Century overview
The world in the 3rd century
201 – 300. 33 events across 5 regions. Below, the century’s most significant events by region — what each part of the world was doing during the same stretch of time.
West Asia
Showing 6 of 14 events from this century
- Construction of the Roman Military Palace in Dura-Europos
During the reign of Elagabalus (c. 218–222 AD), the largest and most important building of Roman Dura-Europos was erected: the Palace of the Dux Ripae, also known as the Roman Military Palace. Serving as the residence of the Roman frontier commander, it exemplified Rome's strengthened control over its eastern border and survived until the Sassanid conquest of the city in 256 AD.
- Valerian Palace
The Valerian Palace is located in the ancient city of Bishapur, Iran. It was built by the Sasanian Empire to house the captured Roman Emperor Valerian after the Battle of Edessa. The palace was later registered as one of Iran's first national monuments and is part of the UNESCO-listed Bishapur complex.
- Temple of Anahita at Bishapur
The Temple of Anahita is a notable monument of the ancient Sasanian city of Bishapur, located near present-day Kazerun, Iran.
- Founding of Bishapur
Bishapur was founded near Kazerun in Iran's Fars province and became a capital of the Sasanian Empire. Situated on the route between Istakhr and Ctesiphon, it was a well-planned ancient city.
- Palace of Ardashir in the Sasanian Period
The Palace of Ardashir, situated in Iran's Fars province, is a castle from the Sasanian era. Located on a mountain slope near the ancient city of Gor, its construction is generally associated with Ardashir I, founder of the dynasty. The edifice bears witness to the rise of this significant period in Persian history.
- Construction of the Band-e Kaisar
In the 3rd century, the Sasanians built a combined bridge-dam in Shushtar, known as the Band-e Kaisar. Roman prisoners of war were used as the workforce, incorporating Roman engineering techniques.
Europe
Showing 6 of 8 events from this century
- Diocletian's Palace begins construction
At the end of the 3rd century AD, Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered the construction of a large palace-fortress on the Dalmatian coast for his retirement. Built on a peninsula near Salona, the complex covered nearly 4 hectares and combined a palace, military garrison, and country villa. Diocletian lived there after abdicating in 305, and his remains were later placed in a mausoleum inside.
- Establishment of the Palazzi dei Rolli
The Republic of Genoa began constructing a series of aristocratic palaces along the Strade Nuove and established the Rolli system, a public lodging arrangement in private residences for state guests. This reflected the Republic's financial and seafaring power at its zenith, as well as the architectural and social standards of the time. The site was later inscribed as a World Heritage Site.
- Construction of the Aurelian Walls begins
In the later 3rd century, Roman Emperor Aurelian ordered the construction of a new defensive wall for the capital. The project lasted several years and replaced the earlier Servian Wall, reflecting the security pressures facing the empire at the time.
- Battle of Abritus
In the summer of 251, the Roman army led by Emperor Decius engaged a federation of Gothic and Scythian tribes under the Gothic king Cniva near Abritus in the province of Moesia Inferior. The Romans were decisively defeated, and both Decius and his son Herennius Etruscus were killed. The defeat was later rated by the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus as one of the worst suffered by the Roman Empire against Germanic tribes.
- Battle of Naissus
In 268 or 269, Roman forces defeated a Gothic coalition at Naissus (modern Niš, Serbia), a major victory under Emperor Gallienus or Claudius II. The battle was a key conflict in the Crisis of the Third Century, and Claudius II later earned the title Gothicus.
- Completion of the Baths of Caracalla
In the early 3rd century AD, the Baths of Caracalla, a large public bath complex, were completed in Rome. Built during the reign of Emperor Caracalla, it was among the largest baths of its time, accommodating numerous bathers and offering diverse facilities.
East Asia
Showing 5 of 5 events from this century
- Battle of Red Cliffs breaks out
In the winter of 208, Cao Cao led a large army southward to conquer lands south of the Yangtze. The allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei defeated Cao's numerically superior forces at Red Cliffs, halting his southern expansion and paving the way for the Three Kingdoms period.
- Incident at the Gaoping Tombs
In 249, the Wei regent Sima Yi seized power in a coup while his co-regent Cao Shuang accompanied the young emperor Cao Fang on a visit to the Gaoping tombs. Sima took control of the capital Luoyang and issued a memorial condemning Cao Shuang, who surrendered and was later executed along with his family and supporters. The Incident secured Sima dominance and paved the way for the Jin dynasty's replacement of Cao Wei.
- Sima Zhao's regicide of Cao Mao
In 260, Cao Mao, the emperor of Wei, attempted to seize power from the regent Sima Zhao in a coup in Luoyang, but was killed after the plot failed. Sima Zhao consolidated his control over the Wei court, laying the foundation for his son Sima Yan's usurpation and the founding of the Jin dynasty.
- Founding of Tanzhe Temple
The Tanzhe Temple was first built during the Western Jin period, being the earliest Buddhist temple in the Beijing area. Originally named Jiafu Temple, its establishment signified the early introduction and development of Buddhism in the western hills of Beijing, laying a foundation for the city's later role as a religious center.
- Founding of Lingyan Temple
Lingyan Temple was founded approximately between the 3rd and 4th centuries in the western foothills of Mount Tai in Shandong, China. It was later rebuilt and expanded over successive dynasties, becoming one of the main Buddhist temples in China during the Tang and Song dynasties, and was recognized as one of the Four Great Temples alongside Guoqing, Yuquan, and Qixia temples.
North Africa
Showing 4 of 4 events from this century
- Establishment of the Amphitheatre of El Jem
The Amphitheatre of El Jem was established around the 3rd century AD in Thysdrus (modern El Jem, Tunisia) in the Roman province of Africa. It is a significant Roman architectural relic in North Africa and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
- Monastery of Saint Anthony
The Monastery of Saint Anthony is a monastery in the Eastern Desert of Egypt, founded by the followers of Saint Anthony. It is one of the oldest monasteries in the world and has significantly influenced Coptic monasticism.
- Dedication of the Arch of Alexander Severus
In the ancient Roman city of Thugga, in present-day Dougga, Tunisia, a triumphal arch was dedicated to the Roman Emperor Alexander Severus. The monument commemorates the ruler of the early 3rd century AD and remains part of the archaeological site of Dougga.
- Construction of the Arch of Trajan
The Arch of Trajan, a Roman triumphal arch in Timgad (modern Algeria), was built around the late 2nd to early 3rd century. It marked the western entrance of the city's main street and stands as a monumental symbol of Roman rule in North Africa.
Central & South America
Showing 2 of 2 events from this century
- Rise of the Maya city-state of Tikal
Tikal emerged as one of the largest city-states of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Approximately between the 3rd and 8th centuries CE, the city-state grew into a major political and urban center in the rainforest of Petén, Guatemala.
- Rise of the Tiwanaku Polity
Around the 4th century, the Tiwanaku polity emerged in the region surrounding Lake Titicaca. Centered at the monumental city of Tiwanaku in western Bolivia, the culture developed large-scale raised-field agriculture to support an urban population. Scholars debate whether the society was administered by a top-down bureaucratic state or a bottom-up federation of communities with local autonomy. Tiwanaku would become one of the most significant Andean civilizations.