Events from the 400s

← 300s

400s

96 events
400 - 499 AD
500s →

400s (11 events)

400 ID: 4875
Exilarch vs. Academies tension - Hereditary political leadership conflicts with rabbinic academic authority
ID: 4875
Sura
400 ID: 4931
Birth of St. Leo the Great in Rome - future Pope and Doctor of the Church
ID: 4931
Rome
400 ID: 5344
End of systematic ancient mining - collapse of Western Empire ends large-scale mining until medieval period
ID: 5344
Rio Tinto
Las Médulas
Dolaucothi
401 ID: 3874
St. Innocent I becomes fortieth pope - claims universal papal authority, negotiates with Alaric
ID: 3874
Rome
404 ID: 3829
St. John Chrysostom exiled - Empress Eudoxia banishes him for criticizing luxury, dies in exile 407
ID: 3829
Constantinople
Comana Pontica
405 ID: 3830
St. Jerome completes Vulgate - standard Bible of Western Church for 1000 years
ID: 3830
Bethlehem
405 ID: 5616
Patrick captured by Irish raiders at age 16 from Roman Britain (possibly Bannavem Taburniae) and enslaved in Ireland as a shepherd
ID: 5616
Britain
Ireland
407 ID: 3788
First destruction of Scetis - barbarian raids scatter monks, John Cassian flees to West with desert tradition
ID: 3788
Scetis
407 ID: 4911
September 14, 407
Death of St. John Chrysostom in exile - Doctor of the Church, 'Golden-Mouthed' preacher, died saying 'Glory be to God for all things'
ID: 4911
Comana Pontica
408 ID: 5735
Alaric the Goth demands 3,000 pounds of pepper as part of Rome's ransom - pepper literally worth a city's freedom
ID: 5735
Rome
408 ID: 5925
Stilicho burns Sibylline Books - Christian general destroys last pagan prophecies, ending 900 years of consultation
ID: 5925
Rome

410s (9 events)

410 ID: 2536
Honorius tells Britons to defend themselves - Roman Emperor abandons Britain, end of Roman rule after 367 years
ID: 2536
Ravenna
Britain
410 ID: 3789
Honoratus founds Lerins Abbey - island monastery becomes 'nursery of bishops' for Gaul
ID: 3789
Lerins Island
410 ID: 4681
Council of Seleucia-Ctesiphon - Persian Christians organize independently from Rome
ID: 4681
Ctesiphon
411 ID: 5617
Patrick escapes from slavery in Ireland after six years, travels 200 miles to the coast and returns to Britain
ID: 5617
Britain
Ireland
412 ID: 4913
St. Cyril becomes Patriarch of Alexandria - begins defense of Mary as Mother of God against Nestorius
ID: 4913
Alexandria
413 ID: 3831
St. Augustine begins City of God - response to fall of Rome, Christian philosophy of history, takes 13 years
ID: 3831
Hippo Regius
415 ID: 3790
John Cassian founds monastery in Marseilles - writes Conferences, transmits desert wisdom to Western Church
ID: 3790
Marseille
417 ID: 3875
St. Zosimus becomes forty-first pope - initially lenient with Pelagius, later condemns
ID: 3875
Rome
418 ID: 3876
St. Boniface I becomes forty-second pope - disputed election with antipope Eulalius
ID: 3876
Rome

420s (9 events)

421 ID: 4682
Bahram V 'the Wild Ass' - legendary king, patron of arts, tolerance toward minorities
ID: 4682
Ctesiphon
421 ID: 5093
Church of San Giacomo di Rialto founded - traditionally first church in Venice, marks beginning of permanent settlement
ID: 5093
Venice
421 ID: 5091
March 25, 421
Legendary founding of Venice - refugees fleeing barbarian invasions establish settlement on Rialto islands at noon on Feast of Annunciation
ID: 5091
Venice
422 ID: 3877
St. Celestine I becomes forty-third pope - condemns Nestorius, sends Patrick to Ireland
ID: 3877
Rome
422 ID: 5245
Birth of St. Genevieve at Nanterre - born to Frankish father Severus and Greek mother Gerontia
ID: 5245
Nanterre
423 ID: 3791
St. Augustine writes monastic rule - emphasizes charity and common life, influences later Western monasticism
ID: 3791
Hippo Regius
425 ID: 4859
Rav Ashi begins organizing Babylonian Talmud - 60-year project at Sura academy, massive compilation
ID: 4859
Sura
428 ID: 4887
Augustine writes On Heresies - Describes 88 heresies, more systematic than predecessors
ID: 4887
429 ID: 5246
St. Germanus meets 7-year-old Genevieve - recognizes her sanctity, she consecrates herself to God, receives blessed coin
ID: 5246
Nanterre

430s (9 events)

430 ID: 3832
St. Augustine dies during Vandal siege of Hippo - most influential Western theologian, wrote 5 million words
ID: 3832
Hippo Regius
431 ID: 4914
Council of Ephesus - St. Cyril presides, defines Mary as Theotokos (Mother of God), condemns Nestorianism
ID: 4914
Ephesus
432 ID: 3792
St. Patrick brings monasticism to Ireland - establishes Celtic monastic tradition combining scholarship and mission
ID: 3792
Ireland
432 ID: 3878
St. Sixtus III becomes forty-fourth pope - builds Santa Maria Maggiore after Ephesus
ID: 3878
Rome
433 ID: 4929
St. Peter Chrysologus becomes Bishop of Ravenna - delivers 176 surviving sermons on Scripture and liturgy
ID: 4929
Ravenna
434 ID: 4729
Attila and Bleda become joint rulers of Huns - inherit from uncle Rua, begin consolidating Hun confederation
ID: 4729
Pannonia
435 ID: 4175
St. Marcellus drives dragon from Paris - bishop uses his staff to lead serpent from tomb to Seine River (Gregory of Tours)
ID: 4175
Paris
435 ID: 5247
Genevieve moves to Paris after parents' death - begins having visions, faces skepticism until St. Germanus confirms her sanctity
ID: 5247
Paris
436 ID: 5248
Genevieve heals her mother's blindness - makes sign of cross with well water over mother's eyes, sight restored
ID: 5248
Paris

440s (13 events)

440 ID: 3879
St. Leo I the Great becomes forty-fifth pope - stops Attila the Hun, defines two natures of Christ
ID: 3879
Rome
440 ID: 5249
Genevieve begins expelling demons - gains reputation for freeing possessed persons through prayer and fasting
ID: 5249
Paris
440 ID: 4932
September 29, 440
St. Leo the Great elected Pope - will confront Attila the Hun and define Christ's two natures at Chalcedon
ID: 4932
Rome
444 ID: 5618
St. Patrick lights the Paschal fire on the Hill of Slane in defiance of the High King's decree, confronts druids at Tara
ID: 5618
Ireland
Tara
444 ID: 4915
June 27, 444
Death of St. Cyril of Alexandria - left extensive writings on the Incarnation and Trinity
ID: 4915
Alexandria
445 ID: 4730
Attila murders brother Bleda - becomes sole ruler of Huns, 'Scourge of God' begins reign of terror
ID: 4730
Pannonia
445 ID: 5619
St. Patrick establishes his principal church at Armagh, which becomes the primatial see of Ireland
ID: 5619
Ireland
Armagh
447 ID: 4731
Attila devastates Eastern Roman Empire - defeats army, earthquakes destroy Constantinople's walls during invasion
ID: 4731
Constantinople
448 ID: 2811
Merovech fights alongside Romans against Attila - legendary founder of Merovingian dynasty, possibly mythical, said to be born of sea monster
ID: 2811
Gaul
448 ID: 4183
St. Germanus encounters British dragon - bishop confronts dragon while visiting Britain, prophesies about St. Genevieve (Constantius)
ID: 4183
Britain
Auxerre
449 ID: 2537
Hengist and Horsa arrive in Kent - Vortigern invites Saxon mercenaries to fight Picts, beginning of Anglo-Saxon settlement
ID: 2537
Kent
449 ID: 5014
Robber Council of Ephesus (Latrocinium) - Dioscorus presides, Eutyches vindicated, St. Flavian beaten and dies from injuries
ID: 5014
Ephesus
449 ID: 5016
Death of St. Flavian - Patriarch of Constantinople dies from beating received at Robber Council, martyr for orthodox Christology
ID: 5016
Constantinople

450s (16 events)

450 ID: 4171
Sigurd slays dragon Fafnir - bathes in blood for invulnerability, understands bird speech (Germanic chronicles)
ID: 4171
450 ID: 4172
Dragons fight beneath Dinas Emrys - red dragon (Welsh) battles white dragon (Saxon) in underground lake, Merlin explains prophecy (Historia Brittonum)
ID: 4172
Dinas Emrys
450 ID: 4930
July 30, 450
Death of St. Peter Chrysologus - Doctor of the Church, counseled heretics to submit to Rome for salvation
ID: 4930
Ravenna
451 ID: 4732
Battle of Catalaunian Plains - Aetius and Visigoths stop Attila's invasion of Gaul, last great Roman victory
ID: 4732
Catalaunian Plains
451 ID: 5015
Council of Chalcedon - defines Christ's two natures in one person, deposes Dioscorus, establishes Chalcedonian Definition
ID: 5015
Chalcedon
451 ID: 5250
Genevieve saves Paris from Attila - convinces Parisians not to flee, organizes prayer and fasting, Attila mysteriously bypasses Paris
ID: 5250
Paris
452 ID: 4733
Attila invades Italy - destroys Aquileia, Pope Leo I meets him, mysteriously withdraws from Rome
ID: 4733
Aquileia
452 ID: 4933
Pope St. Leo the Great meets Attila the Hun - persuades him to turn back from Rome
ID: 4933
Rome
452 ID: 5092
Mass flight to Venetian lagoon - refugees from Aquileia and mainland cities flee Attila's Huns, establish permanent settlements in lagoon
ID: 5092
Venice
453 ID: 4734
Death of Attila - dies on wedding night (nosebleed or murder?), Hun Empire immediately collapses
ID: 4734
Pannonia
454 ID: 5017
Deaths of Eutyches and Dioscorus - both die in exile unrepentant, Monophysite heresy continues
ID: 5017
455 ID: 2538
Battle of Aylesford - Horsa killed but Saxons win, Hengist becomes first Saxon king of Kent
ID: 2538
Aylesford
455 ID: 5251
Devil extinguishes Genevieve's candle on bridge - she prays, candle relights miraculously, becomes her iconographic symbol
ID: 5251
Paris
457 ID: 2812
Childeric I becomes king of Salian Franks - rules from Tournai, serves as Roman federate, father of Clovis
ID: 2812
Tournai
457 ID: 5620
St. Patrick retires to Saul in County Down, where he had made his first convert and established his first church in Ireland
ID: 5620
Ireland
Saul
459 ID: 3793
Death of St. Simeon Stylites - lived 37 years on pillar, extreme asceticism influences Eastern monasticism
ID: 3793
Qalaat Semaan

460s (7 events)

461 ID: 3880
St. Hilarius becomes forty-sixth pope - escaped Robber Synod of Ephesus as Leo's legate
ID: 3880
Rome
461 ID: 5621
March 17, 461
Death of St. Patrick at Saul; buried at Downpatrick - becomes patron saint of Ireland
ID: 5621
Ireland
Saul
Downpatrick
461 ID: 4934
November 10, 461
Death of Pope St. Leo the Great - Doctor of the Church, wrote Tome of Leo defining Christ's two natures
ID: 4934
Rome
463 ID: 2813
Childeric returns from exile - allegedly exiled for seducing Frankish women, returns with Thuringian queen Basina who becomes Clovis's mother
ID: 2813
Tournai
464 ID: 5252
Genevieve breaks Childeric's siege of Paris - leads flotilla up Seine to Troyes for grain, feeds starving city
ID: 5252
Paris
466 ID: 2814
Birth of Clovis - son of Childeric and Basina, future unifier of Frankish tribes and conqueror of Gaul
ID: 2814
Tournai
468 ID: 3881
St. Simplicius becomes forty-seventh pope - sees fall of Western Roman Empire in 476
ID: 3881
Rome

470s (5 events)

470 ID: 5020
Peter the Fuller usurps See of Antioch - adds 'who was crucified for us' to Trisagion, multiple depositions and restorations
ID: 5020
Caudine Forks
470 ID: 5253
Childeric shows reverence to Genevieve - pagan Frankish king respects holy woman, releases prisoners at her request
ID: 5253
Paris
475 ID: 4860
Ravina II continues Talmud compilation - Works with Rav Ashi's successors, nearing completion
ID: 4860
Sura
475 ID: 5254
Genevieve initiates church over St. Denis's tomb - locates martyr's burial site through revelation, begins basilica construction
ID: 5254
Saint-Denis
477 ID: 5019
Peter Mongus becomes Patriarch of Alexandria - Monophysite usurper, anathematizes Pope Leo and Chalcedon
ID: 5019
Alexandria

480s (8 events)

480 ID: 3797
St. Brigid founds Kildare - double monastery for men and women, major center of Celtic Christianity
ID: 3797
Kildare
481 ID: 2815
Death of Childeric I - buried with rich grave goods (discovered 1653), 15-year-old Clovis inherits small kingdom around Tournai
ID: 2815
Tournai
482 ID: 5018
Henoticon of Emperor Zeno - attempted compromise between Chalcedonians and Monophysites, causes Acacian Schism with Rome
ID: 5018
Constantinople
483 ID: 3882
St. Felix III becomes forty-eighth pope - excommunicates Patriarch Acacius, 35-year schism begins
ID: 3882
Rome
484 ID: 4683
Hephthalite defeat - Sassanids lose eastern territories, pay tribute to 'White Huns'
ID: 4683
Armenia
486 ID: 2816
Battle of Soissons - Clovis defeats Syagrius, last Roman ruler in Gaul, 'Kingdom of Soissons' falls, Clovis controls northern Gaul
ID: 2816
Soissons
486 ID: 2817
Vase of Soissons incident - soldier breaks Church vase Clovis wanted intact, Clovis later splits soldier's skull, establishing royal authority
ID: 2817
Soissons
488 ID: 5021
Death of Peter the Fuller - dies as Patriarch of Antioch after multiple depositions, Monophysite additions to liturgy persist
ID: 5021
Caudine Forks

490s (9 events)

490 ID: 5022
Death of Peter Mongus - Monophysite Patriarch of Alexandria, Acacian Schism continues
ID: 5022
Alexandria
492 ID: 3883
St. Gelasius I becomes forty-ninth pope - doctrine of two swords (spiritual and temporal power)
ID: 3883
Rome
493 ID: 2818
Clovis marries Clotilde - Burgundian Catholic princess, begins influencing him toward Catholicism rather than Arianism
ID: 2818
493 ID: 5255
Genevieve influences Clovis through Queen Clotilde - helps persuade Frankish king toward Christianity before his conversion
ID: 5255
Paris
496 ID: 2819
Battle of Tolbiac - Clovis facing defeat against Alamanni, vows to convert if Christian God gives victory, Alamanni flee
ID: 2819
Tolbiac
496 ID: 2821
Miracle of Holy Ampulla - dove brings vial of chrism from heaven for Clovis's baptism, used for French coronations until 1825
ID: 2821
Reims
496 ID: 3884
Anastasius II becomes fiftieth pope - seeks reconciliation with Constantinople, Dante puts in Hell
ID: 3884
Rome
496 ID: 2820
December 25, 496
Baptism of Clovis at Reims - St. Remigius baptizes Clovis with 3,000 warriors on Christmas, 'Bend thy neck, Sicamber!', France becomes 'Eldest Daughter of the Church'
ID: 2820
Reims
498 ID: 3885
St. Symmachus becomes fifty-first pope - disputed election, Symmachan forgeries defend papal immunity
ID: 3885
Rome