Alexandria Lost City of Knowledge
Roman Empire
- A group of Franks penetrate as far as Tarragona in Spain (approximate date).
- The Goths under King Cniva invade Moesia. They cross the Danube and lay siege to Novae and Marcianopolis.
- Battle of Augusta Traiana: The Romans lose the battle against the Goths.
- The Alamanni drive the Romans from the modern area of Donau-Ries.
- An epidemic begins in Ethiopia, moves into Egypt and the Roman colonies in North Africa, and spreads through the Roman Empire (named the Plague of Cyprian, after St. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage).
- The prosperity of Roman Britain declines during this period, as the Germanic tribes of the Franks and Saxons, whose homelands are in Friesland and the Low Countries, make raids around the southeast coast.
- A 15-year plague begins in the Roman Empire.
- The Franks cross the Rhine; the Alemanni reach Mediolanum (Milan) (disputed date).
- In Africa, the Berbers massacre Roman colonists.
- Cities in the Roman Empire begin to build walls, as the defense of the frontiers begins to crumble; future emperor Aurelian inspects along the Rhine.
Africa
Asia
- The earliest Chinese references to a device known as “emperor’s south-pointing carriage” date to this period.
Mesomerica
- Teotihuacán is rebuilt as a four-quartered cosmogram by Zapotec architects brought from Monte Albán in Oaxaca.
- Classic period of Mesoamerican civilization begins.
Art and science
- Diophantus writes Arithmetica, the first systematic treatise on algebra.
- Approximate date
- The family portrait medallion, traditionally called the Family of Vunnerius Keramus, is made (it is later placed in the Brescia Cross, and then in the Museo Civico dell’Etá Cristiana, Brescia).
- The Ludovisi Battle sarcophagus, depicting battle between the Romans and the Barbarians, is made for use in Rome (it is later moved to the collection of the National Roman Museum).
- The Igel Column is erected at Trier in Germany.
- Ma Jun, Chinese mechanical engineer from Cao Wei, invents the south-pointing chariot, a path-finding directional compass vehicle that uses a differential gear, not magnetics.
Religion
- Decian persecution of Christians is initiated when Emperor Decius orders everyone in the Roman Empire (except Jews) to perform a sacrifice to the gods of religion in ancient Rome. On January 20, Pope Fabian becomes one of the first martyrs of this persecution.
- Possible date – Denis, a bishop of Paris, is martyred by beheading.
- The great pandemic of the Roman world strikes violently in Pontus on the Black Sea, and causes enormous loss of life in Alexandria, encouraging thousands to embrace Christianity.