▁which ▁our ▁ancest ors ▁wished ▁to ▁be ▁closed ▁whenever ▁peace ▁had ▁been ▁secured ▁by ▁vict ories ▁throughout ▁the ▁Roman ▁emp ire ▁by ▁land ▁and ▁sea , ▁was ▁recorded ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁closed , ▁before ▁I ▁was ▁born , ▁twice ▁altogether ▁since ▁the ▁foundation ▁of ▁the ▁city , ▁but ▁the ▁sen ate ▁decre ed ▁that ▁it ▁should ▁be ▁closed ▁on ▁three ▁occasions ▁while ▁I ▁was ▁prince ps . From ▁Cass ius ▁D io ▁ 5 1 . 2 0 ▁and ▁ 5 3 . 2 7 ▁we ▁are ▁able ▁to ▁date ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁clos ures ▁in ▁August us ' s ▁reign ▁to ▁ 2 9 ▁and ▁ 2 5 ▁BC ▁respectively . ▁The ▁exact ▁date ▁of ▁the ▁third ▁closure ▁remains ▁a ▁matter ▁of ▁scholar ly ▁debate . ▁The ▁only ▁ancient ▁author ▁to ▁date ▁it ▁was ▁O ro si us , ▁who ▁associ ates ▁the ▁event ▁with ▁the ▁birth ▁of ▁Christ , ▁tradition ally ▁( but ▁probably ▁incorrectly ) ▁assigned ▁to ▁December ▁ 1 ▁BC . ▁However , ▁modern ▁sch ol ars ▁almost ▁univers ally ▁reject ▁O ro si us ▁because ▁Roman ▁arm ies ▁were ▁campaign ing ▁in ▁Germany ▁and / or ▁the ▁Far ▁East ▁at ▁this ▁time . ▁I nez ▁Scott ▁Ry berg ▁and ▁G ai us ▁Stern ▁date ▁the ▁third ▁closure ▁more ▁pla us ibly ▁to ▁ 1 3 ▁BC ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁joint ▁return ▁of ▁August us ▁and ▁Ag ri ppa ▁to ▁Rome ▁after ▁pac ifying ▁the ▁provinces . ▁Sir ▁Ron ald ▁Sym e ▁dated ▁the ▁closure ▁to ▁ 7 ▁BC