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167
German Tribes Invades Northern Italy
The German tribes crossed the Danube River and attacked the Roman Empire. They advanced as far as Aquileia in Northern Italy. The Romans under Marcus Aurelius managed to repulse the Germans in 169 A.D. -
317
Tatar Warriors Break Through Great Wall
Tatar warriors broke through the Great Wall of China that had been built during the Han Dynasty to provide Northern China with protection against invasion. The Tatars drove out the Western Chin Dynasty, which was forced to move its capital to Nanking. -
324
Constantine The Great & The Battle Of Adrianople
Constantine the Great, who was named Caesar by his troops in Britain in 312 A.D., initiated a civil war of succession against his potential rivals for the throne. In a series of engagements that culminated in 324 A.D. at the Battle of Adrianople (in today's Turkey), Constantine defeated all his rivals and became the undisputed emperor of all Rome -
441
First Saxon Revolt
First Saxon Revolt- The first Saxon revolt against native Britons took place in 441 A.D. It was led by two brothers, Hengst and Horsa. -
451
Attila The Hun Defeated
Attila the Hun was leader of the Huns and it was he who had earlier defeated the Visigoths. Attila commanded an army that is said to have numbered as many as half a million men. Attila swept through Gaul. In 451 A.D., Attila faced the Visigoths and Romans together in the battle of Chalons. Attila was defeated in this battle, and forced to withdraw. He went on to invade Italy but was convinced to withdraw by Pope Leo. He died in 453 A.D. -
Jan 1, 700
Chinese Invent Gunpowder
The Chinese combined saltpeter, sulpher, and carbon to create gun powder. The Chinese used gun powder primarily for fireworks. -
Jan 1, 1498
Da Vinci paints The Last Supper
In 1498 Leonardo Da Vinci painted his most famous mural, The Last Supper. The mural depicts the last meal of Christ before being incarcerated. -
Caligula Assassinated
After the death of Tiberius, he was succeeded by Caligula. Caligula was considered by many to be insane. He was assassinated by Cassius Chaerea, a member of the Praetorian Guard. -
Rome Burns
The city of Rome was nearly destroyed in a catastrophic fire. The fire is said to have been set by Nero. Legend has it that 'Rome burned while Nero fiddled'. -
Jerusalem Falls
Rome sent an enormous army under the command of Vespasian, to retake Judea. The Roman army quickly subdued the Jewish forces in the Galilee and laid siege to Jerusalem. Vespasian was recalled to Rome and the siege continued by his son, Titus. Titus succeeded in capturing Jerusalem on the ninth day of Ab (according to the Jewish calendar). He burned Jerusalem, killing or selling into slavery tens of thousands of Jews. -
Mount Vesuvius Erupts
In 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted. The eruption destroyed the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Most of the cities' populations managed to flee, but 20,000 inhabitants were killed. -
Coloseum Dedicated
Vespasian had ordered the Colosseum built, but it fell to his son Titus to dedicate it. It was used for gladiator games until 404 AD. -
Pope Greogory Obtains 30 Year Truce
Gregory the Great was the first monk to become Pope. For many, he was a model for the future papacy. Gregory controlled the civil affairs of Rome and expanded the power of the Church. Gregory also negotiated a 30-year truce with Lombards, insuring the independence of Rome. -
The Peace of God
The Peace of God was passed at the Council of Charroux. It was supported by Hugh Capet, King of France. The Peace of God attempted to reduce feudal warfare by limiting private wars to certain parts of the year, and by providing protection for noncombatants. The Peace used to the power of excommunication to enforce its stipulations.
