Book of Mormon history
c. 100-92 B.C.
Alma the younger and four sons of Mosiah seek to destroy the Church (Mosiah 27:8-9); angel commands them to repent. (Mosiah 27:11-16.) Alma 2 is struck speechless. (Mosiah 27:19.) Three days later, his ability to speak returns, and he tells of his redemption from the "bonds of iniquity" and begins to preach the word of God. (Mosiah 27:23-32.) The sons of Mosiah 2 travel through the land of Zarahemla striving "to repair all the injuries which they had done to the church." (Mosiah 27:35.)
c. 99 B.C.
Moroni 1, chief captain of Nephite armies (Alma 43:16-17), is born, later raises standard of liberty wherever he goes. (Alma 62:4.)
c. 91 B.C.
The reign of the judges begins in the land of Zarahemla, ending the reign of the kings and beginning the second method of reckoning time among Book of Mormon peoples. Alma 2 is the first chief judge and high priest. (Mosiah 29:42-44.)
c. 83 B.C.
Alma 2 retains office of high priest, but gives up judgment seat to Nephihah (Alma 4:17-18) so he (Alma 2) "might preach the word of God" unto his people (Alma 4:19); Amulek becomes missionary companion of Alma 2. (Alma 8:30.)
c. 73 B.C.
Alma 2 may have seen God, even as Lehi did. (Alma 36:22.) Alma 2 gives records to his eldest son, Helaman 2, who is also entrusted with the 24 gold plates of the Jaredites and the "interpreters" (Alma 37:1, 21, 24), prophesies destruction of the Nephites (Alma 45:10-12), curses land (America) because of wickedness (Alma 45:16), is probably translated "even as Moses." (Alma 45:19.)
c. 64 B.C.
Two thousand stripling warriors enter into covenant to fight for liberty of the Nephites. (Alma 53:16-18.)
c. 55 B.C.
Moroni 1 dies. (Alma 63:3.)
c. 52 B.C.
Shiblon, second son of Alma 2 (Alma 31:7), becomes keeper of the records. (Alma 63:1.) Pahoran 2, son of Pahoran 1, becomes fourth chief judge. (Hel. 1:5.) Pahoran 2 is murdered by Kishkumen (Hel. 1:9); Pahoran's brother Pacumeni becomes chief judge. (Hel. 1:13.)
c. 50 B.C.
Moronihah 1 re-establishes peace between Nephites and Lamanites (Hel. 2:1); Helaman 3, who had been entrusted with the records by Shiblon about three years earlier (Alma 63:11), is appointed chief judge. (Hel. 2:2.)
c. 30 B.C.
Nephi 2 gives up judgment seat to Cezoram (Hel. 5:1) so he and his brother Lehi 2 could "preach the word of God all the remainder" of their days. (Hel. 5:4.)
c. 25 B.C.
Gadianton and Kishkumen form a "secret combination" of murderers and plunderers, known as the Gadianton robbers (Hel. 6:18), which commits all manner of wickedness.
c. 24 B.C.
Gadianton robbers seize control of Nephite government. (Hel. 6:39.)
c. 6 B.C.
Samuel the Lamanite prophesies destruction of the Nephites unless they repent (Hel. 13:2-6), foretells birth of the Savior in "five years more" (Hel. 14:2), gives signs of His birth. (Hel. 14:3-6.)
Dates are taken from the internal dating system of the Book of Mormon. The abbreviation "c." means circa, a Latin term to indicate it is approximate, not exact. The use of numerical superscripts (for example, the "2" on "Alma 2") follows the style fo the index of the current edition of the Book of Mormon to distinguish between persons or groups with the same name.
Concurrent world history
100 B.C.
First Chinese ships reach the coast of India. Roman Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar is born.
90 B.C.
Asclepiades, the Greek physician, practices nature healing in Rome.
82 B.C.
Oldest existing amphitheater is erected at Pompeii in Italy.
71 B.C.
Spartacus in Rome leads slaves and gladiators in revolt; they are crushed by consuls of Roman emperor Pompey and Roman general Crassus.
68 B.C.
Antipater, father of Herod I, attempts to seize power from the Maccabees. With assistance of Arabia's King Aretas, he organizes an army and fights Aristobulus on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
63 B.C.
Pompey takes advantage of struggles among Maccabees and captures Jerusalem, ending real government by Maccabees. A weak Maccabee, Hyrcanus II, is named "Prince of the Jews"; Pompey enters Syria, completes conquest of Palestine, making it part of Roman province of Syria. Gaius Octavious (Augustus), who later becomes Roman emperor, is born.
60 B.C.
Caesar is elected consul; forms first Roman triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus.
57 B.C.
Alexander, elder son of Aristobulus II, collects an army and heads an insurrection in Judea; he is defeated and beheaded by order of Pompey.
55 B.C.
Roman forces under Julius Caesar conquer northern Gaul, invade Britain.
47 B.C.
Pompey is murdered in Egypt by order of Cleopatra. Library of Ptolemy I in Alexandria is destroyed by fire.
46 B.C.
Julian calendar of 365.25 days is adopted; leap year is introduced.
44 B.C.
Caesar is murdered. Mark Antony, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, and Gaius Octavius form second triumvirate.
41 B.C.
Herod and Phasael become joint tetrarchs of Judea.
40 B.C.
Herod at Rome is appointed king of Judea.
31 B.C.
Mark Antony and Cleopatra, defeated by Octavian at battle of Actium, commit suicide; Egypt becomes a Roman province.
30 B.C.
Octavian (also known as Julius Caesar Octavianus) is retitled Augustus and becomes virtual Roman emperor.
17 B.C.
Work is begun on Herod's Temple.
6 B.C.
Judea is annexed by Rome. Herod has Mariamme and Aristobulus executed. He later has his sons by Mariamme executed; the Maccabean line continues in Herod of Chalcis, Agrippa I and Agrippa II.
Sources: 1983 and 1988 Church News Book of Mormon chronology charts; Dictionary of the Bible, Charles Schribner's Sons publishers; The Timetables Of History, Simon and Schuster publishers; and The New Analytical Bible and Dictionary of the Bible, John A. Dickson Publishing Co.