The Library
1774 works catalogued century by century, from the literature the Bible was written among to the present — each with a note on what it is, why it lasted, and where to read it.
200–101 BC
1 work
c. 160–100 BC
Greek
Anonymous
The oldest Jewish Sibylline book, written in Egypt in Homeric hexameters: the empires rise and fall, the seventh king of Greek descent will come, and at the end the nations will send gifts to the temple and the earth will bear its fruit without cutting.
1–100
1 work
c. 80
Greek
Anonymous
A Jewish oracle in Greek hexameters, put in the mouth of the pagan Sibyl, running through the empires to the eruption of Vesuvius and the rumour that Nero had fled east and would return. It calls for repentance, washing in rivers, and hands raised to heaven.
101–200
3 works
c. 100–130
Greek
Anonymous
An Egyptian Jewish oracle burning with rage at Rome for the temple, running through the emperors by the numerical value of their initials and promising that Nero will return from the East to destroy the city that destroyed Jerusalem.
Jewish core, Christian redaction c. 150
Greek
Anonymous
A history of the world in ten generations, into which a Christian editor has inserted the life of Christ, the twelve, and a long final judgement where the saved are given the chance to intercede for the damned and God grants it.
c. 175; later material added
Greek
Anonymous
A denunciation of Roman greed followed by an acrostic on Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour, Cross, whose initial letters spell out the fish, and a passage on the sign that will appear in the world when the age ends.
5 of 1774 works