Chapter IV: Errors of the Ancient Chronographers

1. Authority of the Scripture texts superior to that of the
ancient chronographers—The testimony of the latter chiefly
in favour of the Septuagint—The testimonies of Josephus,
Theophilus, Africanus, Eusebius, and the author of the
Paschal Chronicle selected for examination—Table I.
Containing their statements relating to the _First age_ of
the world—Errors of Josephus—Corruption of his text—Mr.
Cuninghame’s detection of his blunders in regard to the
first age—His discovery of the truth from the titulary
statements of the first and second books of Josephus—His
explanation of the Jewish fraud to which this author appears
to have been accessory—Error of Theophilus, and accuracy of
Africanus in this age—Similar error of Eusebius and
Syncellus, and accuracy of Epiphanius and the author of the
Paschal Chronicle 229

2. Table II., Containing the statements of the ancient
chronographers relating to the _Second age_ of the
world—Absurd errors of the text of Josephus—The discrepancy
between his detailed numbers and his sum total, the work of
an enemy to the truth—Proof that the true sum was in his
text originally—Errors of Theophilus and Africanus in this
age due to Jewish influence—Notion entertained by the
ancient chronographers regarding the bisection of the
Mundane period at the death of Peleg—The genealogy of Shem,
like that of Melchisedec, in the chronology—Reference to Mr.
Clinton—Error of Eusebius, rectified in the Hieronymian
version of his Chronicon—Accuracy of the Paschal Chronicle,
with the exception of the biennial period—Valuable Testimony
of Eusebius and Africanus, preserved by Syncellus in his
Chronographia, on the extent of the _first two ages_ 240

3. Table III., Containing the statements of the ancient
chronographers relating to the _Third age_ of the world—The
testimony of Josephus to the true chronology very
explicit—Misinterpretation of prophecy the cause of wavering
in Josephus and blunder in Theophilus—The testimony of
Africanus correct—Eusebius, Demetrius, and the author of the
Paschal Chronicle correct—Explanation of the period of _Four
Hundred_ years 248

4. Table IV., Containing the statements of the ancient
chronographers relating to the _Fourth age_ of the world—The
testimony of Josephus to the extent of this age highly
satisfactory—Proof that it was 612 years—Strange errors of
Theophilus—Method of rectifying them—Compensating errors of
Africanus—His date of the foundation of Solomon’s Temple
correct—Errors of Eusebius—His _Præparatio_ correct in
amount, his _Chronicon_ wrong—He confutes himself and adopts
the Hebrew chronology—Comparison between him and
Usher—Errors of the Paschal Chronicle—The author coincides
with Josephus—Hesitancy of Mr. Clinton—Table V., The _first
four ages_ of the world, and date of Solomon’s Temple
according to the different chronographers 254

5. Table VI. Containing the statements of the chronographers
relating to the _Fifth age_ of the world—The errors of
Josephus peculiar—His elongation of the reign of
Solomon—Disagreement of his titulary periods with the
summation of the reigns in Books Eighth, Ninth and
Tenth—Proof that the former is nearly correct—Table VII.
_Monarchal Periods_ of Josephus—Comparison with the True
Chronology—Evidence that these periods have been
manufactured—The true chronology of this age detected in his
works—Table VIII. _True Flavian Periods_, showing the true
Extent as originally held by Josephus—Proof that he knew the
true epoch of the Captivity—The errors of Theophilus in this
age few—He is also mistaken as to the epoch of the
Captivity—Africanus diminishes the true extent of this
age—He is misrepresented by Syncellus—The Statements of
Eusebius taken from the Hieronymian and Armenian Versions of
his Canon—Those of the author of the Paschal Chronicle from
that work itself—Their errors pointed out—The difference
between their Extent of this age and the true Extent only 3
years 274

6. Table IX. _Ethnocratic Eras_ and _Intervals_ according to
Ptolemy’s Canon and the ancient Chronographers—Accuracy of
the Canon—Josephus erroneous but consistent in the _Sixth
age_—His remarkable coincidence with the true Chronology in
the Mundane period—Theophilus follows the Roman Chronology
in this age—Africanus the prophetic—Both erroneous—Errors of
Eusebius, and accuracy of his Extent of this age—Errors of
the Paschal Chronicle considerable and unaccountable—Table
X. Summation of the _Six ages_ of the world according to the
Septuagint and the ancient chronographers—Table XI.
Summation of the Periods of the Christian Chronographers,
adopted by themselves—_Chronological Table_ of the Principal
Epochs and Events from the Creation to the Advent of Christ 287

A

DISSERTATION

ON

THE TRUE AGE OF THE WORLD.

=Part I.=