40s40s 40s The 40s decade ran from January 1, AD 40, to December 31, AD 49. Christianity came to Egypt as the Church of Alexandria was founded with Mark the Evangelist as the first Patriarch. James the Great died in 44 AD: One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, he was the first to be martyred according to the New Testament. Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome. (The exact date is uncertain. The maximal time window for the expulsion of Jews from Rome is from January AD 41 until January AD 53.) 40s The 40s decade ran from January 1, AD