Here are three key proofs supporting the A.D. 95-96 date for the writing of Revelation: 1. Testimony of Early Church Fathers •Irenaeus (c. A.D. 180): In his work Against Heresies (Book 5, Chapter 30), Irenaeus explicitly states that Revelation was written “at the close of Domitian’s reign,” which ended in A.D. 96. •Irenaeus was a student of Polycarp, who was a disciple of the apostle John, giving his testimony significant weight as a near-contemporary source. 2. Persecution under Domitian •The historical context of Revelation aligns with Domitian’s persecution of Christians (A.D. 81–96). He demanded worship as a god and punished those who refused, a central theme in Revelation (e.g., refusal to worship the beast in Revelation 13). •Domitian’s persecution fits the description of the suffering endured by the churches addressed in Revelation (Revelation 2–3). Earlier Roman emperors, like Nero, targeted Christians in Rome, but Domitian’s persecution was broader and empire-wide. 3. Archaeological and Internal Evidence •Condition of the Seven Churches: The state of the churches described in Revelation 2–3 suggests a later date: •Ephesus: Accused of having lost its “first love” (Revelation 2:4), indicating a decline over decades. •Laodicea: Described as “rich” and “prosperous” (Revelation 3:17). After being destroyed by an earthquake in A.D. 60, Laodicea had rebuilt itself by the 90s, supporting a late first-century date.