istoryworld
Events relating to the roman empire
Roman socks, surviving in dry Egyptian tombs, are the earliest known examples of knitting
Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, is one of many Christians martyred for refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods
The emperor Aurelian, grateful for the apparent assistance of a Syrian sun god, establishes the cult of the Unconquered Sun - whose birthday is December 25
Diocletian, commanding an army near the Bosphorus in Thracia, is proclaimed emperor by his troops
The Jews of the Diaspora have by now spread through much of the Roman empire, where they are treated with tolerance
The emperor Diocletian initiates a sustained persecution of Christians in the Roman empire
Constantine's father, recently appoinnted Augustus in the west, dies at York and the young man is proclaimed Augustus in his place by the legions in Britain
Constantine, preparing for battle against a rival at the Milvian Bridge, orders his men to wear a Christian symbol, the Chi-Rho, on their shields
After winning the battle at Milvian Bridge, Constantine marches into Rome and is formally acknowledged by the Senate as Augustus of the west
Constantine meets his co-emperor Licinius in Milan, and persuades him to follow a policy of encouraging the Christians
Warming to his new Christian role, Constantine summons more than 300 bishops to Arles to discuss the controversial issue of Donatus
Constantine founds several churches in Rome, among them the first St Peter's
Constantine's new churches in Rome introduce an important element in church architecture, the transept
Roman mosaic is at its most lavish in the floors of Piazza Armerina, in central Sicily
Constantine executes Licinius in Thessalonica on a charge of attempted rebellion, a year after defeating him in battle
Constantine convenes a council of 200 bishops at Nicaea to discuss the beliefs of Arius, which are deemed to be heresy
Constantine is at last baptized a Christian in Nicomedia, just a few days before his death
Julian, the new emperor in Constantinople, plans to reinstate the pagan cult of the ancient Roman empire
An apocryphal story states that Julian the Apostate, dying at Tarsus, acknowledges the victory of the Galilean, Jesus Christ
Roman legions begin to be withdrawn from Britain, leaving the Celtic population increasingly vulnerable
The Vandals cross the Rhine into Gaul and move into Spain, from which the Visigoths soon push them on into Africa
The Roman city of Nîmes is sacked by the Vandals, in an early indication of the gradual loss of Gaul to the Germanic tribes
Alaric and the Visigoths enter Rome and plunder the city - the first foreign intruders for eight centuries
The Burgundians cross the Rhine and settle round Worms, before moving south to the Savoy region
Prompted by the fall of Rome to the Visigoths, St Augustine undertakes a great work of Christian philosophy, the City of God
