Yes, we trust historical information unless it is proven to be false. We search for collaborating evidence when a source comes into question. We take what is recorded at face value while recognizing all writers are subject to bias. If multiple sources agree upon the same conclusion, we should not dismiss the given information as unreliable without solid proof to the contrary (1 Thess. 5:21).

Victorinus wrote in 260 A.D., “When John said these things he was in the island of Patmos, condemned to the labour of mines by Caesar Domitian… And John being dismissed from the mines, thus subsequently delivered the same Apocalypse which he had received from God”[i]

Irenaeus writes about 180 A.D., “It would have been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision.  For that was seen no very long time since, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian’s reign.”[ii]

“Eusebius quoted also Hegesippus’ testimony that John returned to Ephesus upon being released from exile after the accession of Nerva in A. D. 96 (HE III. xx).”[iii]

Clement of Alexandria wrote about 193 A.D., “about the Apostle John.  For when, on the tyrant’s death, he returned to Ephesus from the isle of Patmos…”[iv]

[i] Victorinus, “Commentary on the Apocalypse,” Ante-Nicene Fathers, Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson, ed., Hendrickson Publishers, 1995, Vol. 7, Pg. 353.

[ii] Irenaeus, “Irenaeus Against Heresies,” Ante-Nicene Fathers, Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson, ed., Hendrickson Publishers, 1995, Vol. 1, Pgs. 559-560.

[iii] Merrill C. Tenney, ed.; The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, 1976; Vol. 5, pg. 93.

[iv] Clement of Alexandria, “Who is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved?” Ante-Nicene Fathers, Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson, ed., Hendrickson Publishers, 1995, Vol. 2, Pg. 603.

King Agrippa died in 44 A.D according to The Works of Josephus, book 19, chapter 8.  He identifies Agrippa having “reigned three years over all Judea” when the events described by Luke in Acts 12:20-24 occurred.  Agrippa began that reign in 41 A.D.  He was 54 years of age.

A quick search on the internet will disclose that date without any hint nor discussion of it possibly being unreliable.  In fact, most of those internet references do not disclose nor reveal the source for that date.  However, people readily accept that date as fact.

Domitian died on September 18, 96 A.D.  The historical references provided would place the writing of the Apocrypha as early as late 96 A.D. to early 97 A.D.  This author likes to generally use 97 A.D. when discussing the book’s date of writing.

If the date when the Book of Revelation was written is unknown, then various theories have plausibility.  The preterist position demands an alternate date of writing else its entire theory falls apart.

A person who believes the Book of Revelation was prophesies the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

In 107 A.D., Emperor Trajan began the execution of Christians as prophesied in the 5^th seal (Rev. 6:9).  That would be approximately 10 years after John wrote the Book of Revelation.

Symbolic Babylon is “the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth” (Rev. 17:18).  The capital city of the Roman Empire was the city of Rome.  Further, it was destroyed as prophesied in Revelation 18:2 according to Procopius of Caesarea and Marcellinus Comes’ chronicle.