.” In 54 CE June 9 and July 9 are the
days for the astronomical full moons, not necessarily the duration of the
observation of the comet.
2.
There was a total lunar
eclipse lasting 1 hour 46 minutes on Wednesday August 7, 54 CE at 04:36 UT, the
first visible part of the eclipse beginning at 02:38 UT (i.e. beginning at
04:59
3.
From the language of Dio’s record, which could
represent an indirect quote from a first hand observer, it appears as though
the above referenced comet may have been (?) eclipsed by the moon on the very
same day as the lunar eclipse, possibly (?) even concurrent with the lunar
eclipse. – However, I am not proposing that such a two-fold event can be proven
from Dio’s original Greek words alone!
§
Based upon Suetonius’ records Vespasian was born
November 17, 5 BCE [Heshvan (or Kislev) 16, 5 BCE:]
“Vespasian was born in the Sabine country, in a small village beyond Reate,
called Falacrina, on the evening of the fifteenth day before the Kalends of
December, in the consulate of Quintus Sulpicius Camerinus and Gaius Poppaeus
Sabinus, five years before the death of Augustus…”
– The
Latin words translated “death of Augustus” may alternatively be translated
“withdrawal…” or “retirement of Augustus…” As best I can tell this event is in
reference of Tiberius being appointed the heir of Augustus on June 26, 1 BCE.
§
Vespasian’s
reign began:
i.
As reckoned by Josephus, at the beginning
of the Civil War, Aviv 9, 53 CE [March 19, 53 CE,] when “at
ii. Vespasian was first acclaimed
Emperor by Otho’s soldiers following
the death of Otho,
iii. then
by Tiberius
Alexander, governor of Egypt, on July 1, 54 CE,
iv. then by Vespasian’s own soldiers
in
v. finally by the senate and the populace in
§
Vespasian’s 2nd year of reign –Josephus used sacred years in reference to the time
period corresponding to the War of the Jews; civil years for other time
periods: Vespasian’s 2nd sacred year of reign corresponds to Aviv 1,
55 CE thru Adar, 56 CE [March 19, 55 CE thru April 4 or 5, 56 CE;] his 2nd
civil year of reign covers Tishri 54 CE thru Elul 55 CE:
1. Sacred years
(Aviv-Adar) –
Used by Josephus when referencing an event during the War of the Jews (Between
Iyar 51 CE – Elul 55 CE)
2. Civil years
(Tishri-Elul) - Used by Josephus when referencing an event outside of the time frame of
the War of the Jews (before Iyar 51 CE, or after Elul 55 CE:)
§ Vespasian
died on June 24, 66 CE [Sivan
or Tammuz 11 or 12, 66 CE.]
§
Titus was born December 30, 26 CE [The 10th
(or 11th) Moon 1 or 2, 26 CE] (prior to Caius’ death, or else
December 30, 27 CE [Tebeth (the 10th Moon) 12 or 13, 27 CE.] )
§ Titus co-reigned from the beginning
with his father Vespasian whom he succeeded together with his brother Domitian
on June 24, 66 CE
[Sivan or Tammuz 11 or 12, 66
CE,] (or possibly 67 or 68) CE after his father Vespasian died.
§ Titus died on “the Ides
of September,” September
13, 68 CE [Elul 26 or 27, 68 CE,] (or possibly 69 CE or 70 CE) “in the
forty-second year of his age” as reckoned by Suetonius, i.e. following either
his 42nd birthday anniversary (if born prior to Caius’ death, or
else, if born after Caius’ death, following his 41st birthday
anniversary.)
§ “Domitian was born on the ninth
day before the Kalends of November…” [October 24, 32 CE [Tishri 30, 32 CE] (or 33 CE
[Tishri or Heshvan 11, 33 CE.])]
§ Domitian’s reign began as a co-reign with his father Vespasian and his brother Titus and is reckoned from the thirtieth year of his age as referenced by Suetonius, very possibly beginning with his 30th birthday October 24, 62 CE [Heshvan 2, 62 CE] (or 63 CE [Tishri or Heshvan (12 or) 13, 63 CE.])
§ Domitian died on “the fifth hour…” [between 11 AM and 12 AM (considering Suetonius’ use of ordinals)] on “the fourteenth day before the Kalends of October…” September 18, 77 CE, [Elul or Tishri 11, 77 CE] “in the forty-fifth year of his age and the fifteenth of his reign.”
§
Domitian’s death is anchored upon a rare
astronomical constellation in conjunction with Jerome’s
statement re the time of death of the apostle John.
XIV.
Nerva’s reign
§
Nerva’s brief reign lasted from September 18, 77 CE until January 27,
78 or 79 CE (Cf. Wikipedia)
XV.
Trajan’s reign
§
Trajan’s reign began on January 27, 78 or 79 CE (Cf. Wikipedia)
§
XVI.
Hadrian’s reign
§
XVII.
…
VII.
- XIII. :
Please click here to see VII – XIII !
I.
The death of Caesar Julius:
The
death of Caesar Julius: None of the dates above builds on a date connected
with Ceasar Julius. Yet it is important to fit him into the overall time
frame. Caesar Julius died on the
Ides of March (March 15), 49 BCE as based upon the astronomical data,
i.e. a comet and a solar eclipse, identified by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
When was Augustus born?
What may be learnt re how Josephus records the age of man?
What might be considered re the patriarchy of Augustus?
Solution
found!: Perfect
agreement between Josephus and Suetonius!
Quote from Ronald L. Conte Jr:
“According to Suetonius, Caesar Augustus died just
short of his 76th birthday. “He died…just thirty-five days before his
seventy-sixth birthday.”839 Dio Cassius
confirms this age: “…he passed away, having lived seventy-five years, ten
months, and twenty-six days (he had been born on the twenty-third of
September)….”840 So, both Suetonius and Dio give the date of Augustus’ death as
August 19. Josephus gives the length of Augustus’ life as 77 years.841 He does not,
however, give the length of Augustus’ life exact to the day, as he does when
giving the length of his reign or the reigns of other emperors.” (Conte
Jr., Ronald L., Important Dates in the Lives of Jesus and Mary, p.190.)
839 Suetonius, Lives of the Caesars, Loeb
Classical Library, 2.100.1.
840 Dio, Roman History, Volume VII, Loeb Classical Library, 56.30.5.
841 Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews, 18.32.
Assuming that Dio and Suetonius both are using a Julian calendar,
their respective statements as quoted by Ronald L. Conte Jr. above makes
perfect sense considering that August has 31 days. Assuming further that both Dio and Suetonius
counts birthday as we do today, i.e. from birthday to birthday regardless of
when the calendar year begins and ends, we then find that Augustus was
born September 23rd in the astronomical year – ( 76 – 10 ) =
-66 = 67 BCE [Elul 24 or 25, 67 BCE.]
Please correct me where I am wrong, but I am not aware of any
culture where the age of man is not given in full years only, though with
optional, though rarely used, months and/or days added on top, or on occasion
as referenced by Suetonius above. What
is known is that a majority of cultures even today are using a much earlier
starting point than the point of delivery as used in Western – Roman based -
cultures today. Most certainly an
earlier point was used also by Josephus. As it turns out Augustus
was seventy-seven years [plus four lunar months and eighteen or nineteen days]
old at his death, when his birth [=beginning] is counted from the beginning of
the sacred year within which he was conceived (LMP = December
17, 68 BCE [Kislev 30, 68 BCE.]) I believe this is also the way the Torah is
referencing the age of man, especially in patriarchal times. Remember, Josephus
was a Jewish priest! And it is apparent that Josephus thought very highly of
Augustus – who made a very important point of patriarchy by reaching for and
achieving recognition as Pater Patriae in commemoration
of his 25th year of reign! Notice that, by counting the birth of
Augustus from the beginning of a sacral year of conception, credit is given not
only to the biological father of Augustus, but also to the Father of sacred
time. In the first quote below, notice that babies were being killed for
similar purposes when Augustus was born , and 50 years later when Yeshua was
born. Please note re the quotes given below that almost certainly the BCE
years, as given by Earnest L. Martin, needs revision in accord with Ronald L.
Conte’s work!
“According to Julius Marathus, a personal confidant of
Augustus Caesar, the Roman Senate in the year 63 B.C.E ordered
all boy babies to be killed who were born in that year because
prophetic dreams and astrological signs suggested that a “King of the Romans”
was to be born. 3 The Senate ostensibly
considered a “King of the Romans” to be anathema to the government of the
Republic. So concerned were some of the senators of this astrological
interpretation, whose wives were pregnant, that they refused to register births
from their wives in hopes that the signs applied to them. We are informed that in
that very year (23 September, 63 B.C.E.), the person who later became
the first emperor of the Romans (Augustus) was born.
“Augustus celebrated his 25th jubilee year of
being emperor of the Romans (from the time he was proclaimed “Augustus” on
January 16, 27 B.C.E.). 6 This year also
coincided with the 750th year of the founding of Rome as determined by the
chronological records of the Roman priests. 7 In August of 2 B.C.E.
(the month named after Augustus himself and still a month we recognize today)
there were festivities in Rome and throughout the provinces and client
kingdoms. People came to the festivities from all over the Empire and even
beyond. In Rome during this year there were magnificent displays and carnival
activities. There were sham sea-fights on the flooded Tibertine fields,
gladiators in abundance and wild beast hunts. The Roman Empire was in great
celebration. Along with this, Augustus, in 2 B.C.E., finally dedicated the new
Forum bearing his name after many delays and he sanctified the Temple of Mars
Ultor (Mars the Avenger). 8
3 Jack Lindsay, Origins of
Astrology, 246.
6 The Oxford Classical Dictionary,
149.
7 E.J. Bickerman, Chronology of the
Ancient World, 77.
8 B. Allan, Augustus Caesar,
216–218.
12 T. Lewin, Fasti Sacri, 135.
14 T.
Lewin, Fasti Sacri, 135.
The death of Augustus: Josephus
states “the Roman empire was translated to Tiberius, the son of Julia, upon the
death of Augustus, who had reigned fifty-seven years, six months, and two days”
(Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews, 18.32.)
Final solution found!: Perfect agreement between Josephus and Suetonius!
A simplified line of evidence for Augustus’ death on August 19, 10
CE.
“For
the troops in
Astronomical New Moon, Hebrew
Month, and Astronomical Full Moon
Nov
24 13:12 P 9 Dec 10
03:26 t
But
why did Josephus use a reverse count for Augustus’ reign?
After
finding that Josephus is using reverse counts also for some of the other
Caesars, I find that perhaps his choice of doing so may be either arbitrary,
perhaps based upon a desire to pinpoint exactly the beginning date, or else
possibly when the new emperor is not of the same family as the former.
Greek
rendition of Josephus’ passage above:
“[29] Kwpwni/ou de\ th\n )Ioudai/an
die/pontoj, o(\n e)/fhn Kurini/w| sunekpemfqh=nai, ta/de pra/ssetai. tw=n
a)zu/mwn th=j e(orth=j a)gome/nhj, h(\n pa/sxa kalou=men, e)k me/shj nukto\j
e)n e)/qei toi=j i(ereu=sin h)=n a)noignu/nai tou= i(erou= tou\j pulw=naj. [30] kai\ to/te
ou)=n e)pei\ to\ prw=ton gi/netai h( a)/noicij au)tw=n, a)/ndrej Samarei=tai
kru/fa ei)j (Ieroso/luma e)lqo/ntej dia/rriyin a)nqrwpei/wn o)stw=n e)n tai=j
stoai=j kai\ dia\ panto\j tou= i(erou= h)/rcanto mh\ pro/teron e)pi\ toiou/toij
nomi/zontej ta/ te a)/lla dia\ fulakh=j mei/zonoj h)=gon to\ i(ero/n. [31] kai\
Kwpw/nioj met' ou) polu\ ei)j (Rw/mhn e)panaxwrei=, dia/doxoj d' au)tw=| th=j
a)rxh=j paragi/netai Ma=rkoj )Ambibouxoj, e)f' ou(= kai\ Salw/mh h( tou=
basile/wj (Hrw/dou a)delfh\ metasta=sa )Iouli/a| me\n )Ia/mneia/n te katalei/pei
kai\ th\n toparxi/an pa=san, th/n t' e)n tw=| pedi/w| Fasahli/da kai\
)Arxelai/+da, e)/nqa foini/kwn plei/sth fu/teusij kai\ karpo\j au)tw=n
a)/ristoj. [32] diade/xetai de\ kai\ tou=ton
)/Annioj (Rou=foj, e)f' ou(= dh\ kai\ teleuta=| Kai=sar, deu/teroj me\n
(Rwmai/wn au)tokra/twr geno/menoj e(pta\ de\ kai\ penth/konta th=j a)rxh=j
e)/th, pro\j oi(=j mh=nej e(\c h(me/rai duoi=n plei/onej, tou/tou de\ au)tw=|
tou= xro/nou dekate/ssara e)/th sunh=rcen )Antw/nioj, biw/saj e)/th
e(bdomhkontaepta/. [33] diade/xetai de\ tw=|
Kai/sari th\n h(gemoni/an Tibe/rioj Ne/rwn gunaiko\j
au)tou= )Iouli/aj ui(o\j w)/n, tri/toj h)/dh ou(=toj au)tokra/twr, kai\
pempto\j u(p' au)tou= parh=n )Ioudai/oij e)/parxoj dia/doxoj )Anni/w| (Rou/fw|
Ou)ale/rioj Gra=toj: [34] o(\j pau/saj i(era=sqai )/Ananon
)Isma/hlon a)rxiere/a a)pofai/nei to\n tou= Fabi/, kai\ tou=ton de\ met' ou)
polu\ metasth/saj )Elea/zaron to\n )Ana/nou tou= a)rxiere/wj ui(o\n
a)podei/knusin a)rxiere/a. e)niautou= de\ diagenome/nou kai\ to/nde pau/saj
Si/mwni tw=| Kami/qou th\n a)rxierwsu/nhn paradi/dwsin. [35] ou) plei/wn
de\ kai\ tw=|de e)niautou= th\n timh\n e)/xonti diege/neto xro/noj, kai\
)Iw/shpoj o( kai\ Kai+a/faj dia/doxoj h)=n au)tw=|. kai\ Gra=toj me\n tau=ta
pra/caj ei)j (Rw/mhn e)panexw/rei e(/ndeka e)/th diatri/yaj e)n )Ioudai/a|,
Po/ntioj de\ Pila=toj dia/doxoj au)tw=| h(=ken.”
(Flavius Josephus, Antiquitates Judaicae (ed. B. Niese) 18:29.)
Notice:
“teleuta/w” means “to complete,
finish, accomplish” not
necessarily “die.”
“diade/xomai” means “to receive
one from another” not die.
“h(gemoni/a” means “a leading
the way, going first” or “authority,
rule, political supremacy, imperium, principality, governorship.”
Accordingly I conclude that
Josephus’ text as given in Greek provides no basis for concluding that
Tiberius’ reign began only after the death of Augustus. The Greek text
certainly allows for Tiberius’ governorship as co-ruler with Augustus beginning
June 26, 1 BCE, and thus also for Gratus’ appointment beginning shortly after
June 26, 1 BCE.
Conclusions:
§
Augustus was born September 23, 67 BCE
[Note: September 23, 67 BCE is a pre-Caesar Julius’ calendar revision date.
September 23, 67 BCE in a corrected calendar comes out to Elul 24
or 25, 67 BCE, but this date is not when Augustus was born.]
§
Augustus’ (seasonally corrected) date of delivery was June 28 [Sivan (or Tammuz) 26
(or 27), 67 BCE; Notice the number 26 as well as 3, i.e. the Third Moon,
Sivan!] Augustus’ mother’s calculated LMP was September 21 (seasonally
corrected) [Elul or Tishri 11, 68 BCE; Notice its relationship to the Day of
At-One-Ment!] and Augustus was most likely conceived October 4 (seasonally
corrected) [Tishri 21, 68 BCE; Notice its relationship to the Eighth Day and the
beginning of the Scriptural year!] [Quickening may be associated with Capricorn,
however, using an astrological chart based on the uncorrected pre-Julian
calendar reform finds Augustus being conceived in the sign of Capricorn.]
§
The beginning of Augustus’ reign: Adar 27 or 28, 47 BCE [April 1 or 2, 47 BCE ± 1 lunar
month (March 3 or May 1)]
§
Augustus died “on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of September at
the ninth hour, just thirty-five days before his seventy-sixth birthday,” i.e.
Av 19 or 20, 10 CE [August 19, 10 CE,]
Quoting Augustus Caesar:
“A third time, with the consular
imperium, p359and with my son Tiberius Caesar as my colleague,
I performed the lustrum in the consulship of Sextus Pompeius and Sextus Apuleius.37” (The Res Gestae of Augustus, Monumentum Ancyranum, Part
II)
- For the benefit of anyone who may claim that
Tiberius was not named Caesar until after Augustus’ death…
Quoting Suetonius:
“5 ![Description: [Legamen ad paginam Latinam]](TheRegnalYearsAndDatesOfRomanEmperors_files/image006.gif){kind=small}
Some have supposed that Tiberius was born at Fundi, on no
better evidence than that his maternal grandmother was a native of that place,
and that later a statue of Good Fortune was set up there by decree of the
senate. But according to the most numerous and trustworthy authorities, he
was born at Rome, on the Palatine, the sixteenth day before the Kalends of December, in the consulship of Marcus Aemilius Lepidus and Lucius
Munatius Plancus (the former for the second time) while the war of Philippi was going on. In fact it is so
recorded both in the calendar and in the public gazette. Yet in spite of this
some write that he was born in the preceding year, that of Hirtius and Pansa,
and others in the following year, in the consulate of Servilius Isauricus and
Lucius Antonius.”
“73 Meanwhile, having read in the proceedings of the senate
that some of those under accusation, about whom he had written briefly, merely
stating that they had been named by an informer, had been discharged without a
hearing, he cried out in anger that he was held in contempt, and resolved to
return to Capreae at any cost, since he would not risk any step except from his
place of refuge. Detained, however, by bad weather and the increasing violence
of his illness, he died a little later in the villa of Lucullus, in the seventy-eighth year of his age and the
twenty-third of his reign, on the seventeenth day before the Kalends of April, in the consulship of Gnaeus Acerronius Proculus and
Gaius Pontius Nigrinus.”
Quoting Ronald L. Conte Jr:
“If Augustus
died in A.D. 10, then Tiberius’ sudden rise to power began in mid 1 B.C.E. Tiberius was
adopted as heir to Augustus on June 26.” (From Ronald L. Conte Jr with reference to Finegan, Handbook
of Biblical Chronology, revised
edition, no. 183 and table 42, p. 86.)
Let’s see how this fits
Josephus’ statements:
- “Tiberius… died, after
he had held the government twenty-two years five months and three days” (Josephus, Antiquities, XVIII, Ch. 6:10.)
- “This was told to
Tiberius by one of Agrippa's domestics, who thereupon was very angry,
and ordered Agrippa to be bound, and had him very ill-treated in the
prison for six months, until Tiberius died, after he had
reigned twenty-two years, six months, and three days.” (Josephus, Wars of the Jews, II, Ch. 9:5.)
- “Suetonius states
that Tiberius died on March 16. 976”
976 Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, p. 150.
See also: Suetonius, Lives of the Caesars, Loeb Classical Library,
3.73.1.
(Conte, Important Dates in the Lives of Jesus and
Mary.)
- “Dio… states that Tiberius died on March
26, after a reign of 22 years, 7 months, and 7 days.977.“
977 Dio, Roman History,
Volume VII, Loeb Classical Library, 58.28.5.
(From Conte, Important
Dates in the Lives of Jesus and Mary.)
Two Calendars used by
Josephus for the year of Tiberius’ death?
Starting Tiberius first
year of reign with Tishri 22, 1 BCE through Elul, 1 CE, which count is also
consistent with the dating as recorded by Luke as referenced above, Tiberius’
“twenty-two years” ended at the beginning of Tishri 1, 22 CE. Then we have two options given by Josephus:
- Adding “five months” we arrive at the beginning
of Adar 1, 23 CE. Adding a final
“after [not in…] three days” gives us the date of Tiberius’ death
as Adar 4, 23 CE [i.e. February 14, or else March 15 or 16, 23 CE,
depending on the preceding aviv and New Moons.]
- Adding “six months” we arrive at the beginning of Adar II 1, 23 CE. Adding a final “after [not in…] three days” gives us the date of Tiberius’ death as Adar II 4, 23 CE [i.e. March 15 or 16, 23 CE.]
Notice
that for the years 16 CE until 42 CE, 23 CE is the only year where the 4th
day of a biblical month may possibly fall on March 16, a fact which is strong
confirmation for this being the correct year of Tiberius’ death. Dio provides
further confirmation, cf. below!
“Dio and Suetonius both
place Tiberius’ death in the month of March…” and “Suetonius states that
Tiberius died on March 16.” Quoting
further from Ronald L. Conte Jr.: “The ancient historians
Josephus, Dio, and Suetonius… all give the length of [Tiberius’] reign as
greater than 22 years and less than 23 years.” (However,
cf. the discussion about Dio below.)
The one likely reason I’ve found so far for why Josephus is writing “five months” in one book and “six months” in the other book is simply that - probably due to an unusually late aviv in 22 CE - there existed two different Jewish calendars for the year starting in 22 CE. March 14 (or 15), 23 CE would then correspond to Adar 3, 23 CE in one calendar while in the other the same day corresponds to Adar II 3, 23 CE. However, Adar 3 occurs “five months, and three days” into the civil year, while Adar II 3 occurs “six months, and three days, into the civil year. Thus both statements of Josephus are correct, while Josephus is telling us also that two different Hebrew calendars existed that particular year.
[Note
re sacred vs. civil years: Mostly in his work Wars of the Jews I have found that
Josephus is using a sacred year calendar beginning in Abib. After studying this
usage I conclude that Josephus uses sacred years when referencing points in
time during civil war.]
An important confirmation and a note re Dio: If Dio is correct
and if he is using a Julian calendar and if Tiberius died March 26, 23 CE, then
Tiberius’ reign began September 19 or 20, 1 BCE depending upon whether or not
Dio is counting the days inclusively. It is important to notice that Tishri 1,
1 BCE may well correspond to
September 19, 1 BCE, which is evidence
that Dio is basing his count of Tiberius’ reign upon a Jewish source, very
possibly upon Josephus?, while probably not fully understanding all the
intricacies of the time reckoning used by his Jewish source. However, the fact
that his date falls on Tishri 1 is strong confirmation that indeed Tiberius’
reign began in 1 BCE, because from 11 BCE through 18 CE only 1 BCE and 8 CE allows for Tishri 1 to
fall on either September 19 or 20, i.e. it is a relatively rare incidence.
Re Tiberius’ birth:
Given
that Tiberius died March 16, 23 CE “in the seventy-eighth
year of his age” and
that he was born “the sixteenth day before the Kalends of
December,” i.e. on
November 16, we may now easily calculate Tiberius’ year of birth: 23 CE – 78 =
- 55 = 56 BCE. Thus Tiberius was born November 16, 56 BCE. That is in a
seasonally unadjusted pre-Julian reform calendar. Adjusting this date to a
seasonally corrected calendar in harmony with the celestial bodies may be made
thusly:
Recognizing
that Caesar Julius corrected the drifting Roman calendar years by making not 46
BCE (relative to the conventional 44 BCE of Julius’ death,) but 51 BCE (revised
date for Julius’ death being 49 BCE,) 445 days long, we may extrapolate as
follows:
1.
Assuming that 50 BCE was synchronous with the seasons as intended;
2.
Assuming also that the year of the founding of
3.
Assuming that the drift of the year from year to year was more or less
the same over the interval 753-50 BCE we may then extrapolate the total drift
which should be 365.25-445=79.75 days total, or about
79.75/(753-50)=79.75/703=0.113 days per year.
4.
Tiberius was born (conception or delivery?) November 16, 56 BCE.
5.
56 BCE is 56-50=6 years before Julius’ calendar reform, thus the
correction should be 6x.113=0.68 days.
6.
Accordingly, if the total correction was 90 days then the appropriate
correction should be 90-1=89 days in 56 BCE.
7.
If the contemporary calendar read November 16 of that year when
Tiberius was born [conception or delivery?] then the seasonally corrected date
should be about 89 days prior to November 16. Counting November=16 days,
October=31 days, September=30 days I get 77 days total, which should bring me
to August 22 for Tiberius’ birthday (conception or delivery?)
8.
If Tiberius’ seasonally corrected date of delivery EDC was August
22 [Av (or Elul) 24 (or 25), 56 BCE] then his mom’s LMP should have
been November 15 [Heshvan 27, 57 BCE] and he should have been conceived
around November 26 [Chisleu 9, 57 BCE.]
9.
Else if Tiberius’ seasonally corrected date of conception was
August 22 [Av (or Elul) 24 (or 25), 56 BCE] then his mom’s LMP should
have been August 11 [Av (or Elul) 13 (or 14), 56 BCE] and he should have
been delivered around May 18 [Zif/Ijjar 27, 55 BCE.]
Furthermore,
this date may be confirmed by the following words…
Tiberius’
astrologer Marcus Manilius had this to say about him:
''Sed, cum autumnales coeperunt surgere Chelae, felix
aequato genitus sub pondere Librae. iudex examen sistet vitaeque necisque
imponetque iugum terris legesque rogabit. illum urbes et regna trement nutuque
regentur unius et caeli post terras iura manebunt.''
"When
Autumn claws begin to rise, blessed is the man born under the scales of Libra.
As a judge he places the balance of life and death: he will make laws and
impose his yoke over the world. Cities and kingdoms will tremble before him and
be ruled by his will alone, and after his time on earth, command of the heavens
will await him."
(Astronomica liber quartus, lines 547-552; Translation by Legis Nuntius.)
That is,
after noticing also that Mars was in Libra from Mars 24, 56 BCE – September 5,
56 BCE and that neither the sun, moon, or any of the planets are in Libra on
any of the other above dates in 55 or 57 BCE, or isn’t that so? And isn’t it
relevant that it is Mars that is in Libra considering that Tiberius was very
much a general and a military man of war?
Conclusions:
§ Tiberius was born on November 16, 56 BCE (as dated per the then current Roman calendar) and on August 22, 56 BCE per a seasonally adjusted calendar [Av (or Elul) 24 (or 25), 56 BCE.]
§ Tiberius was appointed the heir
of Augustus on June 26, 1 BCE [Tammuz 4 or 5, 1 BCE].
§ Tiberius died on 4 Adar I/Adar
II, 23 CE [March 16, 23 CE.]
§ I find that Josephus and
Suetonius are in perfect agreement within them selves as well as with one
another, while Dio provides confirmatory evidence for these same data albeit
apparently not in full agreement while, as it may appear, Dio does not fully
comprehend the method of reckoning used by his Jewish source, which source may
well be Josephus.
§
Based upon Josephus’ dates as given while considering
also the dates for the beginning of the last prior Aviv, I conclude that most
likely two different Hebrew calendars were in use that year, such that Adar I
of one calendar was concurrent with Adar II of the other.
IV.
Caius (Caligula) Caesar’s reign:
“59 He lived twenty-nine years and ruled three years, ten
months and eight days…”
(Suetonius, The Lives of the Caesars, The Life of
Caligula, 58-59)
Josephus
gives the length of his reign as 3 years and 8 months.978
978
Josephus, The
Antiquities of the Jews, 19.201; The Wars of the Jews, 2.204.
Suetonius,
however, gives the length of Gaius’ reign as 3 years, 10 months and 8 days.979
Dio
gives the length of his reign as 3 years, 9 months and 28 days.980
980
Dio, Roman
History, Volume VII, Loeb Classical
Library, 59.30.1.
[The beginning of the 202st Olympic year: July
1, 23 CE.]
Review of dated events in Caius’
life:
“It
was also very
hot weather…” Josephus, Antiquities, XVIII:6:6.
“8.
But for Tiberius, upon his return to Caprein, he fell sick. At first his distemper was but gentle; but as that distemper increased
upon him, he had small or no hopes of recovery. Hereupon he bid Euodus,
who was that freed-man whom he most of all respected, to
bring the children (23) to him, for that he wanted to talk
to them before he died…” Josephus, Antiquities, XVIII:6:8.
“10. So when Tiberius had at this time
appointed Caius to be his successor, he outlived but
a few days,
and then died, after he had held the government
twenty-two years five months and three days.” Josephus, Antiquities, XVIII:6:10
“10. So when Tiberius had at this time
appointed Caius to be his successor, he outlived but a few days, and then died,
after he had held the government twenty-two years five months and three days.
Now Caius was the fourth emperor. But when the Romans understood that Tiberius was dead, they rejoiced at the
good news, but had not courage to believe it;
not because they were unwilling it should be true, for they would have given
huge sums of money that it might be so, but because they were afraid, that if
they had showed their joy when the news proved false, their joy should be
openly known, and they should be accused for it, and be thereby undone. For
this Tiberius had brought a vast number of miseries on the best families of the
Romans, since he was easily inflamed with passion in all cases, and was of such
a temper as rendered his anger irrevocable, till he had executed the same,
although he had taken a hatred against men without reason; for he was by nature
fierce in all the sentences he gave, and made death the penalty for the
lightest offenses; insomuch that when the Romans heard the rumor about his
death gladly, they were restrained from the enjoyment of that pleasure by the
dread of such miseries as they foresaw would follow, if their hopes proved
ill-grounded. Now Marsyas,
Agrippa's freed-man, as soon as he heard of Tiberius's death, came running to
tell Agrippa the news; and finding him going
out to the bath, he gave him a nod, and said, in the Hebrew tongue, "The
lion (26) is dead;" who, understanding his meaning, and
being ovejoyed at the news, "Nay," said he, "but all sorts of
thanks and happiness attend thee for this news of thine; only I wish that what
thou sayest may prove true." Now
the centurion who was set to keep Agrippa,
when he saw with what haste Marsyas came, and what joy Agrippa had from what he
said, he had a suspicion that his words implied some great innovation of
affairs, and he asked them about what was said. They at first diverted the
discourse; but upon his further pressing, Agrippa, without more ado, told him,
for he was already become his friend; so he joined with him in that pleasure which this news occasioned, because
it would be fortunate to Agrippa, and made him a supper. But as they were feasting, and the cups went about,
there came one who said that Tiberius was still alive, and would return to the
city ill a few days. At which news the centurion was exceedingly troubled,
because he had done what might
cost him his life, to have treated so joyfully a prisoner, and this upon the
news of the death of Caesar; so he thrust Agrippa from the couch whereon he
lay, and said, "Dost thou think to cheat me by a lie about the emperor
without punishment? and shalt not thou pay
for this thy malicious report at the price of thine head?" When he had so
said, he ordered Agrippa to be
bound again, (for he had loosed him before,) and kept a severer guard over him
than formerly, and in that evil condition was Agrippa that night; but
the next day the
rumor increased in the city, and confirmed the news that Tiberius was certainly
dead; insomuch that men durst now openly
and freely talk about it; nay, some offered sacrifices on that account. Several letters also came from Caius; one of them to the senate, which informed them of
the death of Tiberius, and of his own entrance on the government; another to
Piso, the governor of the city, which told him the same thing. He also gave order that Agrippa should be removed out
of the camp, and go to that house where he lived before he was put in prison;
so that he was now out of fear as to his
own affairs; for although he was still in
custody, yet it was now with ease to his own affairs. Now, as soon as Caius was come to Rome, and had brought
Tiberius's dead body with him, and had made a sumptuous funeral for him,
according to the laws of his country, he was much disposed to set Agrippa at liberty that very day;
but Antonia hindered him, not out of any
ill-will to the prisoner, but out of regard to decency in Caius, lest that
should make men believe that he received the death of Tiberius with pleasure,
when he loosed one whom he had bound immediately. However, there did not many days pass ere he sent for him
to his house, and had him shaved, and made him change his raiment; after which
he put a diadem upon his head, and appointed him to be king of the tetrarchy of Philip.
He also gave him the tetrarchy of Lysanias, (27)
and changed his iron chain for a golden one of equal weight. He also sent Marullus to be procurator of Judea.”
Josephus, Antiquities XVIII:6:10.
”11. Now, in
the second year of the reign of Caius Caesar, Agrippa desired leave to be given
him to sail home, and settle the affairs of his government; and he promised to return again, when he had put
the rest in order, as it ought to be put. So, upon the emperor's permission, he came into his own country, and appeared to them all unexpectedly as asking, and thereby demonstrated to the men that saw him the power
of fortune, when they compared his former poverty with his present happy
affluence; so some called him a happy man, and others could not well believe
that things were so much changed with him for the better.” Josephus,
Antiquities XVIII:6:11.
(Flavius Josephus, Antiquitates Judaicae (ed. B. Niese.))
The
last winter of Caius’ reign:
[The
above transpired in the fall and early winter season, 26 CE.]
“3. When Petronius saw by their words that their determination was hard to be removed, and that, without a war, he should not be able to be subservient to Caius in the dedication of his statue, and that there must be a great deal of bloodshed, he took his friends, and the servants that were about him, and hasted to Tiberias, as wanting to know in what posture the affairs of the Jews were; and many ten thousands of the Jews met Petronius again, when he was come to Tiberias. These thought they must run a mighty hazard if they should have a war with the Romans, but judged that the transgression of the law was of much greater consequence, and made supplication to him, that he would by no means reduce them to such distresses, nor defile their city with the dedication of the statue. Then Petronius said to them, "Will you then make war with Caesar, without considering his great preparations for war, and your own weakness?" They replied, "We will not by any means make war with him, but still we will die before we see our laws transgressed." So they threw themselves down upon their faces, and stretched out their throats, and said they were ready to be slain; and this they did for forty days together, and in the mean time left off the tilling of their ground, and that while the season of the year required them to sow it [I.e. during the 8th and 9th months, i.e. October-December. Editor’s comment.] (31) Thus they continued firm in their resolution, and proposed to themselves to die willingly, rather than to see the dedication of the statue. ” Josephus, Antiquities XVIII:8:3.
[The
above transpired during the 8th and 9th months, i.e. October-December, 26 CE.]
“7. But king Agrippa, who now lived at Rome, was more and more in the favor of Caius; and when he had once made him a supper, and was careful to exceed all others, both in expenses and in such preparations as might contribute most to his pleasure; nay, it was so far from the ability of others, that Caius himself could never equal, much less exceed it (such care had he taken beforehand to exceed all men, and particularly. to make all agreeable to Caesar); hereupon Caius admired his understanding and magnificence, that he should force himself to do all to please him, even beyond such expenses as he could bear, and was desirous not to be behind Agrippa in that generosity which he exerted in order to please him. So Caius, when he had drank wine plentifully, and was merrier than ordinary, said thus during the feast, when Agrippa had drunk to him: "I knew before now how great a respect thou hast had for me, and how great kindness thou hast shown me, though with those hazards to thyself, which thou underwentest under Tiberius on that account; nor hast thou omitted any thing to show thy good-will towards us, even beyond thy ability; whence it would be a base thing for me to be conquered by thy affection. I am therefore desirous to make thee amends for every thing in which I have been formerly deficient; for all that I have bestowed on thee, that may be called my gifts, is but little. Everything that may contribute to thy happiness shall be at thy service, and that cheerfully, and so far as my ability will reach." (34) And this was what Caius said to Agrippa, thinking be would ask for some large country, or the revenues of certain cities. But although he had prepared beforehand what he would ask, yet had he not discovered his intentions, but made this answer to Caius immediately: That it was not out of any expectation of gain that he formerly paid his respects to him, contrary to the commands of Tiberius, nor did he now do any thing relating to him out of regard to his own advantage, and in order to receive any thing from him; that the gifts he had already bestowed upon him were great, and beyond the hopes of even a craving man; for although they may be beneath thy power, [who art the donor,] yet are they greater than my inclination and dignity, who am the receiver. And as Caius was astonished at Agrippa's inclinations, and still the more pressed him to make his request for somewhat which he might gratify him with, Agrippa replied, "Since thou, O my lord! declarest such is thy readiness to grant, that I am worthy of thy gifts, I will ask nothing relating to my own felicity; for what thou hast already bestowed on me has made me excel therein; but I desire somewhat which may make thee glorious for piety, and render the Divinity assistant to thy designs, and may be for an honor to me among those that inquire about it, as showing that I never once fail of obtaining what I desire of thee; for my petition is this, that thou wilt no longer think of the dedication of that statue which thou hast ordered to be set up in the Jewish temple by Petronius." ” Josephus, Antiquities XVIII:8:7.
[The
above transpired in the winter, 26 CE.]
[The
above transpired in the late winter season, i.e. early 27 CE.]
[The
above events transpired January 21-24, 27 CE.]
When do the
1st years of the reigns of Caius and Agrippa(I) begin per the reckoning used by Josephus?
Re Agrippa’s bondage under Tiberius:
“It
was also very hot weather…” Josephus,
Antiquities, XVIII:6:6.
…took
place either in the lunar month named either Av
or Elul (depending on which calendar is being referenced by Josephus) [i.e.
August 18 through September 15 or 16,] or else in the lunar month named
either Elul or Tishri [September 16 or 17 through October 15, 22 CE.]
Certainly there is nothing very unusual in there being “very hot
weather” in August, perhaps even in September, in Rome, Italy,
is it?! Is this hot weather item perhaps a hint that the above quoted event
happened in August rather than later? Cf. the brief discussion under “Abstract”
at this link!
Re
the evidence inherent in Dio’s reference to the solar eclipse on Claudius’
birthday , and also re the evidence of other “omens” in the sky associated with the death of Caesar
Claudius.
The
details re timing in the quote below [cf. each of the
bracketed comments] falls into place
only when it is discovered that Agrippa’s
1st year of reign is concurrent with Caius’ 2nd year of
reign etc.:
“2. Now when
Agrippa had reigned three years
over all Judea [i.e. Claudius’ 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
years of reign and in Agrippa’s 4th, 5th, and 6th
years of reign,] he came to the city Cesarea, which was formerly called
Strato's Tower; and there he exhibited shows in honor of Caesar, upon his being
informed that there was a certain
festival celebrated to make vows for his safety. At which festival a
great multitude was gotten together of the principal persons, and such as were
of dignity through his province. On the second day of which shows he put on a
garment made wholly of silver… And when he had been quite worn out by the pain
in his belly for five days, he departed this life, being in the fifty-fourth
year of his age, and in
the seventh year of his reign [i.e. Claudius’ 4th year of reign;] for
he reigned four years under Caius Caesar [i.e. Caius’ 1st, 2nd, 3rd,
and 4th years of reign and Agrippa’s accession year, 1st,
2nd, and 3rd year of reign,] three
of them were over Philip's tetrarchy only [i.e. Caius’ 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
year of reign,] and on
the fourth he had that of Herod added to it [i.e. Caius’ 4th year and Agrippa’s 3rd
year of reign; cf. Josephus, Antiquities, XVIII:6:11 through XVIII:7:2 quoted
above;] and he reigned, besides those, three
years under the reign of Claudius Caesar [i.e. Claudius’ 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
year and Agrippa’s 4th, 5th, and 6th year of
reign;] in
which time he reigned over the forementioned countries, and also
had Judea added to them, as well as Samaria and Cesarea [i.e. Judea, Samaria, and Cesarea were added in
Claudius accession year.]” Josephus, Antiquities, XIX:8:2
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The civil years of reign attributed
by Josephus to Caius, Claudius, and Agrippa(I) |
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Each of the below civil years begins with Tishri 1
[within the Julian year:] |
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