There was a constant history of faithful people from Paul's
time through the Apostolic and Post Apostolic Church.
Melito, bishop of Sardis, an ancient city of Asia Minor
(see Rev 3), c. 170 AD produced the first known Christian
attempt at an Old Testament canon. His list maintains the
Septuagint order of books but contains only the Old
Testament protocanonicals minus the Book of Esther.
The Council of Laodicea, c. 360, produced a list of books
similar to today's canon. This was one of the Church's
earliest decisions on a canon.
Pope Damasus, 366-384, in his Decree,
listed the books of today's canon. The Council
of Rome, 382, was the forum which prompted
Pope Damasus' Decree.