450s

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	4th century – 5th century – 6th century
Decades:	420s 430s 440s – 450s – 460s 470s 480s
Years:	450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459
Categories:	Births – Deaths – Architecture Establishments – Disestablishments

450s: events by year

Contents: 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459

By place

Roman Empire

• Spring – Justa Grata Honoria, older sister of emperor Valentinian III, sends her ring to Attila the Hun in an effort to escape a marriage being forced upon her by her brother. Now about 34, she has had an affair with an officer in her household and has allegedly plotted to overthrow Valentinian, who has sent her to a convent at Constantinople. Attila announces his intention to marry her, says he expects to be given half the Western Roman Empire as her dowry, and gathers a large Hun invasion force. Flavius Aetius, Roman general (magister militum), musters in Gaul an army of Burgundians, Celts, Ripuarians, Salian Franks and Visigoths under the command of the Visigoth king Theodoric I.
• July 28 – Emperor Theodosius II, age 49, falls from his horse while hunting at Constantinople and dies soon afterward. He reigns since 408, mostly under the domination of his Christian sister Pulcheria, who has been allowed to return to court (see 441).
• August 25 – Pulcheria is forced to marry and co-rule the Eastern Roman Empire. She gives the imperial diadem to the Illyrian (or Thracian) officer and senator Marcian, age 58, and is crowned as empress in the Hippodrome at Constantinople in a first religious coronation ceremony.
• Marcian orders the execution (or assassination) of the unpopular court eunuch Chrysaphius. He discontinues the tribute payments to Attila.

Europe

• Angles, Saxons and Jutes invade Britain, marking the beginning of the Old English period (approximate date).
• Dome of Baptistry of Neon, Ravenna (Italy), is started to be remodeled (approximate date).

Persia

• King Yazdegerd II summon the leading Armenian nobles to the Persian capital Ctesiphon, pressuring them to cutting their ties with the Western Church.

Asia

• Nalanda University (India) is founded (approximate date).

By topic

Agriculture

• Metal horseshoes come into more common use in the Near East and in Europe, increasing the efficiency of horsepower in agriculture and transportation.

Exploration and Colonization

• Hawaii Loa, Polynesian chief, discovers what will be called the Hawaiian Islands, he sails across 2,400 miles of open water from the island of Raiatea, near Tahiti. He settles on Hawaii, named in his honor (approximate date).

By place

Roman Empire

• The Huns under Attila invade Northern Italy. Emperor Valentinian III flees from Ravenna to Rome and sends pope Leo I to persuade him to return to the Hungarian Plain. The cities of Aquileia, Padua and Verona are destroyed by the Huns. Milan is safed because Attila is offered a huge amount of gold. Flavius Aetius (magister militum) is unable to raise a new army against him.
• Rome is threatened by Attila but not attacked due to a last-minute effort by Leo I. Strengthened by news of reinforcements from the Eastern Roman Empire and the plague breaking out among the Huns, Attila is persuade to withdraw.
• The city of Venice is founded by fugitives from Attila's army. They flee to small islands in the Venetian Lagoon.

China

• Nan'an Yinwang succeeds his father Taiwu after he is assassinated by the eunuch Zong Ai. Later that year, Yinwang is murdered as well, and Ai is overthrown by a group of high officials. Wei Wenchengdi, age 12, becomes new emperor of the Northern Wei Dynasty.

By place

Europe

• Theodoric II succeeds his brother Thorismund as king of the Visigoths.

By place

Western Roman Empire

• September 21 – During a meeting in his throne room in Ravenna, Emperor Valentinian III assassinates Aëtius.

Europe

• The Battle of Nedao is fought between the Gepids and the Huns.
• Ireland: The Diocese of Clogher is erected.

By place

Western Roman Empire

• March 16 – Valentinian III is murdered by former soldiers of Aëtius, in revenge for Valentinian's killing of Aëtius the previous year. Also his primicerius sacri cubiculi, Heraclius, is killed.
• March 17 – Petronius Maximus becomes Emperor. He is later killed by an angry mob.
• June 2 – Geiseric leads the Vandals into Rome, and plunders the city for a period lasting two weeks.
• July 9 – Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor at Tolosa.

Europe

• The Ostrogoths conquer Pannonia and Dalmatia.
• According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Hengist and Horsa battle Wurtgern at Aylesford. Horsa is killed.

Asia

• Skandagupta succeeds Kumaragupta as ruler of the Gupta Empire.

America

• Earliest recorded date at Chichen Itza.

By place

Western Roman Empire

• Capua is destroyed by the Vandals.
• Ricimer beats the Vandals in a sea battle near Corsica.
• October 5 – Theodoric II of the Visigoths, in the name of the emperor Avitus, defeats the Sueves on the river Urbicus near Astorga in Gallaecia; this shatters the power of the Sueves.
• October 17 – The magistri militum Ricimer and Majorian defeat the emperor Avitus, and compel him to renounce the purple and become Bishop of Placentia.

Eastern Roman Empire

• Emperor Marcian quells disturbances on the Armenian frontier.

British Isles

• St. Patrick returns to Ireland as a missionary Bishop.

By place

Western Roman Empire

• April 1 – Majorian is acclaimed emperor by the army.
• December 28 – Majorian is crowned emperor.

Eastern Roman Empire

• February 7 – Leo I becomes emperor.

Europe

• Childeric I succeeds Merovech as king of the Franks (or 458).
• According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, 4,000 Britons are slain at Crayford in battle against Hengist and his son Esc.

Asia

• Hormizd III becomes king of Persia.
• Peroz I rebels against his brother Hormizd III.
• In India, Skandagupta of the Gupta Empire defeats the Huns (Ephthalites); not until 480 does the empire collapse under their attacks.

By topic

Religion

• Victorius of Aquitania computes new tables for celebrating Easter.

By place

Europe

• Childeric I succeeds Merovech as king of the Franks (or 457).

By topic

Religion

• Gennadius I becomes Patriarch of Constantinople.

By place

Asia

• Dathusena becomes king of Sri Lanka.