300s (21 events)
300
ID: 4856
Palestinian Talmud (Yerushalmi) begins compilation - Tiberias rabbis compile discussions on Mishnah
ID: 4856
300
ID: 4873
Babylonian academies on Jesus - Talmud includes cryptic references to 'Yeshu', competing narrative to Gospels
ID: 4873
300
ID: 4942
Birth of St. Hilary of Poitiers in Gaul - future Doctor of the Church and 'Athanasius of the West'
ID: 4942
300
ID: 5342
Rio Tinto environmental catastrophe - centuries of mining create permanent acid drainage, river runs red with iron oxide, fish extinct
ID: 5342
301
ID: 4066
Diocletian's Edict on Maximum Prices - attempts to control inflation, fails spectacularly
ID: 4066
303
ID: 4067
Great Persecution begins - Diocletian orders destruction of churches, burning of scriptures
ID: 4067
303
ID: 4152
St. Vitus martyred at age 12 - Sicilian boy tortured with his tutor and nurse, thrown to lions who refused to attack, boiled in oil
ID: 4152
303
ID: 4153
St. Erasmus (Elmo) martyred - bishop of Formia, intestines wound out on windlass, patron of sailors
ID: 4153
303
ID: 4154
St. George martyred at Lydda - Roman soldier who refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, survived multiple tortures, beheaded
ID: 4154
303
ID: 4179
St. Crescentinus expels dragon from Rome - drives dragon from city into Tiber during Diocletian persecution (Roman martyrology)
ID: 4179
304
ID: 4155
St. Margaret of Antioch martyred - swallowed by dragon which burst open, beheaded after converting thousands
ID: 4155
304
ID: 4156
St. Cyriacus martyred in Rome - deacon who helped imprisoned Christians, tortured with boiling pitch, beheaded
ID: 4156
305
ID: 3775
St. Anthony emerges from 20 years solitude - disciples gather, reluctantly becomes spiritual father, founds loose hermit colonies
ID: 3775
305
ID: 4068
Diocletian abdicates - only emperor to voluntarily retire, forces Maximian to abdicate
ID: 4068
305
ID: 4069
Galerius becomes senior emperor - continues persecution in East, cancer kills him in 311
ID: 4069
305
ID: 4157
St. Catherine of Alexandria martyred - learned virgin who converted 50 philosophers, broken wheel miracle, beheaded
ID: 4157
306
ID: 2533
Constantine proclaimed Emperor at York - son of Constantius, begins rise to sole rule, will legalize Christianity
ID: 2533
306
ID: 4173
St. Theodore slays dragon at Euchaita - Roman soldier kills dragon terrorizing city before his martyrdom (Byzantine chronicles)
ID: 4173
306
ID: 4925
Birth of St. Ephrem the Syrian in Nisibis - future Doctor of the Church and 'Harp of the Holy Spirit'
ID: 4925
308
ID: 3864
St. Marcellus I becomes thirtieth pope - strict on penance for lapsed, exiled by Maxentius
ID: 3864
309
ID: 3865
St. Eusebius becomes thirty-first pope - seeks middle way on readmitting lapsed, exiled to Sicily
ID: 3865
310s (6 events)
311
ID: 3866
St. Miltiades becomes thirty-second pope - receives Lateran Palace from Constantine, sees Christianity legalized
ID: 3866
311
ID: 4070
Galerius issues Edict of Toleration - dying of worms, begs Christians to pray for him
ID: 4070
312
ID: 4071
Constantine sees vision before Milvian Bridge - Chi-Rho in sky, converts to Christianity
ID: 4071
313
ID: 4916
Birth of St. Cyril of Jerusalem - future Doctor of the Church and author of Catechetical Lectures
ID: 4916
314
ID: 3867
St. Sylvester I becomes thirty-third pope - legendary baptism of Constantine, sends legates to Nicaea
ID: 3867
316
ID: 4158
St. Blaise martyred in Armenia - bishop and physician, lived as hermit, healed boy choking on fishbone, flesh torn with iron combs
ID: 4158
320s (7 events)
320
ID: 3776
St. Pachomius founds first cenobitic monastery at Tabennisi - creates communal monasticism with written rule
ID: 3776
320
ID: 4857
Abaye and Rava lead Pumbedita - Golden age of Talmudic dialectic, only 6 halakhic disputes decided for Abaye
ID: 4857
323
ID: 3777
Pachomian Rule written - first monastic rule, prescribes prayer, work, obedience, becomes model for later rules
ID: 3777
325
ID: 4072
Constantine calls Council of Nicaea - first ecumenical council, establishes Nicene Creed
ID: 4072
325
ID: 4845
Council of Nicaea - While focused on Arianism, assumes unified OT-NT scripture, Scripture Wars effectively concluded
ID: 4845
328
ID: 4907
St. Athanasius becomes Patriarch of Alexandria - begins 45-year battle against Arianism
ID: 4907
329
ID: 4903
Birth of St. Gregory of Nazianzus in Cappadocia - future Doctor of the Church and 'The Theologian'
ID: 4903
330s (11 events)
330
ID: 3778
St. Macarius the Great goes to Scetis desert - establishes major monastic center in Egyptian wilderness
ID: 3778
330
ID: 4756
Constantine founds Constantinople - 'New Rome' becomes Eastern capital, Christian city from beginning
ID: 4756
330
ID: 4900
Birth of St. Basil the Great in Caesarea Mazaca, Cappadocia - future Doctor of the Church
ID: 4900
330
ID: 5924
Constantine allegedly transfers Palladium to Constantinople - legend says he secretly moved it from Rome to protect new capital, buried under Column of Constantine
ID: 5924
335
ID: 5003
Council of Tyre - St. Athanasius condemned by Arian bishops, accused of violence and sacrilege
ID: 5003
336
ID: 3868
St. Mark becomes thirty-fourth pope - founds two basilicas, creates first liturgical calendar
ID: 3868
336
ID: 5004
Death of Arius in Constantinople - dies suddenly in a latrine before being received back into communion, seen as divine judgment
ID: 5004
337
ID: 3869
St. Julius I becomes thirty-fifth pope - defends Athanasius against Arians, asserts Roman primacy
ID: 3869
337
ID: 4678
Shapur II's long reign begins - rules for 70 years, restores Persian power
ID: 4678
337
ID: 4757
Death of Constantine - empire divided among three sons, beginning of East-West division
ID: 4757
338
ID: 3779
St. Ephrem the Syrian begins monastic life - develops Syrian monasticism, writes hymns and theology
ID: 3779
340s (4 events)
340
ID: 3780
St. Hilarion establishes monasticism in Palestine - Anthony's disciple spreads desert tradition to Holy Land
ID: 3780
340
ID: 4909
April 4, 340
Death of St. Ambrose of Milan - Doctor of the Church, baptized St. Augustine, confronted emperors
ID: 4909
343
ID: 5005
Council of Sardis - vindicates St. Athanasius and other orthodox bishops, affirms Roman primacy in appeals
ID: 5005
347
ID: 4910
September 30, 347
Death of St. Jerome in Bethlehem - Doctor of the Church, translator of the Vulgate Bible
ID: 4910
350s (15 events)
350
ID: 4858
Palestinian Talmud completed - Shorter than Babylonian due to Roman persecution, less authoritative
ID: 4858
350
ID: 4917
St. Cyril becomes Bishop of Jerusalem - writes 23 Catechetical Lectures for those preparing for baptism
ID: 4917
350
ID: 5343
Decline of Roman mining - barbarian invasions disrupt operations, sophisticated drainage and extraction technology lost
ID: 5343
350
ID: 5756
Red Sea canal abandoned - silting and maintenance costs end 900 years of intermittent canal operation
ID: 5756
351
ID: 5008
First Formula of Sirmium - semi-Arian creed avoiding term 'consubstantial', beginning of compromise attempts
ID: 5008
352
ID: 3870
Liberius becomes thirty-sixth pope - exiled for opposing Arianism, controversial for later compromise
ID: 3870
353
ID: 4943
St. Hilary becomes Bishop of Poitiers - begins fight against Arianism in the West
ID: 4943
353
ID: 5006
Council of Arles - Emperor Constantius II forces bishops to condemn Athanasius, papal legates capitulate
ID: 5006
355
ID: 5007
Council of Milan - Pope Liberius exiled for refusing to condemn Athanasius, St. Hilary of Poitiers also exiled
ID: 5007
356
ID: 3781
Death of St. Anthony at 105 - Athanasius writes Life of Anthony, spreads monastic ideal throughout Church
ID: 3781
356
ID: 3814
St. Athanasius writes Life of Anthony - biography spreads monastic ideal, Athanasius defender of Nicene faith
ID: 3814
357
ID: 5009
Second Formula of Sirmium - more explicitly Arian, forbids use of 'substance' terminology, called 'Blasphemy of Sirmium'
ID: 5009
358
ID: 5010
Pope Liberius signs semi-Arian formula and is allowed to return to Rome - controversial capitulation under pressure
ID: 5010
359
ID: 5011
Council of Rimini - over 400 Western bishops coerced into accepting semi-Arian formula, 'the world groaned to find itself Arian'
ID: 5011
359
ID: 5012
Third Formula of Sirmium - dated creed, attempt at compromise between homoousios and homoiousios
ID: 5012
360s (10 events)
360
ID: 4874
Julian the Apostate promises Temple rebuilding - Babylonian Jews excited, project fails mysteriously (earthquake/fire)
ID: 4874
362
ID: 5914
Last prophecy to Julian the Apostate - 'Tell the king the fair hall has fallen, Apollo has no shelter, prophetic laurel is silent, speaking water stilled'
ID: 5914
363
ID: 4679
Death of Julian in Persia - last pagan emperor killed retreating, Rome never threatens heartland again
ID: 4679
363
ID: 4926
St. Ephrem moves to Edessa after Nisibis falls to Persians - establishes theological school
ID: 4926
365
ID: 3815
Athanasius returns from fifth exile - 'Athanasius contra mundum', spent 17 years in exile defending divinity of Christ
ID: 3815
365
ID: 4181
St. Hilary banishes serpent Galena - enormous serpent terrorizing Poitiers driven away with bishop's staff (Fortunatus)
ID: 4181
366
ID: 3871
St. Damasus I becomes thirty-seventh pope - commissions Jerome's Vulgate, fixes biblical canon
ID: 3871
367
ID: 2534
Great Conspiracy - Picts, Scots, and Saxons coordinate attacks on Roman Britain, Hadrian's Wall overrun
ID: 2534
367
ID: 4846
Athanasius's 39th Festal Letter - First listing of exact 27 NT books, OT canon also specified, Scripture Wars legacy
ID: 4846
368
ID: 4944
January 13, 368
Death of St. Hilary of Poitiers - Doctor of the Church, wrote 'On the Trinity' against Arians
ID: 4944
370s (17 events)
370
ID: 3816
St. Basil the Great becomes Bishop of Caesarea - builds Basiliad (first hospital), fights Arianism
ID: 3816
370
ID: 4727
Huns appear in Europe - cross Volga River, destroy Alans, trigger Great Migration of Germanic tribes
ID: 4727
370
ID: 4901
St. Basil the Great becomes Bishop of Caesarea - fights Arianism, establishes monastic rule
ID: 4901
372
ID: 5515
Buddhism officially introduced to Goguryeo from Former Qin China by monk Sundo
ID: 5515
373
ID: 3817
Death of St. Athanasius - champion of orthodoxy, preserved true faith against Arian emperors
ID: 3817
373
ID: 5061
Augustine joins Manichaean sect - attracted by their claim to pure reason and explanation of evil, remains 'hearer' for nine years
ID: 5061
373
ID: 4908
May 2, 373
Death of St. Athanasius - exiled five times for defending Christ's divinity, wrote 'On the Incarnation' and 'Life of Antony'
ID: 4908
373
ID: 4927
June 9, 373
Death of St. Ephrem the Syrian - Doctor of the Church, wrote over 400 hymns combating heresies through song
ID: 4927
374
ID: 3818
St. Ambrose elected Bishop of Milan - unbaptized governor acclaimed by people, confronts emperors
ID: 3818
375
ID: 3782
St. Moses the Ethiopian enters Scetis - former brigand becomes desert monk, demonstrates radical conversion
ID: 3782
375
ID: 4885
Epiphanius writes Panarion (Medicine Chest) - Describes 80 heresies as poisonous animals, massive compilation
ID: 4885
376
ID: 4728
Huns drive Goths across Danube - terrified Visigoths seek Roman protection, beginning end of Western Empire
ID: 4728
376
ID: 4912
Birth of St. Cyril of Alexandria in Egypt - future Doctor of the Church and defender of Mary as Theotokos
ID: 4912
378
ID: 5013
August 9, 378
Emperor Valens killed at Battle of Adrianople - Arian persecutor of Catholics dies fighting Goths, worst Roman defeat since Cannae
ID: 5013
379
ID: 3783
St. Basil's monastic rules spread - creates balanced monasticism emphasizing community, charity, and learning
ID: 3783
379
ID: 3819
St. Gregory Nazianzus in Constantinople - brilliant orations restore Nicene faith, called 'The Theologian'
ID: 3819
379
ID: 4902
January 1, 379
Death of St. Basil the Great - left treatises on the Holy Spirit, against Arianism, and monastic rules
ID: 4902
380s (21 events)
380
ID: 3820
St. Gregory of Nyssa writes mystical theology - Cappadocian Father, develops apophatic theology
ID: 3820
380
ID: 4180
St. Donatus kills dragon with spit - dragon poisoning wells near Venice dies when saint spits in its mouth (Venetian chronicles)
ID: 4180
380
ID: 4928
Birth of St. Peter Chrysologus in Imola - future Doctor of the Church and 'Golden-Worded' preacher
ID: 4928
381
ID: 4904
St. Gregory of Nazianzus presides briefly at Council of Constantinople - resigns as Patriarch to preserve peace
ID: 4904
382
ID: 3821
St. Jerome begins Vulgate translation - Pope Damasus commissions Latin Bible, 30 years work
ID: 3821
382
ID: 4847
Council of Rome confirms biblical canon - Pope Damasus lists canonical books, Jerome commissioned for Vulgate translation
ID: 4847
383
ID: 2535
Magnus Maximus withdraws troops from Britain - proclaimed Emperor by British legions, takes army to Gaul, defense weakened
ID: 2535
383
ID: 3784
Evagrius Ponticus in Egyptian desert - develops systematic desert spirituality, eight thoughts (precursor to seven deadly sins)
ID: 3784
383
ID: 5063
Augustine meets Faustus of Mileve - leading Manichaean bishop disappoints with inability to answer philosophical questions
ID: 5063
384
ID: 3872
St. Siricius becomes thirty-eighth pope - issues first papal decretal, enforces clerical celibacy
ID: 3872
384
ID: 5064
Augustine abandons Manichaeism - moves to Rome then Milan, influenced by skeptical philosophy before Christian conversion
ID: 5064
384
ID: 5516
Buddhism introduced to Baekje kingdom from Eastern Jin China by Indian monk Marananta
ID: 5516
385
ID: 4886
Philastrius writes Book of Various Heresies - Lists 156 heresies (28 Jewish, 128 Christian), most comprehensive catalog
ID: 4886
386
ID: 3785
St. Jerome establishes monastery in Bethlehem - translates Scripture (Vulgate), brings monasticism to Holy Land
ID: 3785
386
ID: 3822
St. Augustine's conversion - 'Take and read' in Milan garden, reads Romans 13:13-14
ID: 3822
386
ID: 3824
St. John Chrysostom begins preaching - 'Golden Mouth' gives brilliant homilies in Antioch
ID: 3824
386
ID: 4918
March 18, 386
Death of St. Cyril of Jerusalem - Doctor of the Church, witnessed miraculous appearance of cross in sky over Jerusalem
ID: 4918
387
ID: 3823
St. Augustine baptized by St. Ambrose - with son Adeodatus and friend Alypius, Monica dies at Ostia
ID: 3823
387
ID: 4680
Partition of Armenia - Rome and Persia divide Armenia, ends centuries of conflict
ID: 4680
387
ID: 5065
Death of St. Monica at Ostia - dies after seeing Augustine's conversion, her prayers answered after years of weeping
ID: 5065
388
ID: 5066
Augustine begins anti-Manichaean writings - produces multiple works refuting dualism, defends goodness of creation
ID: 5066
390s (11 events)
390
ID: 3786
Desert Fathers sayings begin compilation - Apophthegmata Patrum preserves wisdom of desert elders
ID: 3786
390
ID: 3825
St. Ambrose bars Emperor Theodosius from church - forces emperor to do public penance for Thessalonica massacre
ID: 3825
390
ID: 4905
January 25, 390
Death of St. Gregory of Nazianzus - left 45 orations including Five Theological Orations on the Trinity
ID: 4905
393
ID: 5915
Theodosius closes Delphi Oracle - bans all pagan oracles, ends 1,200+ years of prophecy, site abandoned
ID: 5915
394
ID: 5970
Black stone disappears - after Theodosius bans pagan worship, sacred meteorite vanishes, hidden by pagans or destroyed by Christians, location unknown
ID: 5970
395
ID: 3826
St. Augustine becomes Bishop of Hippo - reluctantly ordained, serves 35 years, writes against heresies
ID: 3826
396
ID: 5960
Eleusinian Mysteries ended - Alaric the Goth destroys sanctuary, 2000-year tradition ends, last hierophant laments gods have abandoned Greece
ID: 5960
397
ID: 3787
Death of St. Martin of Tours - soldier-monk brings Eastern monasticism to Gaul, establishes Marmoutier
ID: 3787
397
ID: 3827
St. Augustine writes Confessions - first spiritual autobiography, 'Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee'
ID: 3827
398
ID: 3828
St. John Chrysostom becomes Patriarch of Constantinople - reforms clergy, criticizes empress, earns enemies
ID: 3828
399
ID: 3873
St. Anastasius I becomes thirty-ninth pope - condemns Origen's writings, praised by Jerome
ID: 3873