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Chronology Of The Western Roman Empire
This article provides a chronology of the Western Roman Empire ( 395 - 476 ), since the death of Theodosius I and the last division of the Roman Empire until the final fall of the last emperor of the West.
Summary |
Originally the Roman Empire covers the North Africa , the Isle of Britain , the Gaul , the Iberian peninsulas and Italy and Dalmatia to the Danube.
Chronology
The regency of Stilicho (395-408)
- Death of the Roman Emperor Theodosius I , which led to the division final, de facto, between the Eastern Roman Empire which falls to his eldest son Arcadius, and in the West to be led by his younger son Honorius but this split has nothing legal.
- Beginning of the reign of Honorius , the first Roman Emperor (to 423 ).
- Rise of the Visigoths of Alaric I in Illyria.
- Usurpation of the Count of Africa, Gildo , defeated at the Battle of the Ardalio in 398.
- An imperial edict requires owners to give Roman a third of their fields to the barbarians who settled in the Empire.
- Election of Pope Anastasius I. (until 401 )
- Vandals and Alans invaded the provinces of Rhaetia and Noricum. After beating, Stilicho installs in northern Italy and incorporates them into his army.
- Election of Pope Innocent I. (until 417 )
- The Visigoths of Alaric invaded the Italian.
- The Visigoths were defeated by Stilicho at the Battle of Pollentia but are not expelled from Italy.
- To escape the threat of the Visigoths, the imperial court was again moved from Milan to Ravenna , a site easier to defend.
- Alaric again defeated by Stilicho at the Battle of Verona , is pushed in Illyria.
- Honorius comes to Rome to celebrate the triumph with Stilicho and receive the investiture of the consulate. Shocked by the paganism of the city, he takes anti-pagan, including the prohibition of gladiatorial in Rome.
- The Ostrogoths of Radagaisus cross the limes and invaded Italy.
- Radagaisus is defeated by Stilicho at Fiesole.
- The Vandals , the Alani , the Swabians and Burgundians crossed the Rhine froze.
- Border auxiliary contingents Franks fail to stop the invasion of General Gaul. Trier , the capital of Gaul, was burned.
- Groups of invaders passed in Britain , where local army beats them. The victorious army proclaimed emperor's general: usurpation of Marcus , Gratian and Constantine III.
- Constantine III of Britain left with his troops to liberate Gaul barbarians. Brittany is left defenseless.
- Alaric returned to Noricum, Stilicho did not have the manpower necessary to deal in Gaul and Italy.
- With the Emperor Honorius , the aristocracy and the Roman troops against him, Stilicho was arrested and executed on August 22 408.
- Roman troops massacred the Germanic officers serving in the Imperial Army and their families.
The decline of the Empire (408-416)
Main article: Great invasions.
- The usurper Constantine III moved the capital of Gaul from Trier to Arles and extends its authority over the Spanish.
- October 408: First siege of Rome by the Visigoths under Alaric I, he raises cons promise to pay a huge ransom. The Visigoths settled in Tuscany.
- To avoid Constantine III in Gaul, the Vandals, the Swabians, and Alans spend part of Spain. Usurpation of Maximus in Spain.
- Alaric is not paid the promised ransom, he annihilated a Roman contingent sent from Ravenna to strengthen the defense of Rome.
- Alaric I is approved by the Senate of Rome forfeiture of Honorius and the proclamation of Priscus Attalus as emperor.
- On 24 August 410, the Visigoths of Alaric I took and plundered Rome. They unsuccessfully attempt to enter Africa from Messina. Removal of the usurper Attalus. Galla Placidia , sister of Honorius, is taken hostage by Alaric. Death of Alaric in Calabria.
- Britons reject the first invasions of the Picts and Scots in northern Britain, and Saxons in the south.
- Spain is divided by its invaders by drawing lots: the Betic (now Andalusia) Siling for the Vandals, the northern part of Galicia for the Vandals Hasdings, the southern part of Galicia for the Swabians, the Lusitania (now Portugal ) and the Carthaginian for Alans. Only Tarraconaise (Catalonia) is a small Roman.
- Constantine III is besieged Arles by troops loyal to the emperor Honorius ordered by the patrician Constantius.
- The Council of Carthage condemns Donatism. Declining donations in North Africa.
- A new usurper Jovin proclaims itself to Mogontiacum ( Mainz ) in Gaul, aided by groups of Alans and Burgundians, with the support of part of the Gallo-Roman aristocracy.
- Led by Athaulf , successor of Alaric, the Visigoths back to northern Italy.
- Jovin , hoping their support, leaving the Visigoths into southern Gaul.
- Cons promise of supply from Ravenna, Jovin Athaulf betrays the capture in Valencia, and the book to the praetorian prefect Caius Posthumus Dardanus remained loyal to Honorius. Dardanus enforces Jovin and his brother Sebastianus in 413.
- In reply to pagans who accuse Christians of being responsible for the sack of Rome, after the abandonment of ancient gods, protectors of the city, Augustine begins publishing The City of God.
- Franks sacked Trier.
- The Burgundians sign a treaty ( Foedus ) with the Roman Empire which allows them to settle in Gaul on the banks of the Rhine at Mainz and Worms (first Burgundian kingdom).
- The Visigoths did not receive the promised supplies, unsuccessfully besieged Marseille, seized Narbonne and Toulouse and Bordeaux.
- The Visigoths continue their invasion of Spain. Their king Athaulf wife Galla Placidia , sister of Emperor Honorius.
- Athaulf is murdered in Barcelona in Spain in response to his pro-Roman attitude, his brother Wallia succeeded him, but he fails to pass in Roman Africa.
The relief (416-429)
- The patrician Constantius force the Visigoths to leave Spain and to make peace with the Roman Empire, in exchange for a facility in Aquitaine seconds.
Honorius celebrated his triumph in Rome, following the success of the patrician Constantius. The restoration of the empire is illusory if the invaders seem to be as Federated and usurpers removed, however the Roman losses are considerable. Italy, Gaul and Spain have been destroyed. The Limes defensive Rhine - Danube is more, only three corps remaining Roman Dalmatia, Gaul and northern Italy. Brittany was lost Spain, Illyria and Africa are helpless.
- Election of Pope Zosimus (until 418 ).
- In Spain, the Visigoths in the service of the Empire destroying the kingdoms of the Alans and Vandals Siling. The survivors rallied the Vandals Hasdings in Galicia.
- Founding of the first monasteries in Provence to the islands of Lerins and St. Victor of Marseille.
- Election of Pope Boniface I (until 422 ) and the antipope Eulalien (until 419 ). Clashes between their supporters in Rome. Boniface then Honorius exile recalls.
- An edict of Honorius banned all Jews presence in the military, public services, the Roman Senate and the bar. Another edict punishes deportation and forfeiture adapters of Pelagianism.
- The Visigoths of Aquitaine get a Foedus giving the status of Federated. Building the kingdom Visigoth
- The assembly of the Gauls, meeting in Arles resumes processing of court cases. (See Edict of Honorius and Theodosius )
- Foundation of the Monastery of St. Victor in Marseilles by Cassian
- Death of Wallia , king of the Visigoths. Theodoric I succeeded him.
- Vandals and Alans move from Galicia Betic south of Spain, Roman unopposed. Suevi recover all of Galicia.
- Establishment of Eastern Europe an empire of the Huns
- Trier is taken by the Barbarians for the 3rd time.
- Death of Constantius III , a few months after it was proclaimed co-emperor by Honorius of the West.
- Election of Pope Celestine I , who reigned until 432
- The Roman expedition against the Vandals in the south of Spain ended in disaster.
- August 423, the death of the Emperor Honorius without direct descendant. In December, officials of Ravenna proclaimed emperor Jean , while in Constantinople, Galla Placidia claims the throne for her son Valentinian.
- Theodosius II sent an army in the Balkans to conduct important Galla Placidia and Valentinian in Ravenna
- while the Emperor John sends Aetius with Attila the Hun to recruit, incorporated as mercenaries in the Roman army.
- Vandals build a fleet and attack the Mediterranean Balearic Islands.
- The Roman army from the East took Ravenna, the emperor John is executed.
- October: the beginning of the reign of the child Valentinian III , Roman emperor of the West under the tutelage of Galla Placidia. Aetius agrees with him and given command of Gaul.
- Vandals seize Seville and the Port of Cartagena, Spain
- Trier was sacked by barbarians for the 4th time
- Aetius hunting rebellious Franks who occupied the Rhineland.
The decline in the Mediterranean (429-455)
- 80 000 Vandals led by their king Genseric (Gaiseric) pass through the Strait of Gibraltar to spread in North Africa.
- The Franks to advance Cambrai.
- St. Germain of Auxerre in Britain will struggle against Pelagianism and help the Britons fight against the invaders.
- Saint Augustine , Bishop of Hippo, died during the siege of his city by the Vandals, taking 431.
- The Burgundians of the Rhine convert to Catholicism.
- A council was held in ecumenical Ephesus at the request of Pope Celestine I
- he condemns Nestorianism as heresy,
- it defines Mary as truly the "Mother of God."
- Pope Celestine excommunicated the Patriarch of Constantinople Nestorius
- Election of Pope Sixtus III (completed in 440 ).
- Ruga shared the empire between his two nephews Huns Attila and Bleda.
- Aetius was appointed commander of the armies of the Western Empire.
- Ruas and death coming as the head of Attila the Hun. In good personal relationship with Aetius, Attila turned his attacks each year to the Eastern Empire.
- In Gaul, the brigandage of Bagaudes turns the separatist revolt. Suppressed in Gaul, the revolt going on in Spain Tarraconnaise.
- The emperor Valentinian III Genseric yields to the provinces of Mauretania and part of Numidia.
- The Burgundians who were trying to conquer Belgium fought to Worms by the Huns mercenaries of the Roman Empire. The first Burgundian kingdom was destroyed. The Burgundians are beginning to leave the Middle Rhine.
- The emperor Valentinian III marries Licinia Eudoxia , daughter of Theodosius II , Emperor of the East.
From 429 to 438 , the emperors of East and West Valentinian III and Theodosius II made the draft Code of Theodosius , a collection of all legal constitutions promulgated by the legitimate emperors since 312. The legal unity of the Roman world, including the barbarian kingdoms, is restored. Future laws enacted in one half of the empire must be approved in the other. In practice, the West will respect the less rule breaking legal recreating the empire.
- Vandals Genseric seized Carthage
- Extend the Swabians in Spain taking Merida (439) and Seville (441).
- Election of Pope Leo I (completed in 461 ).
- Vandals attacked Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica.
- Around 440, evacuation of the last cities of Roman Pannonia threatened by the Huns.
- Attila in 441 or 445 Bleda dismisses his brother and became the only monarch of the Huns.
- Vandals make Sicily, recently invaded, in exchange for Numidia and the two provinces of Mauretania ( Morocco and Algeria ).
- The king of the Vandals Genseric sign a peace treaty with Valentinian III, with the approval of Theodosius II.
- The Vandals receive full rights to lead the Roman province of Africa ( Tunisia and Libya Western).
- The Angles , the Jutes and Saxons began the conquest of Britain ( England ), the Britons fled to Armorica.
- Aetius defeated Burgundians installs as allies in the region Sapaudia in Geneva. They settled on the Upper Rhine between the Alps and Jura.
- To stop the looting raids Genseric, Aetius promises to marry the daughter of Valentinian III's son Genseric.
- A chief Breton romanized Aurelianus Ambrosius , asked in vain for relief against Aetius and the Barbarians against the Welsh leader Vortigern.
- The Welsh leader Vortigern installs Saxon mercenaries in Kent.
- The Spanish Bagaudes kill the Bishop of Tarazona (near Zaragoza)
- Eudoxus, Chief Bagaudes Gaul, was defeated and fled from Attila. He probably information on the situation in Gaul.
- The Roman princess Honoria , furious that his brother Valentinian III killed his lover proposes marriage to Attila.
- The historian Priscus relates his visit to Attila.
- Attila's empire reached its greatest extent, the Caspian Sea to the Baltic Sea , the Rhine and Danube.
- November 450: death of the regent Galla Placidia.
- Attila began the Danube with his Huns and Germans referred to it and invaded Gaul to Orleans.
- St. Genevieve persuaded the inhabitants of Lutece not to abandon their city to the Huns. According to Christian tradition it diverts the wrath of Attila by his prayers.
- Aetius against Attila brings an army of Gallo-Roman, quotas Burgundians, Alans, Franks and the alliance with Theodoric I and his Visigoths. Attila turned back.
- June 451: Attila was defeated at Chalons Field (Campus Mauriacus or near Troyes ). Theodoric I died during the battle.
- The Council of Chalcedon proclaims that there are two natures in Jesus Christ, a divine nature and human nature, it is both true God and true man.
- The Council of Chalcedon also asserts in his 28th canon of equality of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the Pope of Rome. Pope Leo I reject that decision and affirmed its primacy.
- The Huns invaded the plain of the Po and sacked Aquileia, Vicenza, Padua, Mantua, Verona , Brescia and Bergamo. Ravenna protected by its wetlands remains elusive.
- Attila's death at a banquet. His son Ellac, and Ernac Dengizik argue his estate.
- The Visigoths are sent by Aetius at the end of last Bagaudes Spain.
- the Battle of Nedao dismantles the Hun empire in a succession dispute.
- September 454: during an interview in Rome, Valentinian III stabs Aetius convinced he wants to seize power.
- March 455: two former officers of the Aetius revenge by assassinating Valentinian III.
The final decomposition (455-476)
After the death of Aetius and Valentinian III, the barbarian kings Federated feel more connected to the Empire, and all seek to enlarge their territories. The Empire of the West will be reduced to ruins in Italy and some South-East Gaul and Dalmatia. The waltz emperors began.
- March 455: Italian aristocrats called Petronius Maximus Roman Emperor.
- May 455: Vandals leave Genseric and North Africa to attack Rome. Petronius Maximus tries to flee is stoned by the people of Rome.
- June 455 Vandals pillage Rome , without killing or fire through the intervention of Pope Leo I, and are taking hostage the girl child and son of Valentinian III.
- to 455, the Vandals captured the Corsica and Sardinia.
- July 455 Theodoric II King of Visigoths called Gallic senator Avitus Roman Emperor.
- Subject to the Germans Huns Ellac revolt and kill the son of Attila. Breakup of the Hun Empire.
- The Ostrogoths freed bind the Huns in Pannonia on the Danube below.
- October: At the request of the emperor Avitus, Theodoric II operates in Spain with the Visigoths and Burgundians against the Bagaudes Spanish and the Swabians. He fights and kills the king Suve Rechiarius and plundered his capital Braga and Merida.
- October: Avitus is defeated in the Battle of Placentia in Northern Italy and forced to abdicate by Ricimer , commander of the Roman army in Italy.
- February: in the absence of an emperor in the West, Leo I considers himself emperor of the Empire. He appoints Ricimer patrician and Majorian generalissimo.
- April: Ricimer installs Majorian as Western Roman Emperor.
- Supporters of Avitus in Gaul rise and offer the crown imperial Marcellinus , governor of Dalmatia.
- The Burgundians returning from Spain seize Lyons. The Visigoths besieged Arles.
- Majorian load gidius restore order in Gaul. With auxiliary francs (which Childeric I. King of the Franks Salian), retrieves gidius Lyon, opposes the Visigoths near Arles. Theodoric II, held in Spain, must renew the alliance of the Visigoths and the Empire.
- Majorian going to Lyons in Gaul and Spain to mount an expedition against the Vandals in Mauretania. Genseric ahead and destroyed the Roman fleet in Alicante.
- Election of Pope St. Hilaire (ending in 468).
- Aug. 461: Ricimer enforces Majorian and announce Libius Severus , Severus III said.
- gidius refuses to recognize Libius Severus and went independent in northern Gaul. He struggles against the Visigoths near Orleans, against the Saxons to Angers, and against the Burgundians.
- The Burgundians resume Lyon, extending southward (Die, Vaison) and north (Langres).
- Visigoths occupy Narbonne. Libius Severus and Ricimer no longer control in Gaul that the Auvergne and Provence.
- Ricimer chase the Vandals in Sicily.
- The puppet emperor Severus Libius dies after a reign of 4 years. He has no successor for two years.
- The Vandals were expelled from Sardinia.
- In exchange for military aid against the Vandals, the man accepts Ricimer Leo I , General Anthemius , as Emperor of the West.
- Anthemius gives his daughter in marriage to Ricimer, but its Greek origin and sympathies make unpopular pagan Romans.
- Election of Pope Simplicius (ending in 483).
- The Vandals destroy fleet Anthemius and Leo I and grab Sicily.
- Victory on the Swabians Visigoths in Lusitania (Portugal) that becomes part of the Visigoth kingdom.
- The Visigoths Remismundus recognize as King of the Swabians in Galicia. A Gallic bishop sent by the Visigoths Suevi converts to Arianism.
- Euric , king of the Visigoths, finally broke the covenant of 418 and captured most of Spain, except the kingdom of the Swabians in the northwest, and of Berry, Limousin and Velay.
- April: estrangement between Ricimer and Anthemius. Ricimer proclaimed emperor Olybrius , the son of Valentinian III, with the support of the Vandals.
- May-July: Ricimer besieged Rome where Anthemius is subtracted. Third sack of Rome. Anthemius hidden among a group of beggars was discovered and killed.
- August natural death Ricimer. Olybrius replaced by Prince Burgonde Gondebald with the title of Patrician (supreme commander of the West).
- November: natural death Olybrius.
- March: four months after an interregnum, Gondebald places on the throne Glycerius.
- A group of Ostrogoths entered Italy. Glycerius buys their departure.
- Julius Nepos , the governor of Dalmatia and supported by the Eastern Emperor Zeno , arrived in Ravenna, marched on Rome, crowds Glycerius and becomes Emperor of the West in June 474.
- Gondebald returns to Gaul and became king of the Burgundians. He establishes his kingdom (date unknown) equality of rights between Romans and Burgundians and allows intermarriage ( gombette Act ).
- The king of the Visigoths Euric seizes Auvergne after 4 years of war.
- Julius Nepos gives Euric the legal concession from Spain and Gaul to the Loire and the Rhone.
- August: The commander of the Roman army, Orestes Flavius Julius Nepos in Dalmatia expelled.
- October: Orestes up his young son, Romulus Augustus on the throne.
- Fall of the Roman Empire: Odoacer , leader of the Germanic Heruli and officer of the army of Italy, captured and executed Orestes.
- September: Odoacer deposed the last western emperor, Romulus Augustus returns and the imperial insignia to Constantinople.
- Euric, king of the Visigoths, the conquest of Marseilles and the southern Gaul to the Italian border.
- Assassination in Dalmatia Julius Nepos , the last emperor of the West recognized by Constantinople.
Posterity
Conventionally, this finishes the ancient and begins the Middle Ages. In fact, Romanity knows no discontinuity in the eastern part of the Empire. Only the Western Roman Empire is gone, replaced by barbarian kingdoms that will disappear in their turn. Centuries of wars will follow, before emerging new forces: Frankish kingdoms , settlement of Germanic peoples and Islamic territories (the West, see al-Andalus , for the province of Africa: Ifriqiya ). The unity of the Roman world, the Pax Romana become myths that inspire long the western world, until you see a resurgence of form (see Christian West ). The symbolic date of 476 has had a considerable impact for the Western civilization that claims of Latin culture. An example: History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Gibbon, the eighteenth century.
The Western Roman Empire will be raised by Charlemagne in 800. It took more than three centuries that dares take Germain Roman imperial title.
Internal Links - Decline of the Western Roman Empire - Timeline
- Economy: Collapse of financial system
- historical contexts: military anarchy | Larger invasions
- Ideology and Historiography: Decadence | 410 : Sack of Rome | year 476 : the symbolic statement of the last ruler.
External link
- Rome and the Germans or the issue of the Rhine by Rudolf Fellmann, Professor Emeritus of Archaeology of the Roman provinces at the University of Bern.
- Economy: Collapse of financial system
- historical contexts: military anarchy | Larger invasions
- Ideology and Historiography: Decadence | 410 : Sack of Rome | year 476 : the symbolic statement of the last ruler.
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