400s

Events and Trends

• Early 407 — Constantine III seizes control of the Roman garrison in Britain, declares himself emperor, and crosses into Gaul.
• August 22, 408 — Stilicho, military power behind the imperial throne, is executed. The Roman military is leaderless for several years until Constantius III becomes patrician.
• Construction (and therefore occupation) at Great Zimbabwe begins.
• Validity limit for the information on Eastern Roman Empire in the Notitia Dignitatum.

400s: Events by Year

Contents: 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409

400

By Place

Western Roman Empire

• Italy is first invaded by Alaric (probable date).
• The Vandals start their westward trek from Dacia and Hungary (approximate date).

Europe

• The Franks establish themselves in Northern Holland.
• While taking refuge along the Danube, Gainas and his Goths are attacked by the Huns, who kill him and his army. Gainas' head is sent as a gift to Constantinople by the Hun chieftain Uldin.

Africa

• Construction at Great Zimbabwe begins (approximate date).

Asia

• Chrysanthemums are introduced to Japan (approximate date).

By Topic

Religion

• The mausoleum of Galerius in Salonica is converted into a church.

401

By Place

World

• The human population reaches 206 million.

Byzantine Empire

• Arcadius sends many gifts to the Hunnish chieftain Uldin in appreciation of his victory over the Goths and Gainas. Arcadius then allies himself with the Huns.

Western Roman Empire

• The Visigoths begin to attack the northernmost reaches of Italy, causing destruction in the countryside.
• Roman general Stilicho leads an extensive campaign against the Vandals in Rhaetia.

Asia

• Kumarajiva arrives in Changan.

By Topic

Religion

• December 22 — Pope Innocent I succeeds Pope Anastasius I as the 40th pope.
• Innocent proclaims his universal power over the whole of Christendom.
• The Mahabharata is finalised.

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402

By Place

Western Roman Empire

• Stilicho recalls troops from the frontiers of the Roman Empire to defend Italy against the Visigoths. On April 6 he defeats them at the Battle of Pollentia.
• June - The Battle of Verona is fought between Alaric the Visigoth and Stilicho.
• Emperor Honorius transfers the capital of the Western Empire from Milan to Ravenna.
• Arcadius and Honorius become Roman consuls.

Asia

• Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo defeats the Xianbeis, seizing some of their border fortresses.
• The Avars, led by Shelun (Chö-louen), having defeated the Gaoju Dingling (Kao-kiu Ting-ling) near Kobbo, establish a nomadic empire that ranges from Mongolia to the Irtysh.

By Topic

Religion

• Innocent I succeeds Saint Anastasius I as Pope.
• Jerome writes Apologiae contra Rufinum and Liber tertius seu ultima responsio adversus scripta Rufini.
• The Pure Land school of Buddhism founds a monastery upon the top of Mount Lushan.
• Porphyry of Gaza orders the destruction of pagan temples in Gaza.
• Kumarajiva arrives at Changan and begins translating Buddhist texts into Chinese.

403

By Place

Western Roman Empire

• Alaric I leaves Italy after his first unsuccessful invasion.
• Theodosius II becomes consul of Rome.

Asia

• In China, Hui Yuan argues that Buddhist monks should be exempt from bowing to the emperor.
• Asin of Baekje allies with Silla against Goguryeo.

By Topic

Religion

• The Synod of the Oak deposes and banishes John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople, but shortly afterward he is recalled only to be banished again.

404

By Place

Western Roman Empire

• January 1 — The last gladiatoral competition is held in Rome.
• The dome in Ravenna is built by the entire population of the city.

Asia

• Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo attacks Liaodong and takes the entire Liaodong Peninsula.
• The Chinese Buddhist monk Huiyuan, who founded the Pure Land Buddhism sect and the monastery on Mount Lushan, writes the book On Why Monks Do Not Bow Down Before Kings in this year. In his book he argues that although the Buddhist clergy should remain independent and undisturbed by politics, the Buddhist lay people nonetheless make good subjects under monarchs, due to their fear of retribution of karma and desire to be reborn in paradise.

By Topic

Religion

• John Chrysostom is deposed again, and Archbishop Atticus of Constantinople becomes Archbishop of Constantinople.
• Saint Telemachus is martyred.

405

By Place

Western Roman Empire

• Stilicho orders the Sibylline Books burned.
• The Emperor Honorius abolishes gladiator combat in the Colosseum.

Asia

• The Khitan are first mentioned in Chinese chronicles. They wander along the boundaries of Kara-muren, and form part of the Donghu (Tong-hou) confederation.

By Topic

Arts and Sciences

• The Japanese court officially adopts the Chinese writing system (approximate date).
• The Armenian alphabet is invented by Mesrob Mashdots.

Religion

• Saint Jerome publishes the Vulgate Bible.
• In Africa, Augustine admits that Donatism is a heresy.af:405

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406

By Place

Western Roman Empire

• Roman legions in Britain mutiny against Honorius and select Marcus as new emperor. He is soon assassinated and replaced by Gratianus.
• With the aid of the chieftain of the Huns, Uldin, Stilicho crushes an army of 20,000 barbarians led by Radagaisus at Fiesole. Stilicho then executes Radagaisus, and the surviving barbarians are either incorporated into the Roman army or sold as slaves.
• December 31 — Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine at Mogontiacum, beginning an invasion of Gallia. (Traditional date, this may have occurred in 405)

Asia

• Approximate date of Chinese traveler Fa Xian's arrival in India.

By Topic

Religion

• Stained glass is used for the first time in churches in Rome.

407

By Place

Western Roman Empire

• Gratianus is assassinated, and Constantine III takes his place at the head of the mutinous Roman garrison in Britain.
• Constantine III leads many of the Roman military units from Britain to Gaul, occupying Arles (Arelate). This is generally seen as Rome's withdrawal from Britain.
• Gaul is invaded by Germanic Vandals and Suevi, and Iranic Alans.
• The Vandals take control of Bordeaux (Burdigala).

Europe

• Gunderic becomes king of the Asding Vandals after the death of his father Godgisel.

408

By Place

Western Roman Empire

• In the summer of this year, the usurper Constantine III captures Hispania, destroying the loyalist forces defending it.
• September — Alaric, King of the Visigoths, lays siege to Rome.

Eastern Roman Empire

• Theodosius II succeeds his father Arcadius as Emperor of the Eastern half of the Roman Empire. Due to Theodosius' young age, the Praetorian prefect, Anthemius, acts as emperor.
• Under Uldin, the Huns attack the Eastern Empire, setting fire to various frontier forts and taking control of the Castra Martis. The Romans try to negotiate, but Uldin demands an exorbitant gold tribute in return for his withdrawal. This demand is rejected and the Romans begin to push the Huns back across the Danube.

409

By Place

Western Roman Empire

• Constantine III's general Gerontius revolts in Hispania, and elevates his own candidate for emperor, Maximus.
• The Vandals, Alans and Suevi break through Constantine III's garrisons into Hispania. They share the Iberian Peninsula by drawing lots^{[citation needed]}, with the Vandals getting Hispania Baetica (modern Andalusia), the Suevi Gallaecia (modern Galicia and northern Portugal) and the Alans Lusitania (the rest of modern Portugal and Spanish Extremadura).
• Visigothic King Alaric I lays siege to Rome a second time; with the agreement of the Senate he sets up Priscus Attalus as Western Emperor.
• Famine strikes Hispania, Gaul and the Italian Peninsula.

Asia

• Ming Yuan Di succeeds Dao Wu Di as ruler of the Chinese Northern Wei Dynasty (see Northern dynasties).af:409

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