1st Millennium European Politics & War

0000s Roman Emperors of the Julian & Flavian Dynasties 69 Year of the Four Emperors: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian rule during first Civil War. After extensive travels and studies of other geographies, Strabo completes his Geography 40 Hellenistic Jewish philosopher Philo represents the Alexandrian Jews in a delegation to the Roman emperor Caligula following civil strife between the Jewish and Greek communities of Alexandria 43 Roman army of 20K invades Britain. Once their position is secure, Emperor Claudius crosses the channel with reinforcements, including elephants, and stages a victorious battle, returns to Rome triumphant 45-48 First missionary journey, Paul & Barnabas 48 Council of the Apostles at Jerusalem 49-52 Second missionary journey 65 Famous Stoic & Nero's minister Seneca is forced to commit suicide. 70 Siege of Jerusalem by Romans under Titus 93 Epictetus moves his school of Stoicism to Epirus after Domitian bans philosophers from Rome. 96 Pythagorean and mystic Apollonius of Tyana (15-100) perceived the murder of Emperor Domitian in Rome using ESP in Ephesus and announced his approval. He was later tried and executed for using magic to conspire against the emperor.	0100s - Roman Adopted Emperors 110s Mithraism grows and competes w/ Christianity 132-135 The Bar Kokhba revolt, led by Simon bar Kokhba results in the Jewish state being completely detroyed by the Romans. 140 Marcion the heretic formulates first canon of the Bible, rejecting all New Testament authors except Paul. 150 Greco-Roman mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, and geographer Ptolemy completes his Almagest (astronomical treatise), establishing a geocentric model of the Universe, which lasts more than 1,200 years. It is complemented by his Geography. They are preserved by Arab Muslims and later influence the European Renaissance. c. 155 Justin Martyr writes his First Apology to defend Christianity. 161-180 Marcus Aurelius writes The Meditations c. 170s Greek philosopher Celsus criticizes Christianity in his work, The True Word 189 Judah ha-Nasi writes the Mishnah, the first written collection of the Jewish oral traditions. c. 190s Clement, Presbyter of Alexandria, refutes Gnosticism and promotes Platonism & Stoicism
0200s Roman Soldier Emperors Tertullian, "the father of Latin Christianity", is the first to write about the Trinity. c. 220-230 Origen composes his theological treatise On the First Principles, which laid out the foundations of Christian theology c. 232 Origen is banished from Alexandria and stripped of Presbyter status after asking to be ordained in Palestine. His alleged self-mutilation to become a eunuch for the sake of the Good News and philosophical eclecticism contributed to criticism by later theologians. 235-284 Crisis of the 3rd Century - nearly 50 yrs of civil war, 20 emperors 245 Plotinus begins teaching his philosophy of the transcendent "One", the human Intellect and incorporeal soul in Rome. His lecture notes are edited by his student Porphyry and become popular and later referred to as "NeoPlatonism" in the 19th century. 270s Porphyry of Tyre incorporates Aristotle's "categories" into Neoplatonism. 280-500 Jewish Talmuds compiled, oral tradition codified	0300s c. 304 Arab philosopher Iamblichus combined Neoplatonism with Pythagoreanism and started a shool in Syria which also taught the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle. . 319 Arian Controversy begins during debates at Alexandria when other presbyters and bishops adopt Arius' and Bishop Lucian's conception of Christ. 325 In an attempt to unify Christian faith in the empire, Constantine convenes Council of Nicea, which formulates Nicene Creed based on the Trinitarian beliefs of Athanasius, rejecting Arius' beliefs as heresy. 330 King Ezana of Aksum (Northern Ethiopia) declares Christiantiy the state religion. 340s Arian Bishop Ulfilas creates Gothic alphabet and translates Greek scriptures for Visigoths, leading to spread of Arianism among Germans who will later conquer the Western Empire. 361 Emperor Julian attempts to revive paganism as an ethical religion. He orders rebuilding of the Temple of Jerusalem so that Jews can make animal sacrifices to Yahweh. Mysterious fire (natural gas?) halts temple construction. Julian killed (probably assasinated) while campaigning to liberate Armenia. 363 367 Bishop Athanasius issues list of scriptures that will form the New Testament. Validity of the book of Revelation remains in dispute. 2nd Ecumenical Council 381 adresses controversies of Apollinarianism and Montanism, affirms and expands Nicene Creed. Christianity becomes state religion 391 397 Confessions of St Augustine
0400s 404 Jerome completes Latin translation of Bible 415 Alexandrian Christians murder pagan female philosopher Hypatia. 406–453 Attila rules the Huns 426 Augustine's The City of God explains barbarian victories in 410 over Rome Vandals conquer Africa 429 Macrobius composes his Saturnalia c.430 Council of Ephesus 431 affirms Nicene Creed 437 Neoplatonist Proclus becomes head of the Academy at Athens Saint Patrick converts the Irish to Christianity.	0500s 523 Theodoric imprisons Boethius, where he writes On the Consolation of Philosophy and is executed in 524 529 St. Benedict founds Monte Cassino monastery 527-565 Justinian I and Belisarius • Byzantium generals reconquer Italy and other western Mediterranean dioceses. • Rise of the Franks who liberate western Catholics from the Arian (heritic) overlords. Conversion of Spanish & Burgandian Arian Kings to Catholocism. • Angles & Saxons conquer eastern England, after being enlisted to fight the Picts (449). • Irish academies grow, Scots migrate to Scotland. • Invasion of the Avars who drive Arian Lombards (Langobards) to conquer Italy. 597 Augustine of Canterbury begins conversion of Saxon England
0600s Byzantine Empire / Moslem Conquests 610 Muhammad begins "the recitation" in Ramadan 622 Muhammed's Hegira (Escape) to Medina. Traditional beginning of the Muslim Era. 625 Muhammed begins Koran Langobards convert to Catholicism, last Arian kings. 630 Muhammad conquers Mecca and converts entire population. 631 Islam accepted by Arab tribes, "Year of the Embassies" 651 Uthman codifies Koran (Qur an) text 691-4 Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem.	0700s 726 - 787 Iconoclastic movement in Byzantium 731 The Venerable Bede writes Ecclesiastical History of the English People 732 Charles Martel def. Omayyads at Tours & Poitiers 741-75 Constantine V prohibits image worship dissolves monastaries 755 Pope Stephen II uses forged "Donation of Constantine" to enlist Pepin's protection of Papal States. 768-71 Charlemagne & Carloman rule Franks 771-814 Charlemagne sole ruler of Franks 780-802 Irene (virtual) Empress, restores image worship 782-790 Alcuin of York teaches at the Palace School. His students include Charlemagne and his sons.
0800s Frankish Holy Roman Empire / Norman raids 800-14 Charlemagne crowned 1st Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III 830 Al-khwarizmi's Algebra Arab scholar and translator Hunayn ibn Ishaq 808-873 was a Nestorian Christian who translated many classical Greek and Persian texts into Arabic. 866 Irish Neoplatonist philosopher, theologian and poet John Scotus Eriugena writes The Division of Nature. 871-99 Alfred the Great, king of England	0900s Norman Conquests / Saxon Holy Roman Empire 910 Abbey of Cluny founded 912 Normans convert to Christianity 940s Al-Farabi, the "Father of Islamic Neoplatonism", was a scholar whose writings in Baghdad would help revive Greek philosophy in Europe. 950 Zenith of medieval Irish literature 962 Otto I crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope John XII Czechs, Poles & Huns convert to Catholicism 989 Russia converted to Christianity 994 Cluny monastic reform