5th century

Europe in 450

The 5th century is the period from 401 - 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era.

Overview

The events for which the 5th century is best known for is the Fall of Rome to Germanic tribes, ending the 600-year rule of the Romans in Western Europe. The Roman Empire continued as the Byzantine Empire in the Eastern Mediterranean until 1453. Other notable events include the founding of Chichen Itza and the writing of The City of God by St. Augustine.

Events

Romulus Augustus, Last Western Roman Emperor

• 406: Fleeing the Huns, the Suevi and Vandals cross the frozen Rhine near Mainz. This marks the collapse of the Roman fontier in the West.
• 410: Rome sacked by Visigoths, St. Augustine writes The City of God
• 439: Vandals conquer Carthage
• At some point after 440, the Anglo-Saxons settle in Britain. The traditional story is that they were invited there by Vortigern.
• 451: Huns under Attila invade Gaul, defeated at Campus Mauriacus (location unknown).
• 452: Pope Leo I allegedly meets personally with Attila the Hun and convinces him not to sack Rome.
• 455: Vandals sack Rome
• 455: Chichen Itza of Mexico founded
• 476, August 28: Deposition of Romulus Augustulus by Odoacer: traditional date for the Fall of Rome in the West.
• 480: Death of Julius Nepos in Dalmatia, the last de jure Western Roman Emperor.
• 490: Approximate date of the Battle of Mount Badon. According to legend, British forces led by Arthur defeated the invading Saxons.
• 493: Theodoric the Ostrogoth ousts Odoacer to become king of Italy.
• 494: Northern Gaul is united under Frankish King Clovis I, founder of the Merovingian dynasty.
• Buddhism reaches Myanmar and Indonesia.
• African and Indonesian settlers reach Madagascar.
• Hopewell culture ends.

Significant persons

• Agatharcos - Greek artist
• Flavius Aëtius, last of the great Roman generals
• Alaric I, king of the Visigoths that sacked Rome
• Attila the Hun
• Augustine of Hippo, bishop, theologian
• Bodhidharma, founder of Zen Buddhism
• John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople
• Cyril of Alexandria, Patriarch of Alexandria
• Faxian, Chinese Buddhist monk
• Hawaiiloa, discovered and settled Hawaii
• Huiyuan, Chinese Buddhist
• Hypatia of Alexandria, woman philosopher
• St. Jerome hermit, cleric, Bible translator
• Pope Leo I
• Saint Mesrob, Armenian monk
• Niall Noigiallach, founder of one of Ireland's greatest dynasties.
• St. Patrick, completed the conversion to Christianity in Ireland
• Socrates Scholasticus, Byzantine Church historian
• Sozomen, Christian church historian
• Theoderic the Great, Ostrogothic king

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

• stirrup invented in China
• heavy plow in use in Slavic lands
• metal horseshoes become common in Gaul
• Anglo-Saxon Futhorc alphabet used in England
• Armenian alphabet created by Mesrob Mashtots c. 405
• Athens establishes a direct democracy in 461

Decades and years