300’s           Fourth century martyrs and saints of Africa: Fortunatus, bishop of Constantine in Numidia; Gratus, bishop of Carthage; Optatus, bishop of Milevis, Primian, Donatist bishop of Carthage; Rogatus, Donatist bishop of Cartenna in Mauretania; Romulus, bishop of Tebessa in Algeria; Sextus, bishop of Timgad in Numidia; Gaudentius, Donatist bishop of Timgad; Genethlius, bishop of Carthage; Macrobius, Donatist bishop of Hippo; Profuturus, Catholic bishop of Constantine in Numidia; Valentinus, bishop of Baiana in Numidia; Romanianus of Thagaste; Secundus of Tigisis in Numidia; Theonas of Libya.

c. 300              Conversion of Lactantius, a rhetor, and of philosopher Alexander of Lycopolis, who became a bishop.

c. 300              Christians becoming numerous throughout the empire, and notably in Africa.

    303              Boundaries of Proconsular Africa are rearranged; the province of Tripolitania is created; Lepcis is the capital.

    303              Felix, bishop of Thibiuca, Tunisian martyr.

    303              Beginning of the Great Persecution, February 23; imperial decrees under Diocletian (emperor 284-305) to destroy churches, burn books, confiscate property, dissolve congregations. At Nicomedia, soldiers burn down the cathedral; rioters set fire to Diocletian’s palace.

    303              Edicts issued against Christians, with severe persecution under emperor Diocletian and his successors; among numerous martyrs are Barbara of Heliopolis (306), Sebastian, Cosmas, Damian, Maurice, and Genesius.

c. 303­–310      Lactantius writes Divine Institutes (Divinae institutions), On the Workmanship of God  (De opificio Dei.)

    304              Dativus and Saturninus, Donatist martyrs of Abitina, North Africa.

    304              Grave Illness of Diocletian.

    305              Diocletian and Maximian abdicate, May 1.

c. 305              Arnobius of Sicca writes Adversus Nationes a refutation of the rites of the pagan religion.

    306              Lactantius writes The Wrath of God (de Ire Dei.)

    306              Constantine proclaimed emperor at York.

    311              Galerius issues Edict of Toleration to Christians but some persecutions continue.

    311              Donatist schism begins in Numidia and Proconsular Africa.

    313              Licinius defeats Maximinus Daia and is sole emperor of the East.

    313              Emperor Constantine with Licinius declares “Edict of Milan” ending religious persecutions, providing freedom of worship and restitution of the goods confiscated from the Christian communities; first step towards the establishment of Christianity’s dominance in the Roman Empire.

    313              Donatus excommunicated for requiring rebaptism of apostates.

    314              Council of Arles: the Donatist question in Africa is considered by bishops from Italy, Gaul and North Africa.

c. 314              Lactantius goes to Trier to educate Constantine’s son Crispus.

    315              Condemnation and persecution of the Donatists.

    315              Majorinus, bishop of Carthage, dies.

    316              Vindiction of Caecilian of Carthage on charges brought by Donatus.

    316–320      Lactantius writes Letters, On the Death of the Persecutors (De mortibus persecutorum) to testify to future generations of the judgment of the persecutors.

    319              Period of toleration for Donatists.

c. 320–c. 385   Optatus, bishop of Milevis, becomes leading critic of Donatists.

    321              Synod at Alexandria condemns Arius (born c. 260 in Cyrenaica.)

    324–337      Constantine the Great is sole ruler of united empire.

    325              First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, called by Constantine; Arianism condemned by 318 bishops in

Nicene Creed; Arius exiled to Illyricum.

c. 327              Death of Arnobius of Sicca.

c. 330              Death of Lactantius.

    330              Constantine moves capital to the New Rome, Constantinople, formerly Byzantium.

    336              In Carthage, Donatist council, with more than 270 bishops taking part.

    337              Constantine baptized by Eusebius of Nicomedia on his deathbed; Athanasius returns to Alexandria;

Christians the majority in many parts of North Africa by death of Constantine.

    337              After Constantine, Africa ruled by Constantius II (337-340) along with Italy and Illyricum.

    345              Caecilian, bishop of Carthage, dies.

    Mid-300’s   Fourth century ecclesial architecture in North African Maghreb: Tipasa in Mauretania Caesariensis; Basilica of St. Salsa; catacombs of Hadrumetum (Sousse), near the sea; Cuicul (Djemila) in Numidia. Basilica and monastery at Theveste (Tebessa) in Numidia, marturium of St. Crispina (304); Basilica in Sabratha in Tripolitana, baptistery; Baptistery of the Great Church at Hippo Regius; Reliquary from ،Ain Zirara in Numidia.

    361–363      Death of Constantius; reign of Julian, nephew of Constantine, apostate emperor of East, attempts to revive Paganism; Donatist triumph in Africa; Arian hegemony in East.

    363              Marius Victorinus, Commentaries on the Letters of Paul.

c. 367              Optatus of Milevis writes The Schism of the Donatists.

    370              Young Augustine returns to Thagaste from Madaura.

    371              Augustine goes to Carthage for first time; Patricius, Augustine’s father dies; Augustine takes a concubine.

    372              Birth of Adeodatus, Augustine’s son (d. 390.)

    375              Augustine returns from Carthage to Thagaste to teach.

    379              Theodosius I, emperor of the united empire, begins Age of Theodosius the Great and his sons (379–395.)

    380              Theodosian Code makes Catholic Christianity the official religion of the empire.   

    381              Proscriptions against pagan cults; the assemblies of heretics interdicted; prohibition of sacrifices.

    381              First Council of Constantinople (second ecumenical council) defines the deity of the Holy Spirit; Constantinople is declared to have second place after Rome against Alexandrian wishes.

    383              Augustine at Rome.

    384              Baptism of Augustine.

    384              Jerome’s Vulgate, a new Latin version of the Bible is complete (begun 382.)

    385              Jerome (c.347-420) sails from Ostia to seek monastic life; Monica, Augustine’s mother,

arrives in Milan (late spring.)

    386              Conversion of Augustine who seeks monastic life at Cassiciacum.

    386              Augustine, Against the Skeptics, (Contra Academicos.)

    387              Augustine returns to Milan (early March) and is baptized by Ambrose (24 April); Monica dies at Ostia.

    387              Augustine writes On the Happy Life (De Beata Vita); On Order (De Ordine); The Soliloquies (Soliloquia)  On the Immortality of the Soul ( De immortalitate anima); On Dialectic (De dialectica) and De Musica.

    388              Augustine writes On the Greatness of the Soul, (De animae quantitate), On Free Will, book I (De libero arbitrio); The Morality of the Catholic Church and On the Catholic and the Manichaen Ways of Life; (De moribus ecclesiae catholicae et de moribus Manichaeorum.)

    388–396      Augustine writes On Various Questions (De diversis quaestionibus.)

    389              Augustine writes Genesis Defended Against the Manicheans(De Genesi contra Manichaeos)and On the Teacher (De Magistro.)

    389–391      Augustine returns to Carthage, then to Thagaste in Numidia; He writes On True Religion (De vera religione.)

    390              Death of African rhetor Tyconius, who Rules and Letters.

    391              Death of Parmenian, Donatist Bishop of Carthage, and his Catholic rival Genethlius; Augustine ordained priest; Aurelius becomes bishop of Carthage; Augustine arrives in Hippo to found monastery.

    391–92        Augustine writes On the Advantage of Believing (De utilitate credendi) and Against the Manicheans

(De duabus animabus contra Manichaeos.)

    391–95        Augustine, On Free Will (De libero arbitrio), Bks. 2–3.

    391–430      Augustine’s Sermons.

    392              Augustine writes Debate with Fortunatus, a Manichee (Acta contra Fortunatum Manichaeum.)

    392–416      Augustine writes Explanations of the Psalms, (Ennarrationes in Psalmo); Augustine has already commented on the first 32 psalms by 392.

    393              Donatist council at Cebarsussa.

    393              Augustine preaches opening address at plenary council of the African provinces at Hippo--- On Faith and the Creed (De fide et symbolo.)

c. 393–394      Augustine writes Unfinished Book on the Literal Interpretation of Genesis (De Genesi ad litteram imperfectus liber.)

    394              Ordination of Paulinus; Donatist Council at Bagai. Augustine attends I Council of Carthage.

    394              Augustine writes Psalm against the Donatists (Psalmus contra partem Donatip), On the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount (De sermone Domini in monte), Epistle to the Romans (Epistolae ad Romanos inchoata exposition) , Commentary on the Letter to the Galatians, (Expositio epistolae ad Galatas), On Lying (De Mendacio), Against Adimantus, a Disciple of Mani, (Contra Adimantum Manichei discipulum.)

    395              Augustine becomes bishop of Hippo succeeding Valerius.

    396               Augustine writes to Simplician (Ad Simplicianum de diversis quaestionibus), On the Christian Struggle (De agone Christiano), On Christian Teaching (De doctrina Christiana)(finished 426.)

    397–398      Augustine writes Against Faustus, a Manichee. (Contra Faustum Manichaeum) and Gospel Questions (Quaestiones evangeliorum)

.

    397–401      Augustine writes his Confessions (Confessiones.)

397              At Council of Carthage the Brevarium Hipponense is approved with 39 disciplinary canons composed by the bishops of Byzacena in 397.  27 canonical New Testament books cited.   

   398               Augustine writes Against Felix the Manichee (Contra Felicen Manichaeum) and On Christian Discipline (De disciplina Christiana.)

    399              Augustine writes De natura boni contra Manichaeo and Against Secundinus the  Manichee(Contra Secundinum Manichaeum.)

    399–400      Augustine writes On the Instruction of Beginners (De catechizandis rudibus) and On Agreement among the Evangelists, (De consensus Evangelistarum.)