300 |
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| 303 |
Diocletian orders
Roman forces to persecute Christians. He orders Christian
churches closed thoughout the Empire and scriptures
burnt. |
| 305 |
Diocletian and Maximian abdicate
and chaos ensues as others compete for the imperial throne. |
306 |
Emperor Constantine
I ascends to the throne in the
western half
of the empire. |
308 |
Maxentius, son of
Maximian, becomes Emperor of the west. He rules until
he is killed in 312. |
| 312 |
Constantine I, defeats and kills
Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge. In medieval
legend, he wins by painting crosses on the shields of
the soldiers and converting to Christianity ("In
hoc signo vinceres.") |
| 313 |
Constantine declares the Edict
of Toleration at Milan: Constantine thus allows Christianity
to spread unmolested in the empire. |
| 320 |
Chandragupta I founds the Gupta
Dynasty, ruling northern India until 330.
The Chinese invent the first helicopter top spun by
pulling a cord. |
| 323-337 |
Constantine begins program to extend his power to the
East. |
324 |
Constantine temporarily
re-unites the Eastern and Western halves of the Roman
Empire. |
| 325 |
Nicaean Council |
330 |
Constantine
inaugurates the city of Constantinople--on the site of
Byzantium--as capital of the Roman Empire--much to the
dismay of the Romans. |
337 |
Emperor Constantine of Byzantium
dies. He is possibly baptized as a Christian on his
deathbed.
Constantine's three sons, Constantine II, Constans, and
Constantius share power peacefully for decades after
his death. |
340 |
Constantine II of
Byzantium dies. Constans, and Constantius continue to
share power for another decades after his death until
Constans dies in 350 and Constantius dies in 361.
The Chinese invent the first wagon-mill (grinds grain
during travel). |
350 |
Christianity--particularly
Coptic branches considered heretical--reach Ethiopia.
Constans dies. |
| 351 |
Constantius, the last son of Emperor
Constantine, temporarily reunites the eastern and western
halves of the Empire.
Julian the Apostate reintroduces paganism in the Roman
Empire instead of Christianity. |
| 363 |
End of Julian the Apostate's
reign. Jovianus becomes Emperor of Rome. Persia gains
possession of
Mesopotamia,
seizing
it
from
Rome. |
364 |
Jovianus dies. Valentine
becomes Emperor of Rome in the West and Valens becomes
Emperor of Byzantium in the East.. |
| 366 |
In popular legend, this is the year Saint Augustine
of Hippo first invents prayer beads in Europe. |
370 |
c.
370 Huns from Asia begin their migratory
raiding westward, pushing on Germanic tribes who
in turn
spill over into the boundaries of Rome.
By year's end, Huns pillage regions of eastern
Europe.
Anonymous Roman author produces De Rebus Bellicis,
a design book of war-machines to be used agains the Vandals
by Roman Emperor Valentinian I. Includes the first known
oxen-powered paddleboat for amphibious warfare. |
372 |
Buddhist doctrines
carried to Korea.
Saint Basil, Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, creates
the first well known public hospital. |
375 |
Emperor Valentine
of Rome dies. Gratin becomes Emperor of Rome.
Ghandragupta II becomes Emperor of the Gupta Empire in
northern India. He rules until 415. |
378 |
The Goths at Adrianopolis
defeat and kill Valens, Emperor in the East. |
379 |
Theodosius the Great
rules of Roman Emperor in the East. |
383 |
Magnus Maximus, Emperor in the
West (until 388) conquers Spain and Gaul. |
| 385 |
Rabbi Hillel II introduces the Jewish Calendar. |
388 |
Emperor Theodosius
the Great, ruler in the East, captures and executes Magnus
Maximus. |
394 |
Theodosius the Great temporarily
reunites the Roman Empire. |
395 |
Theodosius makes Christianity the official religion
of Rome.
Theodosius the Great, Roman Emperor
of the East, dies. Honorius becomes Emperor in the West
until 423 and his brother Arcadius becomes Emperor in
the East until 408.
Stilicho, Vandal leader of the Roman forces, drives the
Visigoths out of Greece. |
397 |
|
| 400 |
The Chinese invent edge-runner mills
with water-powered drives and ships with watertight
sub-compartments at about this time.
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