440s

The440sdecade ran from January 1, 440, to December 31, 449.

Events

440

By place

Europe

Flavius Aetius,Roman general (magister militum), returns astriumphatorback toRome,after several years' fighting theBurgundiansandVisigothsinGaul.He is honoured by astatueerected by theSenate,and by order of EmperorValentinian III.^{[citation needed]}
TheHunsunderAttilareappear in force, along the frontier of theWestern Roman Empire.They attackmerchantson the north bank of theDanubeand cities inIllyricum,including (according toPriscus)Viminacium,city ofMoesia.^{[citation needed]}

Africa

AVandalfleet and their allies (Alans,GothsandMoors) set out fromCarthageforSicily,the principal supplier ofoilandgraintoItalyafter the loss ofNorth Africa.They loot all the coastal towns and besiegePalermo.Heavily laden ships return to the court of KingGenseric.

Asia

Northern and Southern dynasties:Northern Chinais unified by theNorthern Wei dynasty.The South is still under the control of the Song (orLiu Song) dynasty.
Acenter of Buddhist studiesis established atNalandainBiharon the plains of theGanges River(India).

Persia

TheHephthalites(White Huns) move south from theAltai Mountainsregion intoTransoxiana,Bactria,Khorasanand easternPersia.

By topic

Art

The Parting of Lot and Abraham,mosaic in the nave arcade,Church of Santa Maria Maggiore(Rome), is made.

Ancient Games

Chaturanga,Indian war game and an ancestor ofchessthrough the Persian game ofShatranj(orChatrang), evolves in theIndus Valleyon the Indian subcontinent (approximate date).

Religion

August 18–Pope Sixtus IIIdies after an 8-year reign in which he has resistedheresyand sponsored major construction programs in Rome. He is succeeded byLeo Ias the 45thpope.
September 29– Leo I begins to formulateOrthodoxyand condemnsEutychianism,an extreme form ofmonophysitismwhich holds that the human nature ofChristis absorbed by His divine nature.
Winter – Leo I sends a letter to Valentinian III stating, "by theHoly Spirit'sinspiration the emperor needs no human instruction and is incapable ofdoctrinalerror ".

441

By place

Byzantium

Chrysaphius,chief minister, persuades EmperorTheodosius IIatConstantinopleto dismiss his sisterPulcheria,for her policy of exiling theJews,and destroying theirsynagogues.^[1]
Theodosius II sends the Eastern imperial fleet, under the command of the Romano-GothAreobindus,intoSicilianwaters, taking theVandalsby surprise.
Pulcheria leaves for the seaportHebdomon(Turkey), and becomes anunto supportNestorianismin theHoly Land(Palestine).
TheHuns,led byAttila,attackConstanţa(modernRomania), one of the few remaining Romanfortson the northern bank of theDanube,and designated as a securetrading post.On a crowdedmarketday, the Huns take the town by surprise and slaughter thegarrison.^[2]

Europe

GermanSaxonsestablish themselves at the mouth of theThames River.After a period of peace,Vortimer(son of kingVortigern), defeats theSaxonsin four battles inKent(according to theAnglo-Saxon Chronicle).
KingHermericdies after a two-year illness; he is succeeded by his sonRechila,who becomes sole ruler over theSuebic Kingdom of Galicia.
Rechila invadesBaeticaand conquers the capitalSeville.TheRomansare driven from theIberian Peninsulawith the exception of theLevante.^{[citation needed]}
November 8– Thefirst Council of Orangeis convened under the guidance ofHilary of ArlesinOrange(France).

Persia

KingYazdegerd IIofPersiasigns apeace treatyafter a short war with theEastern Roman Empire.Theodosius II sends his commander,Anatolius,to conclude his terms and promise not to build any newfortificationsalong the border territories.

By topic

Religion

Domnus IIsucceeds his uncleJohnasPatriarch of Antioch.

442

By place

Europe

Valentinian III forms amarriageproposal for his eldest daughterEudociaand Genseric's sonHuneric.He is already married to a Visigoth princess, and Genseric decides to free him of his obligations by accusing her of trying topoisonhim. He leaves her mutilated - her ears and nose are cut off - and sends her back to her fatherTheodoric I,inToulouse(Gaul).^{[citation needed]}
TheHuns,on a military campaign along theDanubeand theGreat Morava,destroy the city ofNaissus(modernSerbia). They have masteredsiegetechnology and are able to capture fortified cities. TheRoman Senateagrees to payAttilaatributeof 700 pounds ofgoldper year.

Africa

End of theVandal War (439-442):EmperorValentinian IIIsigns apeace treatywith KingGenseric,and recognises theVandal Kingdom.He grants him sovereignty over most ofAfrica.Genseric gives backSicilyandMauretania(AlgeriaandMorocco). This marks the end of the Vandalmigrations;they settle inNorth Africa,withCarthageas their capital.

By topic

Religion

TheMonastery of St. Shenouda the Archimandrite(White Monastery) nearSohag(Egypt) is built.

443

By place

Europe

TheBurgundianssign apeace treatywithRome,agreeing to serve asfoederatiin theRoman army.They begin to move from theUpper RhineandFlavius Aetius,commander-in-chief (magister militum), gives them land in theGenevaarea (Maxima Sequanorum).
Period ofcivil warand famine inBritain,caused by rival kingdoms andPictishinvasions; the situation aggravates tensions betweenPelagianandRomanfactions. Pro-Roman citizensmigratetowardsGaul.

By topic

Religion

Gunabhadra,IndianBuddhistmonk, is an invited honored guest by emperorWen of Liu Song(Liu Song dynasty). He translates theLankavatara SutrafromSanskritinto theChinese language.

444

By place

Europe

Flavius Aetius,Roman general (magister militum), settles theAlansaroundValenceandOrléans,to contain unrest inBrittany.
Eudocia,eldest daughter of EmperorValentinian III,is betrothed toHuneric,son ofVandalKingGenseric(hostageinItaly).
Attila the Hunestablishes his residence along theTisza River(modernHungary), and plans the coming campaign in theBalkans.
TheIrishcity ofArmaghis founded by Saint Patrick the Great.

By topic

Religion

Pope Leo Iextinguishes theGallicanvicariate.
Dioscorus IbecomesPatriarch of Alexandria.

445

By place

Europe

EmperorValentinian IIIissues an imperialedictagainstManichaeism.Heavy penalties are decreed against those who do not denounce thereligion,and retain Manichaean books.^[3]
Petronius Maximus,prominentaristocrat,is given the title ofPatrician.He becomes the most honored of all non-imperialRomans,and political rival ofFlavius Aetius.^[4]
Bleda,co-ruler of theHuns,dies in ahuntingaccident.^[5]He is possibly murdered at the instigation of his younger brotherAttila,with whom he has ruled since434.Now about 39, Attila takes thethronefor himself, and becomes king of theHunnic Empire.

By topic

Religion

Domnus II,Patriarch of Antioch,summons asynodofSyrianbishops to confirm the deposition of Athanasius of Perrha.
Ireland:TheDiocese of Armaghis created.

446

By place

Europe

BishopGermanus of AuxerrevisitsRavenna,seeking to soften imperial hostility towards theBagaudae.On his arrival at the capital, empress-motherGalla Placidiasends him a silverdishwith a choice selection of prepared dainties—allvegetarian,out of respect for the bishop's strictdiet.Germanus petitions theSenatefor leniency for the citizens ofArmorica(Brittany).^[6]
TheBritonsandAnglo-Saxonmercenaries, under KingVortigern,appeal toFlavius Aetius(magister militumofGaul) for military assistance in their struggle against thePictsandIrish.Aetius has enough problems withAttila the Hunand is unable to send any help (according toGroans of the Britons).
TheCor Tewdws(College of Theodosius),Llantwit Major(Wales), is supposedly burned down byIrishpirates.

China

Three Disasters of Wu:TheNorthern Wei dynastybegins persecutingBuddhists,having heretofore encouraged them. The drain of manpower andtaxmoney totemplesandmonasterieshas threatened the secular government, and the reaction is fierce:monksandnunsare murdered, temples andiconsdestroyed. All men under age 50 are prohibited from joining anymonastic orderin a program that will continue until450,helping theConfucianistphilosophy of theHan dynastyto gain dominance overBuddhism.

By topic

Religion

A localsynodis held byTuribius of Astorga.
Flavianbecomespatriarch of Constantinople.

447

By place

Byzantium

November 6– TheWalls of Constantinopleare severely damaged by an earthquake, which destroys large parts of the structure, including 57towers.The population is threatened by a plague. EmperorTheodosius IIordersConstantine,praetorian prefect of the East,to supervise the repairs. He employs the city'sdemoi( "Circusfactions ") in the work, and rebuilds the walls within 60 days.
TheHuns,led byAttila,cross theDanube,and invade theBalkansas far asThermopylae(Greece). During the invasion,Serdica(modernSofia) is destroyed. For disobeying the terms of the treaty made in442,Attila triples his demand fortributeto 2,100 pounds (ca. 700 kg) ofgoldper year; and theransomfor each Roman prisoner to 12solidi.
Theodosius II sends anembassyto Attila;Priscus of Panium,envoy for theEastern Roman Empire.Priscus records one of the few eyewitness accounts of the Hun kingdom.
Battle of the Utus:Attila defeats theRoman armynear the riverUtus(Vit, Bulgaria). The Huns are forced to abandon the siege ofConstantinople.They march north and plunder the defenseless Balkan provinces (includingThrace,Scythia,Moesia,DaciaandIllyricum).
Winter – Theodosius II chooses a policy to protect Constantinople against the Huns. He removesAsparandAreobindus(magister militum) from their military commands.^[7]

Europe

Vortigern,king of the Britons,receives theSaxonleadersHengist and Horsa"as friends" and grants the brothers theIsle of Thanet,most easterly point ofKent(England).

By topic

Arts and Sciences

The first entry in theAnnales Cambriærefers to this year.

Religion

Germanus,bishop of Auxerre,makes his second visit toBritain.He spiritually combats the revivedPelagianthreat and expels theIrishfromPowys(Wales).
TheSynod of Toledo(Spain) tries to add thefilioque clauseto theNicene Creed.TheEastern Orthodox Churchrefuses to go along with this idea.

448

By place

Byzantium

EmperorTheodosius IIsends anembassytoAttila the Hun;Anatolius,an Eastern Roman general (magister militum) responsible for the security of the Eastern frontier, achieves apeace treatywith theHuns,in exchange for an annualtributeof 950 kilograms (2,100 lb) ofgoldper year.
Attila demands in the treaty theevacuationof the territory running fromSingidunum(Belgrade,inSerbia) 500 kilometres (300 mi) east along theDanubetoNovae(Svishtov,inBulgaria). This depopulatedbuffer zonedeprives theRomansof their natural defensive advantages.^[8]
Theodosius II orders all non-Christian books burned.

Europe

Flavius Aetiussuppresses theBagaudaeinArmorica(Gaul), and defeats theSalian Franksunder KingChlodionearArras(Belgica Secunda); the invaders are stopped around a river-crossing nearVicus Helena.
Rechiarsucceeds his fatherRechilaasking of the SuebiinGalicia(NorthernSpain). He marries a daughter of theVisigothkingTheodoric Iand converts toCatholicism.

China

Kou Qianzhi,ChineseDaoistreformer, dies after having converted emperorTaiwu of Northern Weiand having established Daoism as the country's dominantreligion.His death presages a revival ofBuddhismas China's dominant faith.

By topic

Religion

Eutychesis accused ofheresyat asynodheld inConstantinople.

449

By place

Europe

EmperorValentinian IIIsends anembassytoAttila the Hun.The purpose of the meeting is a long-running dispute overspoils of warduring theDanubeoffensive (441–442). Attila claims his lost property, but Valentinian andFlavius Aetius(magister militum) refuse this request.^[9]
Flavius Orestes,Romanaristocrat,is sent to Attila's court and becomes a high-ranking secretary (notarius). He is the father of the future emperorRomulus Augustulus.
Traditional date –Vortigern,supposedking of the Britons,invitesHengist and Horsa,by tradition chieftains of theJutes,to form amilitary allianceagainst thePictsandScoti,so contributing to theAnglo-Saxon settlement of Britain(according toBede).