What year did Saint Paul die?

Answer 1

Most historians would say either 64ad under Nero or 67ad under Nero along with St. Peter. While no specific evidence points to either date, we know that Nero died in 68ad and that both Eusebius and Clement or Rome (1st Epistle) speak of his death.

The two dates are explained by ether Nero's fury over Rome burning and blaming the Christians for the fire so that a large persecution broke out (64ad) or after word got back to Rome of the Jewish revolt (66ad and ongoing...) where the 3rd Legion Gallica was partially destroyed and an Eagle standard lost, the result being pogroms against the Jews all over the empire and Jews in Rome persecuted along with the Christian sect. (67ad).

Either way, most agree that he was beheaded, not crucified (being a Roman citizen) at Aquae Salviae, the road to the port of Ostia, about three miles from the Forum in Rome, on February 22 and buried in the Via Ostiensis/called by Italians Tre Fontane.

Eusebius, in the Armenian version of the Chronicle, together with the Agapio, states unequivocally that the death of Paul occurred in the 13th YEAR OF NERO (BETWEEN OCTOBER 3, A.D. 66, AND OCTOBER 12, A.D. 67)!

R. W. Morgan claims "there are SIX YEARS of St. Paul's life to be accounted for, between his liberation from his FIRST IMPRISONMENT and his martyrdom at Aquae Salviae in the Ostian Road, near Rome." Since Paul was liberated from his first imprisonment in 61, this brings us to 67 A.D.

Euthalius, who flourished 458-490 A.D. also placed Paul's martyrdom in the 13th year of Nero (67 A.D.) -- see The Life and Epistles of St. Paul, page 409. Archimandrite Theodoritos Bournis, in his book I Was in the Isle Patmos... also supports this: "After the dormition of the virgin and Apostle Paul's martyrdom, THAT IS AFTER 67 A.D., he [John] comes to Ephesus where he settles himself" (Athens, 1968. Page 13).

Paul appointed Linus and Cletus overseers of the Church at Rome; and Linus served YEHOVAH God's people for 11 years 3 months and 12 days before his martyrdom in November of 67 A.D. -- LEAVING AN EMPTY POSITION! Now, why is this so important in dating Peter's death? Because of the following:

Iltigius, in De Patribus Apostolicis, QUOTES ST. PETER as saying: "Concerning the bishops [overseers] who have been ordained in our lifetime, we make known to you that they are these. Of Antioch, Eudoius, ordained by me, Peter. OF THE CHURCH OF ROME, LINUS, SON OF CLAUDIA, WAS FIRST ORDAINED BY PAUL, AND AFTER LINUS'S DEATH, CLEMENT (CLEMENS) THE SECOND, ORDAINED BY ME, PETER. -- Apostolic Constitutions, 1:46.

This means that Peter was STILL ALIVE AFTER THE DEATH OF LINUS; and since we have seen Linus was martyred in November and buried in December of 67, then we have NARROWED THE TIME-FRAME for Peter's execution down to between December of 67 and the suicide of Nero in June, 68. A period of some six months.

Clement himself says in his letter to James in Jerusalem:

But about that time, when he [Peter] was about to die, the brethren being assembled together, he [Peter] suddenly seized my hand, and rose up, and said in presence of the church: "...the day of my death is approaching, I lay hands upon this Clement as your bishop [overseer]; and to him I entrust my chair of discourse."....having thus spoken, he laid hands upon me in the presence of all....(Ante-Nicene Fathers, translated by Roberts & Donaldson. N.Y. 1926).