The Book of Revelation and the First Years of Nero’s Reign According to ecclesiastical tradition, the Book of Revelation was written by the apostle John, the son of Zebedee, about the year 95, during his exile in Patmos, shortly before writing the fourth gospel in Ephesus. Most scholars support this late dating (last days of Domitian’s reign), but the early dating (between the years 64 and 70) has the support of many important authors (1). In this article I will try to demonstrate that (a) the external evidence is not conclusive in favor of a late dating, because there is an important patristic tradition in favor of Nero’s reign; and (b) the internal evidence provides important arguments affirming that the definitive version of Revelation was redacted after Nero’s ascension to power in the year 54 and before the earthquake of Laodicea in the year 60. I. External Evidence Most scholars affirm that the first and most important patristic testimony in favor of a late dating of Revelation (at the end of Domitian’s reign) is the work of Irenaeus (130-202), Adv. haeres. (5.30.3), which was written about 180-190. The original Greek version of this passage was preserved by Eusebius (Hist. eccl. 3.18.3; 5.8.6). But Irenaeus’ testimony has been objected to by several authors who argue that there is a grammatical ambiguity which makes room for two possible translations. In the most accepted translation Irenaeus made reference to the time in which the revelation was seen. According to the alternative translation, the text referred to the time in which the apostle was seen alive, which is more logical in consideration of the context. In fact, Irenaeus proposes that it is not necessary to try to decipher the cryptogram 666. Because if John had (1) Cf. J.A.T. ROBINSON, Redating the New Testament (London 1976), with bibliography (chap. VIII); K.L. GENTRY, Before Jerusalem Fell. Dating the Book of Revelation. An Exegetical and Historical Argument for a Pre-A.D. 70 Com- position (Tyler, TX 1989), with bibliography (17-18, 24-38); R.B. MOBERLY, “When was Revelation Conceived?”, Bib 73 (1992) 376-393; J.C. WILSON, “The Problem of the Domitianic Date of Revelation”, NTS 39 (1993) 587-605; T.B. SLATER, “Dating the Apocalypse to John”, Bib 84 (2003) 252-258.