03rd Century

Events 220s – The Catacombs of Rome

The Christian Catacombs of Rome  Events The Goths invade Asia Minor and the Balkans. An Indian delegation visits the Roman emperor Elagabalus. Great frost in Roman Britain is said to have lasted for five months. Imperator Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus (Elagabalus) and Publius Valerius Comazon become Roman consuls. Elagabalus divorces Julia Paula and marries Aquilia Severa, a Vestal Virgin. The wedding causes an enormous controversy – traditionally, the punishment for breaking celibacy is death by being buried alive. The first Christian paintings appear in Rome, decorating the Catacombs. Ammonius Saccas renews Greek philosophy by creating Neoplatonism.      

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Events 260s – The Gallic Empire

The Gallic Empire Roman Empire Battle of Edessa: With a large army, said to number 70,000 men, Valerian attempts to drive the Persians back from Edessa. The Roman army is surrounded and most of its troops are killed or captured. Valerian is taken prisoner for the remainder of his life. Postumus, Roman usurper, forms the Gallic Empire and protects the Rhine against an invasion of Germanic tribes. Postumus wins over all the Roman provinces west of the Alps, including Gaul, Britain and Hispania. The Roman fort of Wiesbaden (Germany) is captured by the Alamanni. The Franks take control over the Scheldt estuary (approximate date). First Gothic invasion: The Goths, originally from Scandinavia, with the Sarmatians (from modern Iran), invade the Balkans and Greece.  The Alamanni invade Italy north of the Po River. The Visigoths first […]

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Events 210s – Rome fails conquering Scotland again

Rome cannot conquer Scotland  Roman Empire Having suffered heavy losses since invading Scotland in 208, Emperor Septimius Severus sends his son – Caracalla – to systematically wipe out and torture the Scots into submission. The edict of Emperor Caracalla (Constitutio Antoniniana) extends Roman citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Roman Empire, with the exception of a limited group that may include Egyptians. The Jewish people are among those who receive citizenship. All free women in the Empire are given the same rights as Roman women  

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Events 200s – Rome bans female gladiators

Rome bans female gladiators World Human population reaches about 257 million. Roman Empire Emperor Septimius Severus visits the provinces of Syria, Palestine, and Arabia. The province of Numidia is taken from the African proconsul, and made an Imperial province. Rome is a city of about 1.5 million citizens, its people housed mostly in 46,600 insulae or apartment blocks, each three to eight stories high, flimsily made of wood, brick or rubble. Some 400,000 slaves perform the menial work of Rome, with middle-class citizens often owning eight; the rich from 500 to 1,000; an emperor as many as 20,000. Free urban workers enjoy 17 to 18 hours of leisure each day, with free admission to baths, sport events and gladiatorial games. An edict bans conversions to Christianity and all […]

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Events 290s -Silk: China or Korea first?

Silk: China or Korea first? Roman Empire Emperor Diocletian campaigns with success against Arabic enemies. Following his victory over Emperor Maximian‘s fleet, the usurper Carausius invades the European mainland and re-establishes his military and administrative presence in northern Gaul. The jurist Gregorius, at the court of Emperor Diocletian, produces the Gregorian Code, the first codification of Roman law Carausius is murdered by his finance minister Allectus, who proclaims himself the new emperor of Britain. Having supervised the Rhine frontier during Constantius’ invasion of Britain, Maximian then marches into Spain, where he fights Frankish pirates. He then crosses into North Africa to contend with the rebellion of the Quinquegentiani. Asia Emperor Wu of […]

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Events 280s – Carausius pirate emperor Britain

Britain’s forgotten pirate emperor Roman Empire The Germans destroy the Roman fleet on the Rhine; Bonosus is proclaimed emperor at Colonia Agrippina (Cologne). Probus defeats the army under Bonosus. Bonosus sees no way out and hangs himself. His family is treated with honours. Roman territory is under constant threat of raids from Franks. The cities in Gaul are reinforced with defensive walls. Carausius, naval commander at Bononia (modern-day Boulogne), is given the task of clearing the English Channel of Frankish and Saxon pirates. Carausius, commander of the Classis Britannica, is accused of piracy by Maximian and is sentenced to death. He responds by declaring himself emperor of Britain and Northwestern Gaul. His forces consist of the newly built Roman fleet and three legions in Britain. The Carausian Revolt is supported by Gaulish merchant ships and Frankish mercenaries. […]

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Events 270s – China’s Three Kingdoms

China’s Three Kingdoms periode – TV-series playlist Events Emperor Claudius II Gothicus fights a drawn-out campaign against the Gothic raiders in the Balkans, with setbacks suffered on both sides. Eventually, many Goths die of plague and others are absorbed into the Roman legions. Aurelian begins construction of a new defensive wall to protect Rome. The Aurelian Walls, 19 kilometers (12 mi), enclose the city with fortifications. Perhaps around this time, Aurelian increases Rome’s daily bread ration to nearly 1.5 pounds and adds pig fat to the list of foods distributed free to the populace. Conquest of Wu by Jin: The Jin Dynasty conquers Eastern Wu, the last of the three contending powers in China during the Three Kingdoms Period […]

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Events 250s – Alexandria Lost City of Knowledge

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, […]

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Events 240s – The Forgotten Religion Manichaeism

The Forgotten Religion: Manichaeism  Roman Empire The Roman Empire is threatened on several fronts at the same time. Africa revolts and tribes in northwest Germania, under the name of the Franks, are raiding the Rhine frontier. Rome becomes 1,000 years old. The 1,000th anniversary is commemorated with the Ludi Saeculares festivals, celebrated throughout the Roman Empire. The Goths appear on the lower Danube frontier; they invade Ukraine and Romania.   Persia  Prince Shapur I becomes co-ruler of the Sasanian Empire with his father King Ardashir I. Siege of Hatra: The Sasanians besiege the capital of the Kingdom of Hatra ruled by Sanatruq II. Prince Shapur I succeeds his father Ardashir I as ruler of the Sassanid Empire. He begins his expansion in India.   India Maharaja Sri-Gupta becomes ruler of the Gupta […]

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