Author and Work | Author's Lifespan | Date of Events | Date of Writing* | Earliest Extant MS** | Lapse: Event to Writing | Lapse: Event to MS | Matthew, Gospel | ca. 0-70? | 4 BC - AD 30 | 50 - 65/75 | ca. 200 | <50 years | <200 years | Mark, Gospel | ca. 15-90? | 27 - 30 | 65/70 | ca. 225 | <50 years | <200 years | Luke, Gospel | ca. 10-80? | 5 BC - AD 30 | 60/75 | ca. 200 | <50 years | <200 years | John, Gospel | ca. 10-100 | 27-30 | 90-110 | ca. 130 | <80 years | <100 years | Paul, Letters | ca. 0-65 | 30 | 50-65 | ca. 200 | 20-30 years | <200 years | Josephus, War | ca. 37-100 | 200 BC - AD 70 | ca. 80 | ca. 950 | 10-300 years | 900-1200 years | Josephus, Antiquities | ca. 37-100 | 200 BC - AD 65 | ca. 95 | ca. 1050 | 30-300 years | 1000-1300 years | Tacitus, Annals | ca. 56-120 | AD 14-68 | 100-120 | ca. 850 | 30-100 years | 800-850 years | Seutonius, Lives | ca. 69-130 | 50 BC - AD 95 | ca. 120 | ca. 850 | 25-170 years | 750-900 years | Pliny, Letters | ca. 60-115 | 97-112 | 110-112 | ca. 850 | 0-3 years | 725-750 years | Plutarch, Lives | ca. 50-120 | 500 BC - AD 70 | ca. 100 | ca. 950 | 30-600 years | 850-1500 years | Herodotus, History | ca. 485-425 BC | 546-478 BC | 430-425 BC | ca. 900 | 50-125 years | 1400-1450 years | Thucydides, History | ca. 460-400 BC | 431-411 BC | 410-400 BC | ca. 900 | 0-30 years | 1300-1350 years | Xenophon, Anabasis | ca. 430-355 BC | 401-399 BC | 385-375 BC | ca. 1350 | 15-25 years | 1750 years | Polybius, History | ca. 200-120 BC | 220-168 BC | ca. 150 BC | ca. 950 | 20-70 years | 1100-1150 years | |