Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!




6 A.D.- Judaea becomes a Roman province.

9 A.D.- Roman army under Varus destroyed by the Cherusci under Arminius in Teutoburg Forest.

14 A.D.- Augustus Caesar (Octavian) dead; succeeded as Roman Emperor by Tiberius.

16 A.D.- First definite reference to diamonds.

22 A.D.- Han Dynasty in China

26 A.D.- Tiberius retires to Capri, leaving Rome in charge of Sejanus, prefect of the Praetorian Guard.

27 A.D.- Jesus Christ is baptized by John the Baptist.

30 A.D.- Probable date of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (ya-HOO-shua).

Jesus was an Israeli Jew, born into a poor family living in the region of Galilee in northern Israel. He worked as a carpenter until he was in his 30's, when he gave up work and began to devote his life to preaching and healing the sick, traveling around the country on foot. Before long he had many disciples (followers) and picked 12 to be an inner circle, called the Apostles. They formed the sect of the "Nazarenes". His most famous teaching is called "Sermon on the Mount". It sets out a new code of behavior for men and women, based on love for God and for all people.



He angered the Jewish establishment, and they persuaded the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, to put him on trial. It was a mockery; even Pilate is suppossed to have said that he could find no fault in Jesus. But such was the clamor for his death that Pilate handed him over for crucifixion. His "trial" was clearly done for political reasons. Some of his followers who visited his tomb afterward claimed that he rose from the dead and later ascended to Heaven.

37 A.D.- Tiberius dead; succeeded by Caligula as Roman Emperor.

40 A.D.- Earliest Christian churches erected at Corinth, Greece. (Greek Orthodox)

42 A.D.- Caligula assassinated by Praetorian Guard, succeeded by Claudius as Roman Emperor.

43 A.D.- Roman invasion of Britain. The Iceni Celts submit their kingdom in East Anglia to the conquering Romans and the rule of Emperor Claudius. London is founded.

45 A.D.- St. Paul sets out on his missionary travels.

50 A.D.- Romans learn the use of soap from the Gauls. Gothic kingdom set up on Lower Vistula.

54 A.D.- Emperor Claudius poisoned by his wife, Agrippina; succeeded by her son Nero.

58 A.D.- Ming-Ti, new emperor of China, introduces Buddhism.

59 A.D.- Emperor Nero has his Mother Agrippina killed.

61 A.D.- Queen Boadicea leads the Iceni Celts in a revolt against the Romans in Britain. Prasutagus, Boadicea's husband and King of the Iceni, dead. A dispute followed during which Boadicea was publicly beaten by Roman soldiers, and her two daughters raped.

62 A.D.- Nero has his wife, Octavia, killed. He marrys Poppaea Sabina. Seneca resigns his postion at Nero's court.

63 A.D.- The Iceni Celt rebellion ends, defeated by the Romans.

64 A.D.- First persecution of Christians (by the Romans). Great fire of Rome.

65 A.D.- Seneca commits suicide at Nero's orders.

68 A.D.- Nero commits suicide, followed by civil war in Rome; succeeded by Galba (June 68-Jan 69); Otho (Jan-April 69); Vitellius (April-Dec 69); Vespasian (Dec 69-79)

70 A.D.- Revolt of the Jews against Rome, Jerusalem captured and destroyed.

79 A.D.- City of Pompeii in S.Italy, on the bay of Naples, destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Entire city perishes. Titus becomes Emperor of Rome.

80 A.D. - Colosseum Amphitheater in Rome completed.

81 A.D.- Domitian becomes Emperor of Rome.

85 A.D.- The books (Gospel) of St.John and St.Matthew

96 A.D.- Nerva becomes Emperor of Rome.

98 A.D.- Trajan becomes Emperor, brings the Roman Empire to its greatest geographical extent.

100 - Roman merchant ships.

105 - Paper invented in China.

117 - Hadrian becomes Emperor of Rome.

138 - Antoninus becomes Emperor of Rome.

146 - Romans destroy Carthage.

161 - Marcus Aurelius becomes Emperor of Rome.

164 - Great plague in the Roman Empire.

167 - Wars of the Marcomanni and Quadi (-175).

180 - Marcus Aurelius dead; succeeded by his son Commodus as Emperor of Rome. Romans defeated in Scotland.

192 - Emperor Commodus murdered.

193 - Septimius Severus becomes Emperor of Rome.

200 - Bishop of Rome gains his predominant position as Pope. Afghanistan invaded by Huns.

211 - Emperor Septimius Severus dead; succeeded by his 2 sons Caracalla and Geta. Caracalla murders his brother Geta.

212 - Roman citizenship given to every freeborn subject in the Empire. "Civis Romanus sum"

217 - Emperor Caracalla assassinated.

218 - Heliogabalus becomes Emperor of Rome.

220 - End of Han Dynasty in China, followed by four centuries of division. Goths invade Asia Minor, Balkan Peninsula

222 - Alexander Severus becomes Emperor of Rome.

225 - Southern part of India breaks up into several kingdoms.

235 - Emperor Alexander Severus murdered in army meeting.

238 - Maximinus becomes Emperor, and is assassinated by his own troops; succeeded by Gordian III.

244 - Philip "the Arabian" becomes Emperor of Rome.

248 - Rome celebrates its 1,000th anniversary.

249 - Decius becomes Emperor of Rome.

250 - Persecution of Christians increases, martyrs are being revered as Saints.

251 - Gallus becomes Emperor of Rome.

253 - Valerian becomes Emperor of Rome.

254 - The Old Testament is currently in six Hebrew and Greek texts.

257 - Franks invade Spain.

268 - The Goths sack Athens, Sparta, and Corinth. Claudius II becomes Emperor of Rome.

271 - Aurelian becomes Emperor and rebuilds the walls of Rome. The first form of a compass is used in China.

273 - Aurelian overthrows kingdom of Palmyra.

276 - Emperor Marcus Aurelius Probus of Rome

282 - Emperor Marcus Aurelius Carus of Rome

284 - Emperor Diocletian of Rome

285 - Roman Empire divides into East and West Empires. Maximian has dominion over the western part. Inventions: cogwheel, lever, pulley, screw, wedge.

290 - Construction of the ampitheater of Verona begins.

297 - Romans take Armenia from the Persians.

300 - Seperate developments of the five German dukedoms- Saxons, Franks, Alemanni, Thuringians, and Goths. Bowling is considered part of religious rituals in German monasteries. "Baptism" by immersion is changed to affusion (sprinkling) by the Roman Christians.

305 - Diocletian and Maximian abdicate their empires to Constantius Chlorus and Galerius.

306 - Constantius Chlorus dead; succeeded by his son, Constantine the Great. Constantine reunites the two empires under Rome, and becomes sole Emperor.

310 - Making the 'sign' of the cross invented (by hand gesture).

311 - Last persecutions of Christians in Rome.

313 - Edict of Milan by Constantine causes Christianity to be tolerated within the Roman Empire. Mithraism is still the primary religion of the Roman Empire (since 222 B.C.).

325 - Roman Emperor Constantine I convened "the Nicene Council", gathering 220 elders (bishops) together, in order to unify basic doctrines and establish the Roman Catholic Church. Death decreed to anyone who adds or changes The Creed of Faith of Nice.

331 - Seat of Roman Empire moved to Constantinople.

337 - Constantine the Great is baptized on his deathbed; succeeded by his 3 sons: Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans

338 - The Jews improve their calendar by introducing different lengths of years.

340 - Constantine II killed fighting his brother Constans, in Battle of Aquileia. Rome again splits into two empires.

350 - First Calendar with Christmas Day on it.

Festival for the Sun God: Mithra, Dec. 25th, is changed to the observance of the birth of Christ, by Constantine. Persians regain Armenia from Rome.

360 - Picts and Scots cross Hadrian's Wall and invade Britain. The Huns invade Europe. Scrolls begin to be replaced by books.

364 - The Roman Empire divided.

370 - Theodosius drives the Picts and Scots out of Britain. Council of Laodicea declares Sabbath observers "Judaizers", and worthy of death.

375 - Veneration of angels and dead "saints" by the Roman Catholics.

376 - The Huns invade Russia.

378 - Emperor Valens defeated and killed by the Visigoths.

379 - Emperor Theodosius I resettles Visigoths in the Roman Empire.

383 - Roman legions begin to evacuate Britain.

390 - First "Hallelujah" hymns in Christian churches.

391 - Eusibius Heirymonius Sophronius (Jerome) begins translating the Greek New Testament into Latin (-403).

392 - Accession of Theodosius "the Great" as Emperor of East and West, last ruler of the united Roman Empire.

394 - "The Sacrament of the Mass" introduced by the Roman Catholics.

395 - Emperor Theodosius dead. Rome redivides.

396 - Alaric invades Greece, plunders Athens and the Balkans.

397 - Emperor Theodosius forbids the Olympic Games.

400 - The first definite records of Japanese history.

401 - Visigoths invade Italy.



410 - The Middle Ages begin. Beginnings of Alchemy. Alaric captures and sacks Rome. Roman Legions withdraw from Britain to protect Italy.

418 - Franks settle in Gaul.

420 - Nanking becomes the capital of N.China once again.

425 - Barbarians settled in Roman provinces.

429 - Picts and Scots expelled from southern England by Saxons, Jutes, and Angles. Gaiseric founds Vandal kingdom in North Africa.

431 - The worship of Miryam (Mary) began by the Roman Catholics.

432 - St.Patrick brings Christianity to Ireland.

433 - Attila becomes ruler of the Huns.

436 - The last Roman troops leave Britain.

443 - Gaiseric takes last Roman possessions in North Africa, and establishes absolute monarchy.

452 - Venice founded by Attila the Hun's refugees.

453 - Attila the Hun dead.

455 - The Vandals sack Rome.

460 - Vandals destroy Roman fleet off Cartagena.

470 - The Huns withdraw from Europe. Flowering of the Maya city civilization in Southern Mexico.

476 - End of the Western Roman Empire.

477 - Founding of the kingdom of Sussex.

479 - Ch'i Dynasty in Southern China.

500 - Tamo brings tea from India to China. Incense and "priestly garb" is introduced in Christian church services. Thule people from Siberia reach Alaska.

507 - Wooden coffins and tools used in burials.

525 - Catholic monk Dionysus Exiguus invents the terms B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (anno domini), declaring it to be "the 525th year of our Lord".

526 - Sacrament of "Extreme Unction" introduced by the Roman Catholics.

527 - First paddle-wheel boats with animal whim-drive.

529 - Justinian closes the 1000-year-old School of Philosophy in Athens.

532 - Franks overthrow the kingdom of Burgundy.

533 - Belisarius overthrows Vandal kingdom, North Africa becomes a Byzantine province.








537 - Legendary King Arthur of the Britons killed in the battle of Camian.

538 - Buddhism reaches Japan.

539 - War between Persia and the Byzantine Empire.

540 - Totila the Ostrogoth ends Byzantine rule in Italy. Empress Theodora introduces long white dresses, purple cloaks, gold embroidery, pointed shoes.

541 - Totila becomes king of the Ostrogoths.

542 - Rats spread plague all over Europe, from Egypt and Syria.

543 - Disasterous earthquakes shake the entire world.

546 - Totila invades Rome.

547 - Totila leaves Rome.

549 - Music, dancing, Chess, and hunting are cultivated by Neo-Persian Empire.

550 - Totila conquers Rome again. Turk tribes migrate West. Church bells used in France. Crucifix develops as an ornament. Chess game introduced to India.

551 - Byzantines defeat Ostrogoth Navy.

552 - Totila, king of the Ostragoths, killed. Emperor Shotoko Taishi introduces Buddhism into Japan. Silkworms smuggled out of China and Ceylon, beginning of European silk industry.

553 - Silk industry becomes monopoly in Byzantine Empire. Rome annexed.

554 - General Narses becomes highest military and civil authority in Italy.

558 - Kingdom of the Franks reunite.

559 - Belisarius repels an army of the Huns near Constantinople.

565 - The Lombards drive the Byzantines from N.Italy to S.Italy.

567 - King Leovigild, of the Visigoths, drive the Byzantines from W.Spain.

568 - Lombard kingdom in northern and central Italy.

570 - Mohammed, founder of Islam, born.

572 - War between Persia and the Byzantine Empire.

575 - Buddhism firmly established in Japan.

577 - The English of Wessex defeat the Welsh at Deorham.

578 - Byzantine Emperor Justin II dead. Succeeded by Tiberius II.

581 - Accession of Yan Ch'ien to the throne of China. Sui Dynasty

582 - Emperor Tiberius II dead. Succeeded by Maurice.

584 - Mercia, a kingdom of Anglo-Saxon England, founded.

585 - Leovigild conquers all of Spain.

586 - King Recared, of the Visigoths

587 - The Visigoths in Spain are being converted to Christianity.

589 - The Lombards are converted to Roman Catholicism.

590 - Plague in Rome.

593 - Osaka, Japan, founded.

594 - End of the plague which began in 542 and killed nearly half the population of Europe.

598 - The first English school in Canterbury, England.

600 - Smallpox plague begins in India, to China, Asia Minor, to S.Europe. Bookprinting in China. Italy switches from money to the barter system. The Maya use a complex form of picture writing, develop an advanced calendar. Latin is the only language permitted for prayer in Roman Churches.

602 - Disasterous floods in China.

603 - Lombards converted to Roman Catholicism, The first St.Paul's Church is founded in London.

604 - The first church bell in Rome.

606 - Founding of the last empire in N.India.

607 - The first Japanese ambassadors in China.

609 - The crwth (crowd, chrotta), a Celtic string instrument, develops.

610 - Phocas, Emperor of the E.Roman Empire, killed. Succeeded by Heraclius.

612 - Harsha of Thanesar becomes Emperor of the Five Indies.

613 - Austrasia and Burgundy united by Chlothar II.

614 - The Persians take Damascus and Jerusalem, and take the Holy Cross.

615 - "Burning water" (petroleum) used in Japan. Massacre of the monks of Bangor. Mohammed's teachings begin. Revival of stone sculpture in India.

616 - Persians overrun Egypt. Adalwaid becomes king of the Lombards.

618 - End of the Sui Dynasty in China. From now on, the T'ang Dynasty rules.

619 - The Persians in Egypt, Jerusalem, Damascus, Hellespont. Orchestras with hundreds of players in China.

620 - Production of porcelain in China. The Northmen invade Ireland.

622 - Monothelite controversy.

623 - Slav tribes in Carinthia freed from the Avars.

624 - Mohammed marries 10-year-old Aisha.

625 - Mohammed begins to dictate the Koran. Avars and Persians double attacks Constantinople.

626 - Edwin of Northumbria founds Edinburgh and begins Christianizing it.

627 - Mecca besieges Medina and slaughters 700 Jews. Persians defeated by the Byzantines at Nineveh. T'al-Tsung becomes Emperor of China.

628 - Mohammed captures Mecca. Lincoln Church founded. Chosroes II, King of Persia, murdered by his son and successor Kavadh II.

629 - Heraclius recovers Jerusalem. Dagobert I succeeds to Frankish kingdom.

630 - Cotton introduced in Arab countries. Vermeland (Norway) colonized.

632 - Mohammed dead. Buddhism becomes state religion in Tibet. East Anglia is Christianized.

633 - The Arabs attack Persia. Spain becomes a kingdom of the Visigoths.

634 - Abu Bekr conquers Syria, Persia, Egypt, defeats Heracilus (Holy War).

635 - Christianization of Wessex.

636 - Anglo-Saxon civilization advances with Christianity. In the Frankish Empire, a difference between the Frank and German languages appear.

637 - Jerusalem conquered by the Arabs. Mosaics in Roman churches.

638 - Persia asks China for help against the Moslems.

639 - The Arabs attack Armenia.

640 - The Arabs find at Alexandria the famous library with 300,000 scrolls.

641 - Fustat (Cairo) is founded. The Arabs destroy the Persian Empire.

642 - E.Roman Empire is weakened by the Arab conquest of Egypt, Syria, and Mesopotamia.

643 - Moslems conquer Tripoli.

644 - Chinese move into Korea.

645 - Powers of the nobility in Japan are limited. The greatest art period of China.

646 - Byzantine fleet recaptures Alexandria.

647 - Emperor Harsha's death breaks up his N.Indian Empire.

649 - The Arabs conquer Cyprus.



650 - The Pyramid of the Sun is the center of the civilization of Teotihuacan in Mexico (built in 1,500 B.C.); this civilization is the mightiest in the Americas before the Spanish conquest. The Caliphs introduce the first organized news service. Chinese artists use lamp-black ink for taking rubbings, which leads to introduction of wood blocks for printing. Neumes invented, groups of notes used in music.

652 - Aswan becomes southern limit of Arab expansion.

655 - Moslem fleet destroys Byzantine fleet at Lycia.

656 - Chlothar III rules as sole king of the Franks.

660 - The Omayyads become "Caliphs", Islamic buildings in Omayyad style.

663 - Last visit to Rome by a Byzantine Emperor (Constans II).

664 - Plague outbreak in Saxon England.

668 - Constantine IV becomes Byzantine Emperor.

670 - The Arabs attack North Africa.

671 - "Greek Fire" used against the Arabs at the seige of Constantinople, a missile weapon of sulfur, rock salt, resin, and petroleum.

672 - Wamba becomes king of the Visigoths.

678 - Death of Childeric II. Civil war and anarchy in Frankish Kingdom.

674 - Glass windows in English churches. Arabs arrive at the Indus River.

675 - First Bulgarian Empire founded south of the Danube.

680 - Hussain killed fighting against Yezid.

685 - Picts prevent Northumbrians from gaining control of Scotland.

686 - Last heathen kingdom in England; Sussex converted to Christianity.

687 - Egica becomes king of the Visigoths.

688 - Ine, king of Wessex, subdues Essex and part of Kent.

690 - Wihtred becomes king of Kent.

691 - Clovis III becomes king of all the Franks.

692 - Constantinople settles the Eastern Church.

693 - The Arabs defeat Justinian II at Sebastopolls, Cilicia.

694 - Arabs overrun Armenia.

695 - First Arab coins. Persecution of the Jews in Spain.

697 - N.Ireland Church submits to Roman Catholicism. Arabs destroy Carthage.

698 - Utrecht discovers the island of Heligoland.

700 - Water wheels for mill drive in use all over Europe. Tapestry weaving well in Peru. Population explosion in China, large urban developments. Greek, instead of Latin, becomes official language of E.Roman Empire. Easter eggs come into use among Christians. Psalms translated into Anglo-Saxon.

705 - Justinian II becomes Byzantine Emperor again.

708 - Last Pope (Sisinius) to visit the emperor in Constantinople.

709 - Kissing the feet of the Pope is ordered.

710 - Sugar first planted in Egypt. Justinian II, first to kiss Pope's feet.

711 - Spanish Jews freed by the Arabs. Dagobert III, king of all the Franks.

712 - Arabs occupy and make Samarkand center of Islamic culture, learn to make paper. Seville conquered by Arabs.

713 - Anastasius II becomes Byzantine Emperor.

715 - Missionary work begins among the Germans. Moslem empire extends from the Pyrenees to China. Earliest Islamic paintings.

716 - The Arabs conquer Lisbon.

717 - Caliph Omar II grants tax exemption to all believers. First life-sized bronze sculpture of Buddha in Nara.

718 - Leo III defends Constantinople for 13 months against the Arabs and destroys their fleet.

720 - Arabs invent sulfuric and nitric acid, aqua regia, and silver nitrate.

725 - Chin. capital Ch'ang-an is largest city in the world. Arabs ravage S.France. Large irrigation works in Arizona.

730 - Alemanni becomes part of the Frankish empire. Pope Gregory II excommunicates the Byzantine Emperor.

732 - Charles Martel's army advances west after defeating the Arabs.

734 - Dry-lacquer statues at Nara.

735 - Charles Martel conquers Burgundy.

737 - Childeric III becomes king of all the Franks.

739 - Pope Gregory III asks Charles Martel for help against the Lombards, Greeks, and Arabs.

741 - Constantine V renews prohibition of image worship in Byzantium.

744 - Swabia becomes part of the Frankish Empire.

745 - Emperor Constantine V defeats the Arabs.

748 - First printed newspaper in Peking. Arab fleet destroyed at Cyprus.

749 - Aistulf, king of the Lombards.

750 - Beds become popular in France and Germany. Gregorian chant church music in Germany, France, England. 40,000 horses in China's stables for the game of Polo. Arab Spain invents astronomy, math, optics, chemistry. Temporal power of Pope is declared by Rome.

751 - Chinese paper markers teach paper manufacture to Arabs.

752 - Cuthred of Wessex defeats Ethelbald at Burford.

754 - Pepin sends their army to defeat Lombards to aid Pope Stephen III. Council of Constantinople orders removal of all images and abolition of image worship.

755 - War between Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarians.

756 - Mansur's military ends rebellion in China after Emperor Huang resigns.

757 - Desiderius becomes the last king of the Lombards.

759 - The Franks get Narbonne back from the Arabs.

760 - Founding of Turkish Empire by a Tartar tribe in Armenia.

763 - Caliph al-Mansur moves his capital from Damascus to Baghdad.

765 - Picture book printing known in Japan. Tibet invades China.

766 - York becomes a center of learning.

771 - Charlemagne (Charles the Great) becomes sole ruler of the Franks.

772 - Charlemagne subdues Saxony under Widukind and converts it to Christian. Pope Hadrian asks Charlemagne for help against the Lombards. Begins Tithing.

773 - Charlemagne annexes Lombard kingdom.

774 - Offa subdues Kent and Wessex.

775 - Tibet subdues Himalayan countries, makes new boundaries with China. Leo IV becomes Byzantine Emperor.

777 - Charlemagne, after defeating the Saxons, holds his first diet. Charlemagne becomes king of the Lombards.

778 - Louis I, the Pious, future Holy Roman Emperor is born.

779 - Offa of Mercia, king of all England. Earliest extant prints in Japan.

780 - Empress Irene becomes ruler of Byzantine empire, restores image worship.

781 - Nestorian missionaries build Christian monasteries in China.

782 - Charlemagne executes 4,500 Saxons at Verden. Arabs begin alchemy.

786 - Cynewulf, king of the West Saxons dead.

787 - First Dan, invasion of Britain

788 - Worship of crosses, relics and images re-authorized by the Roman Church. Charlemagne annexes his country. The Slovenes settle in Carniola. ldris establishes a Shiite kingdom in Morocco.

789 - Constantine I becomes king of Scotland.

790 - Church music schools at Paris, Cologne, goissons, and Metz under Rome.

791 - Byzantine Emperor Constantine imprisons his mother for her cruelty.

792 - Beginning of the Viking era in Britain.

793 - Tea tax introduced in China.

794 - Japan's capital moved from Nara to Heian (Kyoto). State-owned paper mills in Baghdad. Charlemagne condemns image worship at Frankfurt.

795 - Revolts in Egypt. Charlemagne forms the Spanish march. Northmen land in Ireland.

796 - Offa, king of Mercia, dead. Succeeded by Cenwulf.

797 - Constantine's mother, Empress Irene, overthrows and blinds him, assumes sole power, and marries Charlemagne (The Greek Church canonized her). Horse-changing posts for royal messengers installed in France.

798 - Cenwulf of Mercia subdues Kent.

799 - Charlemagne conquers and destroys port of Flume.