The Reigns of Roman Emperors 

on the Mediterranean), and so the letter informing Petronius that Gaius was dead arrived 27 days ahead of the 

other letter.

898

 Therefore, these events occurred in the winter leading up to the death of the emperor Gaius. 

    The Jews were in the plain of Ptolemais for 50 days or more sometime in Oct./Nov. of 

A.D.

 40 (usual), or 

A.D.

 25 (revised). And that winter, 

A.D.

 40/41 (usual) or 

A.D.

 25/26 (revised), could not have been a 

Sabbatical year since the Jews intended to till the soil and plant seed. Yet, according to Zuckermann, the 

Sabbatical year occurred from Sept. of 

A.D.

 40 to Sept. of 

A.D.

 41.

899

 The usual date for the end of the reign of 

Gaius conflicts with Zuckermann's theory about the Sabbatical years. However, if one accepts the revised 

chronology of this book (placing Gaius' death in Jan. of 

A.D.

 26), this conflict does not occur. Zuckermann 

has a Sabbatical year from fall of 

A.D.

 26 to fall of 

A.D.

 27, and Wacholder has it from 

A.D.

 27 to 

A.D.

 28. The 

winter of 

A.D.

 25/26 was not a Sabbatical year in either Zuckermann or Wacholder. The dates for the 

Sabbatical years given by Wacholder are one year later than those by Zuckermann. Wacholder's Sabbatical 

years do not conflict with the year for Gaius' death in either the usual or the revised chronology. 

Zuckermann's Sabbatical years conflict with the usual chronology. Thus one must favor Wacholder over 

Zuckermann in the usual chronology. In my revised chronology, Wacholder's chronology of the Sabbatical 

years is overall a better fit, particularly when one looks at events during the reign of king Herod (see chapter 

12), and at the time frame for the destruction of the Temple (see chapter 14), and so I must favor Wacholder 

over Zuckermann. (See chapter 16 for a detailed discussion of the Sabbatical years.) 

17.  Comets, Eclipses, Emperors 

    The ancient Romans considered comets to be omens indicating impending misfortune, warfare, or a change 

in leadership. Tacitus refers to a comet seen during Nero's reign as one of several  omens of impending 

misfortune. 

900

 In speaking about an earlier comet seen during Nero's reign, Tacitus also tells us:  The general 

belief is that a comet means a change of emperor. So people speculated on Nero's successor as though Nero 

were already dethroned. 

901

 Other ancient Roman historians also mention comets in connection with various 

important historical events. These comet sightings can be correlated to the comet sightings recorded by the 

ancient Chinese and Korean astronomers. Information on ancient comets, including sightings by the ancient 

Chinese and Korean astronomers, is taken from the reference work  Cometography, by Gary W. Kronk.

902

Locations of constellations, used to mark the locations of comets, was determined using RedShift 3 astronomy 

software. 

    The ancient Romans considered solar and lunar eclipses to be likewise omens related to political events. 

Several significant examples of eclipses coinciding with historical events are mentioned by the ancient Roman 

historians. As shown in chapter 12, the lunar eclipse which preceded the death of Herod is very helpful in 

determining the time frame for his death. In section 1 above, a solar eclipse following the death of Julius 

Caesar is helpful in determining the year of his death. In section 5 above, a solar eclipse preceding the death of 

Augustus clearly indicates that he did not die in 

A.D.

 14, as is generally believed. The eclipse data, along with 

other evidence, points to 

A.D.

 10 as the year of Augustus' death. 

    The following paragraphs review the evidence from comet and eclipse data in support of my revised 

chronology for the reigns of Roman emperors. Notice that these revised dates, supported by comet and eclipse 

data, fit together within the larger framework of this revised chronology. On the other hand, the comet and 

eclipse data does not fit well, and in several points clearly refutes, the usual chronology. 

Julius Caesar's Comet 

    This comet is perhaps the most famous one associated with the death of an emperor. It was seen after the 

death of Julius Caesar and was interpreted as meaning that Julius had taken his place with the gods. The 

dating of this comet is important to determining the year of Julius Caesar's death. Augustus' eye witness 

description of Julius Caesar's comet fits the comet of 49 

B.C.

 very well, and does not fit the comet of 44 

B.C.

 at 

all (see section 2 above). 

    The solar eclipse that Pliny says followed the death of Julius Caesar further supports the revised date for his 

death, 49 

B.C.

, since there was a solar eclipse visible from the Roman Empire in that year. The information 

about a solar eclipse after Julius' death further undermines the usual date for Julius' death, 44 

B.C.

, since there 

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