Century overview
The world in the 4th century
301 – 400. 46 events across 7 regions. Below, the century’s most significant events by region — what each part of the world was doing during the same stretch of time.
Europe
Showing 6 of 21 events from this century
- First Council of Constantinople convened
From May to July 381, Emperor Theodosius I convened a council of Christian bishops in Constantinople, known as the First Council of Constantinople. Held at the Church of Hagia Irene, it sought consensus within the church, though Western bishops were absent. It confirmed and expanded the Nicene Creed into the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed, advancing Trinitarian doctrine. Its ecumenical status was affirmed in 451 at the Council of Chalcedon.
- Founding of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls
Around the 4th century, the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls was founded in Rome to honor the Apostle Saint Paul. It later became one of the four major papal basilicas of the Catholic Church and one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome.
- Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs Established
In the 4th century AD, a remarkable series of decorated tombs and burial chapels was constructed in the cemetery of the Roman town of Sopianae (modern Pécs, Hungary). These underground burial chambers with memorial chapels above ground are among the most significant Roman cemeteries outside Italy, notable for their architecture and Christian murals.
- Founding of the Basilica of San Lorenzo
The Basilica of San Lorenzo in Milan was built in the 4th century. It is one of the oldest churches in northern Italy. Its architecture is noted for its daring originality and evokes early Byzantine churches. Dedicated to Saint Lawrence, it stands near the medieval Porta Ticinese and the Colonne di San Lorenzo.
- Battle of the Milvian Bridge
On 28 October 312, Constantine I defeated Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge over the Tiber, north of Rome. The victory set him on the course to end the Tetrarchy and become sole ruler of the Roman Empire. Maxentius drowned in the river during the battle.
- Battle of Adrianople (324)
On July 3, 324, Roman Emperor Constantine I defeated his eastern rival Licinius at Adrianople in Thrace during their second civil war. Licinius suffered heavy losses and retreated. This victory gave Constantine momentum, leading to further successes on land and sea and ultimately Licinius' final defeat at Chrysopolis, making Constantine sole ruler of the Roman Empire.
West Asia
Showing 6 of 14 events from this century
- Founding of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was founded around the 4th century in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. It has been an important pilgrimage site since the 4th century.
- Founding of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem
The Church of the Nativity was founded around the 4th century in Bethlehem, on the site traditionally held to be the birthplace of Jesus. It was built by order of the Roman Emperor Constantine I and later restored under Justinian in the 6th century. It is considered one of the oldest continuously operating major churches in Christianity, with its grotto serving as a place of worship for centuries.
- Completion of Etchmiadzin Cathedral
Etchmiadzin Cathedral was completed in Vagharshapat, Armenia. It is the mother church of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the residence of the Catholicos.
- Founding of the Sümela Monastery
Sumela Monastery was founded in 386 AD on a cliff in the Pontic Mountains of eastern Roman Empire during the reign of Theodosius I, later becoming a major Greek Orthodox pilgrimage site.
- Founding of Mor Gabriel Monastery
Mor Gabriel Monastery, located in the Tur Abdin region of present-day southeastern Turkey, was founded in 397 AD by the ascetics Mor Shmuel and Mor Shemʿun. It is one of the oldest surviving Syriac Orthodox monasteries and among the oldest continuously active Christian monasteries.
- Founding of the Saint Hilarion Monastery at Tell Umm el-'Amr
In the 4th century, Saint Hilarion founded a monastery near Nuseirat on the Mediterranean coast, which became one of the earliest monastic communities in the Holy Land. Situated at a crossroads of trade routes between Asia and Africa, it served both religious and economic functions and influenced the development of desert monastic centres in the Byzantine period. The site was later inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
South Asia
Showing 4 of 4 events from this century
- Founding of the Gupta Empire
The Gupta Empire was founded around the 4th century CE in the Magadha region of South Asia by Gupta. The dynasty went on to rule much of the northern Indian subcontinent, initiating a classical period regarded by some historians as the 'Golden Age of India'.
- Founding of Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary
The Kings of Champa began constructing Mỹ Sơn, a cluster of Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva, in central Vietnam. The site later became the religious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom, with construction continuing for centuries and leaving over a hundred ruins.
- Founding of Pashupatinath Temple
Around the 5th century, Pashupatinath Temple was founded on the banks of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu, Nepal, becoming a significant Hindu temple dedicated to Pashupati, a manifestation of Shiva.
- Construction of Changu Narayan Temple
The Changu Narayan Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, was constructed around the 4th century in present-day Bhaktapur, Nepal. It is one of the oldest Hindu temples in the region and was later designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
East Asia
Showing 2 of 2 events from this century
- Outbreak of the Upheaval of the Five Barbarians
In 304, amid the weakening of the Western Jin due to the War of the Eight Princes, non-Han groups like the Xiongnu and Xianbei rose in rebellion, initiating the Upheaval of the Five Barbarians, which eventually drove the Jin court from northern China.
- Battle of Fei River
In autumn 383, the Di-led Former Qin dynasty launched a decisive campaign against the Eastern Jin, culminating at the Fei River. The Jin's roughly 70,000 troops routed the Qin army, allegedly numbering over 800,000. This outcome secured the survival of Han-ruled regimes in South China and triggered a massive civil war that precipitated the collapse of the Former Qin, thereby cementing the long-term division between northern and southern dynasties.
North Africa
Showing 2 of 2 events from this century
- Founding of the Monastery of Saint Pishoy
In the late 4th century AD, Saint Pishoy founded the Monastery of Saint Pishoy in the desert of Wadi El Natrun, west of the Nile Delta in Egypt. It became the largest active monastery in the region and a major monastic centre for the Coptic Orthodox Church.
- Gildonic Revolt
A revolt from 397 to 398 led by Comes Gildo in Roman Africa, attempting to transfer the province to the Eastern Roman Empire, quickly crushed by Western Roman forces.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Showing 2 of 2 events from this century
- The Erection of the Ezana Stone
Around the 4th century, the Kingdom of Aksum erected the Ezana Stone. Its inscription documents King Ezana's conversion to Christianity and his conquests of surrounding regions, including Meroë. The stele stands as a testament to Aksumite history and early Christianity in the Horn of Africa.
- Erection of King Ezana's Stele at Axum
In the 4th century, a monumental 21-metre stele was raised in the ancient city of Axum, Ethiopia. It is believed to be the last and largest unbroken stele erected in the adjacent Northern Stelae Park. The obelisk is adorned with a false door and window-like apertures, representing the pinnacle of the Aksumite tradition of stele construction.
Central & South America
Showing 1 of 1 events from this century
- Emergence of Tiwanaku
Tiwanaku, an archaeological site in present-day Bolivia, was a major center of the Tiwanaku culture, which flourished in the pre-Columbian Andes. The site covers about 4 square kilometers and includes ceramics and monumental structures; it is estimated to have had 10,000–20,000 inhabitants around AD 800. The Tiwanaku civilization reached its apogee between AD 500 and 900, exerting significant influence over the southern Andes. The site was later inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.