Chapter 13  

The Reigns of Roman Emperors 

    Certain dates for events in the first century 

B.C.

 and first century 

A.D.

 are generally accepted by historians 

and biblical scholars without question and very much without examination. They constitute unexamined 

premises found within almost every chronological argument for this time period. One example is the year 

given for the death of Julius Caesar, 44 

B.C.

 Another is the date for the death of Caesar Augustus, 

A.D.

 14. In 

general, it is the starting and ending dates for the reigns of various Roman emperors that are both most widely 

accepted and least examined. But what if these generally accepted dates are not correct? This chapter examines 

the usual dates given for the reigns of various Roman emperors and rulers and argues for a remarkable revision 

of these historical dates. 

    Many chronologies for this time period attempt to establish the dates of various events based on evidence as 

to which persons were Roman consuls in that year. This methodology assumes that the generally accepted 

assignment of consuls to years in the 

B.C.

/

A.D.

 calendar is correct. It also assumes that the generally accepted 

dates for the reigns of various Roman emperors are correct. If these assumed dates are not correct, then, 

clearly, neither are the arguments based on these dates. Such unexamined and unproved assumptions 

undermine the logic of many scholarly chronologies. This chapter refutes those assumptions by presenting a 

series of definitive points in support of an earlier chronology. One cannot refute this earlier chronology by 

reference to the generally accepted dates for consuls and emperors, unless such dates are accompanied by 

evidence and logical arguments proving that these have been correctly assigned to the years of the 

B.C.

/

A.D.

calendar. 

    At first, when I began these chronological studies, I accepted the usual dates for the reigns of  the Roman 

emperors. However, I noticed some inconsistencies in the historical evidence and began to consider whether 

the actual dates for events, such as the death of Augustus, might be other than what is so widely and 

unquestioningly accepted. What follows are some significant points of evidence in support of a revised 

chronology for the reigns of Roman emperors, beginning with Julius Caesar. 

1.  A solar eclipse after the death of Julius Caesar. 

    Pliny states that there was a solar eclipse following the death of Julius Caesar.  Portentous and protracted 

eclipses of the sun occur, such as the one after the murder of Caesar the dictator . 

806

 Yet there was no solar 

eclipse visible from anywhere in the Roman Empire from Feb. of 48 

B.C.

 through Dec. of 41 

B.C.

, inclusive.

807

Nor is Pliny likely to have been mistaken about whether or not there was a solar eclipse, since he himself 

explains that eclipses were predictable by the scholars of his day.

808

 On the other hand, in 49 

B.C.

, there was a 

solar eclipse visible from Rome, on August 9, at 11:30 hours local time.

809

2.  A comet after the death of Julius Caesar. 

    Pliny quotes Caesar Augustus as saying that he saw a comet soon after the death of Julius Caesar.   `On the 

very days of my Games a comet was visible for seven days in the northern part of the sky. It was rising about 

an hour before sunset, and was a bright star visible from all lands.'  

810

 This comet is often depicted in ancient 

images of Julius Caesar. 

    Ancient Chinese astronomers observed the stars carefully and kept the most detailed records for that time 

period. By comparing those records, reviewed in detail by the reference work Cometography,

811

 we can search 

for a comet during that time period, which fits the description given by Augustus. This comet must meet 

certain criteria. 

    The comet following the death of Julius Caesar was clearly seen from Rome in the northern part of the sky. 

The location  of comets in the sky was given by Chinese astronomers in terms of the constellations. The 

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