The Annals of The World - Rev. James Ussher The Annals of The World by Rev. James Ussher LONDON, Printed by E. Tyler, for F. Crook, and G. Bedell, 1658 Table of Contents PART 1 PART 2 Title Page and Preface Title Page and Preface Explanatory Notes 3829 AM, 4539 JP, 175 BC THE FIRST AGE 3854 AM, 4564 JP, 150 BC 1a AM, 710 JP, 4004 BC 3904b AM, 4614 JP, 100 BC THE SECOND AGE 3929b AM, 4639 JP, 75 BC 1657a AM, 2366 JP, 2348 BC 3954b AM, 4664 JP, 50 BC THE THIRD AGE 3979 AM, 4689 JP, 25 BC 2083 AM, 2793 JP, 1921 BC THE SEVENTH AGE THE FOURTH AGE 4000b AM, 4710 JP, 4 BC 2513b AM, 3223 JP, 1491 BC 4028 AM, 4738 JP, 25 AD THE FIFTH AGE 4053b AM, 4763 JP, 50 AD 2992c AM, 3702 JP, 1012 BC THE SIXTH AGE 3416c AM, 4126 JP, 588 BC 3504 AM, 4214 JP, 500 BC Biography 3604b AM, 4314 JP, 400 BC 3654 AM, 4364 JP, 350 BC 3679b AM, 4389 JP, 325 BC 3704 AM, 4414 JP, 300 BC 3804 AM, 4514 JP, 200 BC file:///T|/Web%20Pages/Chip/E-Books/christ/ussher/ussher_toc.htm12/18/2004 9:24:02 AM The Annals of The World - Rev. James Ussher The Annals of The World by Rev. James Ussher LONDON, Printed by E. Tyler, for F. Crook, and G. Bedell, 1658 The Epistle to the Reader Censorinus, in his little book, the "Explication of Times Intervals", written to Q. Cerellius on his birthday, wrote in the preface of it. ``If the origin of the world had been known to man, I would have started there.'' (Consor. in c. 20.) And a little later, speaking of this time: ``Whether time had a beginning or whether it always was, the exact number of years cannot be known.'' (Consor. in c. 21.) Therefore Ptolemy, from "Astronomical Supputations", concerning the creation and history of the world states that it is beyond the knowledge of man. ``To find the details of the history of the whole world or such an immense period of times, I think it is beyond us that desire to learn and know the truth.'' (Ptolem. l. 3.) Julius Firmius Maternus in his discourse of history, that "Geniture of the World", received from Esculapius and Anubius. ``That was not the creation of the world. Nor, indeed, had the world any certain day for its beginning. Nor was there anything existing at the time when the world was formed by the wisdom of the Divine Understanding and Provident Deity. Nor could man in his human frailty so far extend itself, that it could conceive or unfold, easily the world's origin.'' (Jul. Firm. Mattes. l. 3. c. 2.) It is not strange that the heathens who are totally ignorant of the Holy Bible, should despair of ever attaining the knowledge of the world's beginnings. Even among Christians, that most renowned chronographer Dionysius Petavius when asked his opinion concerning the creation of the world and the number of years from creation down to us, made this disclaimer: ``That the number of years from the beginning of the world to our time, cannot be known nor in any way found out without Divine Revelation.'' (Petav. de Doctrina Temporum, l. 9. c. 2.) Philastrius Brixiensis disagreed with him and called it heresy: ``to know the number of the years from the creation of the world is uncertain and men do not know the file:///T|/Web%20Pages/Chip/E-Books/christ/ussher/ussher_e2r.htm (1 of 5)12/18/2004 9:24:03 AM The Annals of The World - Rev. James Ussher time.'' (Philast. De Heres. ib. c. 6. p. 63.) Lactantius Sirmianus, made this bold assertion in his "Divine Institutions": ``We who are trained by the Holy Scriptures to the knowledge of truth, do know both the beginning and end of the world.'' (Lastant. l. 7. c. 14.) For whatever may have happened in the past, we are taught that: ``The Father has reserved the knowledge of things future to himself. Nor is there any mortal to whom the whole period of time is known. (ib. Nicol. Lyranius.) Even the son of Sirach is thought to say. "The sands of the sea, the drops of rain and the days of the world, who can number?"'' /APC Sir 1:28 When Lyranus is thought to have been speaking of history, (when as others interpret it here and in Chap. XVIII. 11. of his "Days of Eternity") draws this erroneous conclusion. He thinks that from the beginning of the world, time was never by any man determined "certainly" and "precisely". The first Christian writer, (that I have known of) who attempted from the Holy Bible to calculate the age of the world, was Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch. Concerning this whole account, he states: ``All times and years are made known to them who are willing to obey the truth'' (Theoph. ad Autolyc. l. 3.) But concerning the exactness of this calculation he later states: ``And haply we may not be able to give an exact account of every year, because in the Holy Scriptures there is no mention of the precise number of months and days'' For the Scripture normally notes only entire years and not the days and months in each instance. Hence summing the years may give an inaccurate total because the partial years were not included. But granting this one thing, (and this is a most reasonable assumption) that the Holy Writers had this purpose in noting the years of the world in their various places with such diligence. They sought to reveal to us the history of the world that otherwise, no one could know. This, I say, being granted, we affirm that the Holy Spirit has anticipated this doubt. He has started and ended each of the periods, on which a series of time depends and added the very month and day. For example, the Israelites left Egypt on the 15th day of the first month. Nu 33:3. In the 480th year after their exodus, in the second month on the second day, Solomon began to build the temple. 1Ki 6:1. The months and days given for the start and end of the period show that 11 months and 14 days are to be taken away. The period is not 480 whole years, but only 479 years and 16 days. 2Ch 3:2 ``Those who promise to give us an exact astronomical table of time, from the creation to Christ, seem to me more worthy of encouragement than praise in that they attempt a thing beyond human capacity.'' Thus states David Paraeus, who, among the most recent of our writers, calculated the number the years to Christ's time from the Holy Scriptures. Therefore he says, abandoning astronomical calculations, he used the civil time of the Hebrews, Egyptians and Persians as the only way to do this accurately. file:///T|/Web%20Pages/Chip/E-Books/christ/ussher/ussher_e2r.htm (2 of 5)12/18/2004 9:24:03 AM The Annals of The World - Rev. James Ussher But if I have any understanding in this matter, it does not matter what rule we use to measure the passing of time, as long as it starts and ends with a certain number of days. Anyone could with D. Paraeus, by some equal measure of years, define the time between the foundation of the world and Christ's time. Also it would be very easy without the help of any astronomical table, to set down how many years happened during that interval. The passing of time in any civil year from a season to the same season again is simply a natural astronomical or tropical year. Anyone can do this who is well versed in the knowledge of sacred and profane history, of astronomical calculations and of the old Hebrew calendar. If he should apply himself to these difficult studies, it is not impossible for him to determine not only the number of years but even the days from the creation of the world. Using backward calculations, Basil the great, told us we may determine the first day of the world. ``You may indeed learn the very time when the foundation of the world was laid. If you return from this time to former ages, you may endeavour studiously to determine the day of the world's origin. Hence you will find when time began.'' {Basil. in Hexamer. Homil. 1.} The nations in various ages used different methods of calculating time and years. It is necessary that some common and known standard be used to which these may be reconciled. The Julian years and months are most suitable to the common collation of times. These start on midnight, January 1, A.D. Using three cycles, every year is uniquely identified. For example, the Roman indiction {a} of 15 years, the cycle of the moon {b}, or golden number of 19 and the solar cycle {c} (the index of Sunday or Paschal days) containing the period of 28 years. It is known that the year 1650 A.D. is identified with the numbers of 3 in the Roman indiction {a}, 17 in the lunar cycle and 7 in the solar cycle. (I do not say that of the year of the birth of Christ, which is still disputed among the learned.) Since our Christian period comes long after the creation of the world, counting years backward is difficult and error prone. There is a better way. Modern chronologers have extrapolated these three cycles backward to the year when all the cycles would start at 1 on January first. This creates an artificial epoch of length 7980 years based on the product of the three cycles multiplied together. Lunar Cycle 19 Years Solar Cycle 28 Years Years of Interdiction 15 Years Total 19 times 28 times 15 = 7980 Years I think this was first noted by Robert Lotharing, Bishop of Hereford, in England. 500 years later Joseph Scaliger adapted this to chronological use and called it by the name of the Julian Period, because it extended the cycle of Julian years back in time and forward. The cycle starts at noon, January 1, 4713 BC. and is a leap year. Here the lunar cycle is 1, the Solar cycle is 1 and the Interdiction cycle is also 1. Hence 1 AD is the year 4714 of the Julian period and is identified by the Roman Indiction of 4, lunar cycle of 2, solar cycle of 10. Moreover we find that the years of our forefathers, the years of the ancient Egyptians and Hebrews were the same length as the Julian Year. It consisted of 12 months containing 30 days. (It cannot be proved that the Hebrews used lunar months before the Babylonian captivity.) 5 days were added to the 12th month each year. Every 4 years, 6 days were added to the 12th month. I have noted the continual passing of these years, as set forth in the file:///T|/Web%20Pages/Chip/E-Books/christ/ussher/ussher_e2r.htm (3 of 5)12/18/2004 9:24:03 AM The Annals of The World - Rev. James Ussher Bible. Hence the end of Nebuchadnezzar's reign and the beginning of his son Evilmerodach's reign was in the 3442 year of the world. (3442 AM) By collation of Chaldean history and the astronomical cannon it was in the 85 year of Nabonasar. This was 562 BC. or 4152 JP. (Julian Period) From this I deduce that the creation of the world happened in the beginning of the autumn of 710 JP. {d} Using astronomical tables, I determined the first Sunday after the autumnal equinox for the year 710 JP which was October 23 of that year. I ignored the stopping of the sun, in the days of Joshua and the going back of it in the days of Hezekiah. (See the notes in my Annals for 2553 AM and 3291 AM) From thence I concluded, that from the preceding evening of October 23, marks the first day of creation and the start of time. I ignored the difficulties raised by chronologers who are occupied by the love of contention, as Basil notes. Hence I deduce that the time from the creation until midnight, January 1, 1 AD. was 4003 years, 70 days, 6 hours. Also based on the death of Herod I conclude that the birth of our Saviour was four full years before January 1, 1 AD. According to our calculations, the building of Solomon's temple was finished in the 3000th year of the world. In the 4000th year of the world, Mary gave birth to Christ Lu 2:6 (of whom the temple was a type). Joh 2:21 Hence Christ was born in 4 BC. not 1 AD. {e} But these things, (which I note at the present) God willing, shall be more fully explained in our "Sacred Chronology". This I intend to write with a "Treatise of the Primitive Years" and the "Calendar of the Ancient Hebrews". In the meantime I thought it best to publish the "Annals of the Old Testament". Based on this foundation, I included a chronicle of all foreign affairs that happened in Asia and Egypt. These include events before the beginning of the Olympiads and matters relating to Greece and Rome and other areas. In doing the sacred history, I have followed the translation of Janius and Tremellius, using their Hebraism's and the information from their work. In doing the secular history, I have noted the writings of their ancient authors or the best translation from the Greek of their works. In particular I used James Dalechamp translation in Athenaeus. Although in noting the chapters I observed the edition of "Natalis Comes". From these I have written this history using material from Codomanes, Capellas Emmias, Pezelius, Eberus, Salianus, or any other chronologer, which I had. However, I always referred to the original authors and did most of my work directly from their writings and not second hand sources. Since my purpose was to create an accurate chronology, I may not have followed the exact wording of these writers in every case, but I have preserved the intent of their writings. Of the many historians, who lived before Julius Caesar, the passing of time leaves only four of note: Herodotus, Thucidides, Xenophon and Polibius. The last one is poor and inaccurate in many places. These I esteemed the most authentic for their antiquity. I used them to correct the frequent errors in chronology of Diodorus Siculus. However in matters that related to Alexander the Great, they are silent. For this period, I also followed not only Diodorus but Curtius and Arrian to try to determine the history of that period. I used the following abbreviations: AD Years from the start of the Christian era. AM Year of the World from creation. BC Years before the Christian era. JP Julian Year starting at January 1, 4713 BC. NK Northern Kingdom of Israel. SK Southern Kingdom of Israel file:///T|/Web%20Pages/Chip/E-Books/christ/ussher/ussher_e2r.htm (4 of 5)12/18/2004 9:24:03 AM The Annals of The World - Rev. James Ussher After the time denoted by AM, one of four letters may be affixed. a Autumn b Winter c Spring d Summer Other things the prudent reader will figure out for himself. I wish you the enjoyment of these endeavours and bid you farewell. London, July 13, 1650 AD. Rev. James Ussher file:///T|/Web%20Pages/Chip/E-Books/christ/ussher/ussher_e2r.htm (5 of 5)12/18/2004 9:24:03 AM The Annals of The World - Rev. James Ussher The Latter Part of THE ANNALS of JAMES USSHER, Archbishop of Armagh: Containing besides that of the MACCHABEES AND NEW TESTAMENT The History of all the remarkable Occurrences transacted during the ROMAN EMPIRE which began under C. Julius, and Octavian: With the most considerable Passages in all Asia and Egypt: CONTINUED From the beginning of the Reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, to the beginning of the Empire of Vespasian, and the utter Destruction and Abolition of the Temple and Commonwealth of the Jews. LONDON, Printed by E. Tyler, for F. Crook, and G. Bedell, 1658. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER 3201. You have here the other volume of my annals, which you will find more fully the history of Rhodes and the isles between Asia and Europe. For although formerly, to make the work more manageable, I resolved to associate them with Greece. Yet considering, that in the division of the Eastern Empire, the province of the isles is attributed to the Asian part, I also thought good later to place them with Asia. Those things which I produce concerning this history, you have on the authority of the authors who relate them. I have left the judgment of such things to those learned men, who make it their business to deal with them. In the citing of Cornelius Tacitus, I have observed the edition of Bereggerus and Freinshemius since it is divided into chapters. Concerning the history of the apostolic times, it does not seem adequate. I shall (if God Almighty affords me life and strength to finish that work) give you an account in my Sacred Chronology. James Ussher file:///T|/Web%20Pages/Chip/E-Books/christ/ussher/ussher_e2r2.htm12/18/2004 9:24:03 AM The Annals of The World - Rev. James Ussher The Annals of The World by Rev. James Ussher LONDON, Printed by E. Tyler, for F. Crook, and G. Bedell, 1658 Explanatory Notes by Editor {a} Dictionary Definition of "Roman Indiction." In chronology, a cycle of fifteen years instituted by Constantine the Great; originally, a period of taxation. Constantine having reduced the time which the Romans were obliged to serve in the army to fifteen years, imposed a tax or tribute at the end of the term, to pay the troops' discharged. This practice introduced the keeping of accounts by this period. But, as it is said, in honour of the great victory of Constantine over Mezentius, Sept. 24, A.D. 312, by which Christianity was more firmly established, the council of Nice ordained that accounts of years should no more be kept by Olymiads, but that the "indiction" should be used as the point from which to reckon the date years. This was begun Jan. 1, A.D. 313. "Johnson. Encyc." Taken from the definition of "Indiction" in "Noah Webster's First Edition of an American Dictionary of the English Language", Published 1989, by "Foundation for American Christian Education", California. (Dictionary was first published in 1828.) {b} Lunar Cycle The lunar cycle consists of 19 years or 235 complete orbits of the moon around the earth. This differs from 19 years of 365.25 days each by approximately one and an half hours. On the first year of the next cycle of 19 years, the new moon would again be on January 1. {c} Solar Cycle The solar cycle consists of 28 years. At the start of each new cycle every day and month of the year would correspond exactly to the days and months of the first year of the previous cycle. {d} Time of Creation Since the Jews used to start their year in the autumn, this is not an unreasonable assumption. Also the biblical pattern of "evening and morning" seems to apply to year as well as days. First the dark months of autumn and winter and then the bright months of spring and summer. This also fits the biblical pattern in spiritual matters too. For the saint, his worst lot in life comes first followed by an eternal day of happiness in Christ. The best wine comes last. Joh 2:10 See Spurgeon's Sermon No. 225, "Satan's Banquet" and No. 226, "The Feast of the Lord". {e} The Christian Era file:///T|/Web%20Pages/Chip/E-Books/christ/ussher/ussher_enbe.htm (1 of 3)12/18/2004 9:24:04 AM The Annals of The World - Rev. James Ussher The Christian Era should properly began with the year Christ was born; and in devising it, the intention was to have it begin with that year. By the "Christian Era" is meant the system upon which calendars are constructed and by which historical events are now dated in practically all the civilized world. But the originator of the system made a miscalculation as to the year (in the calendar then in use) in which Christ was born, as the result of which the year A.D. 1 was fixed four years too late. In other words, the Lord Jesus was four years old in the year A.D. 1. The mistake came about in this way: The Christian Era (i.e. the scheme of dates beginning A.D. 1) was not devised until A.D. 532. Its inventor, or contriver, was a monk named Dionysius Exiguus. At that time the system of dates in common use began from the era of the emperor Diocletian, A.D. 284. Exiguus was not willing to connect his system of dates with the name of that infamous tyrant and persecutor. So he conceived the idea of connecting his system with and dating all its events from, the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. His reason for wishing to do this was, as he wrote to Bishop Petronius, "to the end that the commencement of our hope might be better known to us and that the cause of man's restoration, namely, our Redeemer's passion, might appear with clearer evidence." For the carrying out of this excellent plan, it was necessary to fix the date of the Incarnation in the terms of the chronological systems then in vogue. The Romans dated the beginning of their history from the supposed date of the founding of the city ("ab urbe condita" or A.U.C as usually abbreviated). Dionysius Exiguus calculated that the year of our Lord's birth was A.U.C. 753. He made his equivalence of dates from Lu 3:1, "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar" etc., at which time Christ was 30 years of age according to Lu 3:23. But it was ascertained later that a mistake of four years had been made; for it clearly appears by Mt 2:1 that Christ was born before the death of Herod, who died in 749 A.U.C. Tiberius succeeded Augustus, Aug. 19, A.U.C. 767. Hence his 15th year would be A.U.C. 779; and from those facts Dionysius was right in his calculation. But it was discovered in later years that Tiberius began to reign as colleague with Augustus four years before the latter died. Hence the 15th year mentioned by Luke was four years earlier than was supposed by Dionysius and consequently the birth of Christ was that many years earlier than the date selected by Exiguus, which date has been followed ever since. This must be allowed for in any computation of dates which involves events happening before Christ. "The Wonders of Bible Chronology", Page 84,85, Philip Mauro, first published 1922, Reprinted by, Reiner Publications, Swengel, Pennsylvania Philip Melanchthon: His Narration, Concerning Philip Prince Palatine, to Rhenus. I have often heard Capino relate the following when Dalburgius, the Bishop of the Vangions, Rudolphus Agricola and myself were with Philip Prince Palatine Elector. Not only in ordinary conversation but also in serious discussions about the affairs of the state, they would often bring notable examples from the Persian or Greek or Roman history. The Prince was very zealous to know more of history and he noted that the distinction of the times, nations and empires, was necessary for this. Therefore he wished them to make a chronology of the kingdoms of ancient history based on all available Hebrew, Greek and Latin authors. At that time in 1480 AD, there were no books about the ancient empires in the German language. Nor had the Latins anything of that nature, save Justin's confused Epitome, which also lacked a detailed chronology. Those learned men were delighted to compile this work. Therefore they compiled a chronology from Hebrew, Greek, and Latin monuments of the various monarchies. To this they added all the most important events in proper place and created a chronology of the nations and times. This grateful Prince read these works most earnestly and delighted file:///T|/Web%20Pages/Chip/E-Books/christ/ussher/ussher_enbe.htm (2 of 3)12/18/2004 9:24:04 AM The Annals of The World - Rev. James Ussher in them. Also he was thankful that the times and the memory of the most important events were preserved by Divine Providence. For they showed him, how that the history of the world was continued, so that Herodatus begins his writings a little before the end of the prophetic history. For even before the end of the Persian monarchy, concerning which we have a most clear account of Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah, some of the names of the kings of Assyria and Egypt, are the same in the prophets and Herodotus. Jeremiah foretells their destruction to Apries, which also Herodotus describes. After Apries kills Jeremiah, Amasis strangles the proud king after he had captured him. The Palatine prince said he saw the witness of the Divine presence in the ordering of empires. For these empires could neither be attained nor retained by mere human power. Therefore they were created that they might be the upholders of human society, unite many nations, restore law, justice, peace and indeed, they might teach men concerning God. Therefore, he did often repeat those words of Daniel that God changes and confirms empires. He said likewise, that by the changes and punishments of tyrants, the just judgment of the Almighty was most conspicuous. By these illustrious examples, all mankind was admonished to acknowledge God and were to understand that he wills and ordains justice and is truly offended with those who transgress this his ordination. Such were the speeches of that Prince, concerning the rise and fall of empires. file:///T|/Web%20Pages/Chip/E-Books/christ/ussher/ussher_enbe.htm (3 of 3)12/18/2004 9:24:04 AM