The Fourth Century
304:
Claudius' son and heir Geta becomes emperor.
305:
Geta attacks the Goths and pushes them north of the Danaper. The newly conquered territory is settled with Christian exiles, who become subjects of the Bosporan king.
306:
Determined to end the barbarian threat once and for all, Geta raises two new legions and begins planning an expedition against the German tribes.
310:
Geta crosses the Rhenus and begins attacking the Franks.
313:
The Franks are finally defeated, and the Limes Germanicus are extended to the Albis river. Geta's younger brother Alexandrus is appointed governor of the new province of Magna Germania.
310s-320s:
Worship of Sol Invictus increases throughout the empire, promoted by the emperor who is now closely tied to the cult.
325:
Geta dies of natural causes and is succeeded by his son, Claudius III.
326:
Claudius III marries Lutatia Lepida
November 12, 330:
Vandals invade Pannonia. Claudius III is killed in battle near Sirmium
November 15, 330:
On the day news of her husband's death reaches Rome, Lutatia Lepida gives birth to a son, named Claudius in honor of his father. The infant Claudius IV is almost immediately bundled off to a country estate so as to protect him from those who would wish to assume the purple themselves.
January 12, 331:
Claudius III's younger brother Saturninus leads an army against the Vandals. Weakened by their earlier battles, the Vandals are defeated near Aquileia.
331-333:
Lutatia Lepida serves as an uneasy mediator between her brothers and those of her late husband, who swiftly begin fighting over who should rule in Claudius IV's name. Eventually, they compromise with one brother from each side serving as consul.
335-338:
A rebellion in Britannia is suppressed with some difficulty due to the conflict between the emperor's uncles in charge of the army.
345:
Emperor Claudius IV becomes consul, along with his favorite Pomponius Regulus. The son of an influential senator, Pomponius Regulus' relationship with the emperor raises eyebrows among the conservative Roman aristocracy, but no one says anything aloud for fear of incurring the wrath of the emperor's mother.
346:
Claudius IV resolves the conflict among his uncles by appointing them all governors of far-flung provinces.
340s-350s
Emulating Julia Domna 150 years before, Lutatia Lepida uses her position as the emperor's mother to advance philosophy, learning, and the arts. She expands the Library of Julia Domna in Rome, and establishes a library named for herself in her hometown of Londinium. She also convinces her son, who is primarily interested in ensuring the financial soundness of the empire to send embassies to China. As a result of her example, patronage of and participation in intellectual pursuits becomes a common vocation among wealthy Roman women.
360:
A Roman embassy is received at the court of Emperor Mu of Jin (whose early career was intriguingly similar to that of Claudius IV), they return with samples of Jin pottery and some Chinese scholars for the libraries at Rome, Alexandria, and Londinium.
360s:
Chinese philosophical and medical texts are translated into Latin and begin influencing Roman doctors.
374:
A hitherto unnoticed barbarian tribe, the Huns, invades the by-now largely Christian Bosporan Kingdom. Claudius IV takes an army to assist the Bosporans.
375:
Claudius finds that the Huns' horsemanship and archery tactics make them difficult to defeat in the field. He retreats to a the castra of Charax, and the Huns lay siege. Another Roman legion, led by one of Claudius' cousins, is dispatched to relieve the garrison.
376:
After suffering a defeat at Charax, the Huns agree to a treaty with the Romans. They retreat, accepting a payment from the Bosporan king and promising not to invade Roman territory.
380s-390s:
The Roman empire enjoys a period of peace and prosperity, and Claudius IV concentrates on improving the imperial infrastructure and building the baths that would bear his name.
400:
Claudius IV dies, childless. His nephew, Tiberius Germanicus, is his designated heir and promptly assumes power.
304:
Claudius' son and heir Geta becomes emperor.
305:
Geta attacks the Goths and pushes them north of the Danaper. The newly conquered territory is settled with Christian exiles, who become subjects of the Bosporan king.
306:
Determined to end the barbarian threat once and for all, Geta raises two new legions and begins planning an expedition against the German tribes.
310:
Geta crosses the Rhenus and begins attacking the Franks.
313:
The Franks are finally defeated, and the Limes Germanicus are extended to the Albis river. Geta's younger brother Alexandrus is appointed governor of the new province of Magna Germania.
310s-320s:
Worship of Sol Invictus increases throughout the empire, promoted by the emperor who is now closely tied to the cult.
325:
Geta dies of natural causes and is succeeded by his son, Claudius III.
326:
Claudius III marries Lutatia Lepida
November 12, 330:
Vandals invade Pannonia. Claudius III is killed in battle near Sirmium
November 15, 330:
On the day news of her husband's death reaches Rome, Lutatia Lepida gives birth to a son, named Claudius in honor of his father. The infant Claudius IV is almost immediately bundled off to a country estate so as to protect him from those who would wish to assume the purple themselves.
January 12, 331:
Claudius III's younger brother Saturninus leads an army against the Vandals. Weakened by their earlier battles, the Vandals are defeated near Aquileia.
331-333:
Lutatia Lepida serves as an uneasy mediator between her brothers and those of her late husband, who swiftly begin fighting over who should rule in Claudius IV's name. Eventually, they compromise with one brother from each side serving as consul.
335-338:
A rebellion in Britannia is suppressed with some difficulty due to the conflict between the emperor's uncles in charge of the army.
345:
Emperor Claudius IV becomes consul, along with his favorite Pomponius Regulus. The son of an influential senator, Pomponius Regulus' relationship with the emperor raises eyebrows among the conservative Roman aristocracy, but no one says anything aloud for fear of incurring the wrath of the emperor's mother.
346:
Claudius IV resolves the conflict among his uncles by appointing them all governors of far-flung provinces.
340s-350s
Emulating Julia Domna 150 years before, Lutatia Lepida uses her position as the emperor's mother to advance philosophy, learning, and the arts. She expands the Library of Julia Domna in Rome, and establishes a library named for herself in her hometown of Londinium. She also convinces her son, who is primarily interested in ensuring the financial soundness of the empire to send embassies to China. As a result of her example, patronage of and participation in intellectual pursuits becomes a common vocation among wealthy Roman women.
360:
A Roman embassy is received at the court of Emperor Mu of Jin (whose early career was intriguingly similar to that of Claudius IV), they return with samples of Jin pottery and some Chinese scholars for the libraries at Rome, Alexandria, and Londinium.
360s:
Chinese philosophical and medical texts are translated into Latin and begin influencing Roman doctors.
374:
A hitherto unnoticed barbarian tribe, the Huns, invades the by-now largely Christian Bosporan Kingdom. Claudius IV takes an army to assist the Bosporans.
375:
Claudius finds that the Huns' horsemanship and archery tactics make them difficult to defeat in the field. He retreats to a the castra of Charax, and the Huns lay siege. Another Roman legion, led by one of Claudius' cousins, is dispatched to relieve the garrison.
376:
After suffering a defeat at Charax, the Huns agree to a treaty with the Romans. They retreat, accepting a payment from the Bosporan king and promising not to invade Roman territory.
380s-390s:
The Roman empire enjoys a period of peace and prosperity, and Claudius IV concentrates on improving the imperial infrastructure and building the baths that would bear his name.
400:
Claudius IV dies, childless. His nephew, Tiberius Germanicus, is his designated heir and promptly assumes power.