Primary Sources of the Early Arian Controversy ordered according to Hanson's chronology (1988)

Beginning on p. 133 of The Search for the Christian Doctrine of God, Hanson explains that he supports Opitz's dating system completely, and sets forth a timeline for the events of the early Arian controversy.   There are no contradictions, and few differences between Opitz and Hanson's system.  The references are not exhaustive: only references relating to dating are given. 

Opitiz's number
(Urk.)		 Opitz's date Hanson's date: Hanson reference: 2007 edition
order (Doc.)		 Document
1 c. 318 not long after 318 p. 6 15 Arius to Eusebius of Nicomedia
2 c. 318 318 p. 31 16 Fragment of a letter from Eusebius of Nicomedia to Arius
3 c. 318 318 p. 57 10 Eusebius of Caesarea to Euphration of Balanea
4a 318/9 318 p. 134 2.1 Alexander of Alexandria to his clergy
4b c. 318 c. 319 p. 16 2.2 Alexander of Alexandria’s encyclical letter on Arius’s deposition
5 c. 320 c. 320 p. 130 3 Summary of letter of a Council in Bithynia
6 c. 320 c.320 p. 7 1 Arius and his followers to Alexander of Alexandria
7 c. 320 320 p. 56 9 Eusebius of Caesarea to Alexander of Alexandria
8 c. 320/1 320/1 p. 30-1 4 Eusebius of Nicomedia to Paulinus of Tyre
9 c. 320 320-21 p. 45 5 Fragment of a letter of Paulinus of Tyre
10 c. 321/2 320/1 p. 135 8 Summary of letter of a council in Palestine reinstating Arius
11 c. 322   p. 42 11 Athanasius of Anazarbus to Alexander of Alexandria
12 c. 322 c. 322 p. 44 6 Priest George to Alexander of Alexandria
13 c. 322 c. 322 p. 44 7 Priest George to the Arians in Alexandria
14 324 324 p. 17 17 Alexander of Alexandria to Alexander of  Thessalonica [or Byzantium]
15 324 319-324 p. 148 14 Fragment of a letter of Alexander of Alexandria to all bishops
16 ? 324 p. 137 18 Fragment a letter of Alexander of Alexandria to Sylvester of Rome
17 Oct. 324 324 p. 137 19 Emperor Constantine to Alexander of Alexandria and Arius
18 Beginning of 325 beginning 325 p. 149 20 Letter of the Council of Antioch (325)
19 325 325 p. 150 21 Fragment of a letter of Narcissus of Neronias to Chrestus, Euphronius and Eusebius
20 Spring 325   pp. 152-4 22 Emperor Constantine’s letter calling the Council of Nicaea
21 June 325 June 325 p. 31, 161 23 Fragment of a letter from Eusebius of Nicomedia to the Council of Nicaea
22 June 325 June 325 p. 53 24 Eusebius of Caesarea to his church explaining his actions at the Council of Nicaea
23 June 325 June 325 p. 174 25

Letter of the Council of Nicaea to the Egyptian church

24 June 19th 325 June 19th 325 p. 163ff. 26 Creed of the Council of Nicaea
25 June 325 June 325 p. 173 29

Emperor Constantine to the church of Alexandria

26 June 325 June 325 p. 173 30 Emperor Constantine to the churches on the Nicene decision concerning Easter
27 Nov.-Dec. 325 directly after the Council? p. 173 31

Emperor Constantine to the church of Nicomedia
28 Nov.-Dec. 325   p. 176ff 32

Emperor Constantine to Theodotus of Laodicea

29 27 Nov. 327 327 p. 178 33

Emperor Constantine to Arius

30 End of 327 end of 327 p. 8 34 Arius and Euzoius to the Emperor Constantine
31 End of 327 328 p. 178 36

Eusebius of Nicomedia and Theognis of Nicaea, recanting in order to be reinstated
32 Beginning of 328 328 p. 178 37

Fragment of a letter from Emperor Constantine to Alexander of Alexandria
33 333 333 p. 178 28 Part of an edict against Arius and his followers
34 333 333 p. 9, 176 27 Emperor Constantine to Arius and his followers

   

We are currently in the process of comparing various dating systems.  So see Rowan William's dating system, click here.

To return to the regular numbering system, click here.

Created by AJW
Last updated:6/22/07 AJW
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