Frequently Asked Questions

Why an Updated Chronology?

If you have spent any length of time researching ancient history, certainly you have discovered the wide amount of conflicting information pertaining to several key events from this period. Insert the technology of the world wide web and the scope of our understanding becomes even more confused and opinionated. Accurate and precise research is available, but often times the information is scattered or found in various places and in various libraries around the world.

Much that has been published over the last century has been very well written, but before recent archaeological studies and modern methods of research, many authors were limited in their sources of history. With new information, faster forms of research, and advanced methods of presenting information, a new world is before us.

Our chronology follows in the tradition of respected chronologists such as Ussher, Thiele, and Finegan who have helped to establish a commonly accepted chronology. A Timeline of Ancient & Biblical History is not a new chronology, but is an updated and fine tuned version of the works that have come before us (click here for a complete bibliography).

The goal of Bible-Time.com is to present the most precise and accurate timeline available to our age in a digital format which anyone can use. Precision means dating events of the ancient world down to the year, month, and often the day in which history occurred. Accuracy means narrowing the margin of error and presenting reliable information that can be trusted and used for further research.

Bible-Time.com desires to place in your hands a reliable chronology that will help you in your study of the Bible and history. Our chosen medium is the computer. A digital format will enable us and others to dig deeper into the ancient world and build upon one another's work. The result–more precision and accuracy.

How Accurate Is the Timeline?

Again, our goal is precision and accuracy. It's exciting when you can look at a visual format and pinpoint events such as the destruction of the first temple and say, "Hey! This happened on August 17, 586!" Precision in the study of history is thrilling, but it is our commitment to also present history accurately. We will not sacrifice the accuracy of ancient history in order to be more precise. For most of the dates in the timeline, a year and often the month can be associated with events; when we can not, we note the approximate year. If only the year is known, we note the year; if a month is known, we note the month. Often times, we can pinpoint the day, and on those occasions, we do so.

The period of the Babylonian Empire is one of the most precisely dated periods of history. Because of careful astronomical and religious records of the Babylonians, including lunar and solar eclipses, we can now scientifically date the events of this period. Careful records were also made of the new moons and thus the beginning of each month. A chart can be viewed that represents these records on the CD and the site. The records were not calculated scientifically, but by sight. Due to obscuring weather conditions in the days of the ancients, there is an occasional margin of error of one day on our timeline. More information can be read regarding the accuracy of Volume IV in the introduction to the notes.

What Is Our Source Material?

Many history books have been written and serve as a wonderful source of secondary research. These books and publications are referenced in detail in our bibliography for the timeline. However, it is important that we always go back to the primary resources as much as possible. This makes good history.

For Volume IV, we have made careful use of the Babylonian Chronicles and other translations of ancient cuneiform texts. To the extent possible, these translations have been made available on the CD so that you too can repeat this research. Other ancient historical records have also been included for your benefit.

It is our belief and presupposition that the Bible is also a primary resource not just giving additional material useful to the historian, but should be the primary resource used by historians and chronographers. If the Old Testament is as well preserved and inerrant as the Bible claims and as we believe at Bible-Time.com then it should harmonize accurately with recorded history. It is our experience that it does. This does not mean that the Bible gives detailed information regarding all of ancient history, but it does mean that the Bible ought to be the first resource we consult for an understanding of the past.

We understand that many of our customers disagree with this world view and we acknowledge those differences. We would only ask you to consider our conclusions and, indeed, the claims of the the biblical record and accept the Bible as one of many primary resources. Consider its claims and study for yourself whether it proves to maintain the accuracy that the Jewish and Christian communities hold. Our request is that you would give it at least the consideration you would to other ancient documents and texts. Our prayer is that you would find the Savior which this ancient, but relevant book points to and proclaims.

Why Volume IV First?

No! We are not emulating the popular science fiction movie saga!

Like many historians and students, we were searching for historical information regarding the prophets of Judah and the kings of their day, but found that our research had information that greatly contradicted itself or was just generally lacking in precision. Many works gave multiple dates for the same events! The particular area of our study at the time was the life and book of Daniel. So this is where we began.

The Babylonian Era is also critical in understanding previous and subsequent events of history. The lunar eclipses of the Babylonian Empire and the solar eclipse of 585 enable us to fix clear reference points to work from. From here we can move backwards and forwards into and through history.

What's with DigiManipulation and do we manipulate history in any way?

The name, DigiManipulation, was chosen by Jeffrey and Joshua Niles to represent a new company committed to digital design. The "Digi" represents the medium. "Manipulation" means to manage or utilize skillfully. At DigiManipulation.com, Bible-Time.com's parent organization, we create and manipulate graphics and digital documents. Mainly we operate in web design, photo manipulation, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Manipulation, however, also implies change. In this sense, we do not manipulate history. Rather, we graphically and digitally present history in various formats. A Timeline of Ancient & Biblical History is just one project taken on by a larger company.

If we can help you with any of your digital needs, we would love to help you manage and utilize them as you need.

Copyrights & How you may use the timeline

A Timeline of Ancient & Biblical History, the accompanying notes, and the charts are copyrighted by DigiManipulation.com and are the result of years of study and months of careful management. It is also a portion of our livelihood. Material in the bonus sections of this CD have been formatted for this project, but in part are also copyrighted by others who depend on these works for their sustenance. We would ask you to respect the copyrights of protected material and utilize that which is freeware or in public domain. We will note the classification of the material in the bonus section.

The timeline, notes, and charts are available in different formats so that the teacher and student can take advantage of different ways of studying and presenting information. The timeline itself is in HTML format for ease of exploration and study, but is also presented in a PowerPoint document so that the user can add, manipulate, and further refine the information which will be presented to others. We ask that you would honor our labor and not remarket the presentation–this is ethical. However, we want you to be able to use the material in a way that you can present it in presentations and classes alongside your own material and research.

DigiManipulation.com grants you the right to copy the Timeline in its entirety onto two computers that you own or operate on a regular basis. A Timeline of Ancient & Biblical History is intended for nonprofit, noncommercial use in churches, classrooms, and seminars. Photocopies and printouts made for such settings should be limited to 1,000 units and cannot be sold or used for any profitable enterprise. Questions about usage should be directed to DigiManipulation.com.

You may make changes to the PowerPoint presentations for church, classroom, seminar presentations, and personal use, but we ask you to make footnoted notations of those changes where you might change the information that is presented. Altered pages of PowerPoint documents cannot be sold or used for any profitable enterprise.

Besides the exceptions used above, no part of this work may be reproduced without written permission, except for brief quotations in books and critical reviews. For more information, please send us an e-mail.

What if you find inaccuracies?

Once again, our mission is to produce a precise and accurate timeline available in a digital format which anyone can use. We recognize that we are not infallible or inerrant. There will be mistakes in our timeline and we acknowledge that up front, but we are committed to constantly improving on our existing work. Please inform us of any inaccuracies or mistakes that you find. We would be more than happy to examine anything you point out and correct any legitimate errors.

When will new volumes and versions be available?

We would like to produce seven volumes of A Timeline of Ancient & Biblical History. Volume IV: The Babylonian Empire is now available and Volume V: The Persian Empire should be available in 2006. The third volume will be Volume III: The Kings of Judah & Israel followed by VI, II, then I. Our hope is to complete an extensive Volume VII: The Roman Empire which will incorporate a portion of the silent years between the Old and New Testaments, New Testament history, and the erosion of the Roman Empire.

While our aim is to produce seven volumes, each volume may have several software versions or editions made available. Volume IV 1.4 is the first version made widely available to the public. Previous versions were prepublication editions. New versions will be available as changes are made to the CD and as each volume grows.

What will new versions include?

Minor changes will be included in different versions notated as 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, etc. Significant additions or changes will be notated as 1.3, 2.0, 3.0, etc. Free upgrades will be available for each Volume IV to those who purchase version 1.4. If you purchased version 1.4 of Volume IV then we will upgrade your software as long as there are new versions. Downloads will be made available for free from our web site as they become available. If you would prefer a new copy of the CD, a copy will be made available for $5 plus shipping and handling.

Our plans for major revisions include the addition of new resources such as maps, 3-dimensional battle simulations, and charts associated with the appropriate volumes. We also plan to create other 3-dimensional representations of biblical information (i.e. - Daniel's visions) and digital simulations of Bible stories. Our software may also be available in Libronix format soon. If you know of resources that would be beneficial to include in this software or would like to make a contribution to the resources available, please contact us. We can not guarantee that submitted works or ideas will be included or that they will be considered appropriate for this software, but we will give consideration to your ideas or proposals.

For more detailed information, see our version history.