451

	451 by topic
	Politics
	State leaders – Sovereign states
	Birth and death categories
	Births – Deaths
	Establishment and disestablishment categories
	Establishments – Disestablishments
	v; d; e;

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	4th century – 5th century – 6th century
Decades:	420s 430s 440s – 450s – 460s 470s 480s
Years:	448 449 450 – 451 – 452 453 454

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This article is about the year 451. For the number (and other uses), see 451 (number).

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Invasion of Attila in Gaul (451)

Year 451 (CDLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marcianus and Adelfius (or, less frequently, year 1204 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 451 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

[edit] Events

Spring – Attila gathers his vassals—Alamanni, Franks, Gepids, Heruls, Ostrogoths, Rugians, Scirians, Thuringians, among others and smashes through Germany, causing widespread panic and destruction. He arrives in Belgica with an army (50,000 men) and crosses the Rhine.
April 7 – Attila's forces invade Gaul and sack Metz. The major cities Strasbourg, Worms, Mainz, Trier, Cologne, Reims, Tournai, Cambrai, Amiens and Beauvais are destroyed by the Huns.
June – Attila approaches Aurelianum (modern Orléans) and the city's inhabitants close the gates forcing him to lay siege. After learning of the Hun invasion, Flavius Aetius (magister militum) moves quickly from Italy into Gaul, and joined forces with the Visigoth king Theodoric I.
June 20 – Battle of Châlons: Attila avoids a pitched battle near Orléans and withdraws to the Catalaunian plains (Champagne-Ardenne). Aetius achieves a strategic victory for the Western Roman Empire and Theodoric I is killed during the fightings against the Huns.

Battle of Vartanantz: The Armenian army is defeated by the Persians, and their rebel leader, Saint Vartan, dies. Despite the loss, Armenians consider this battle to have been a moral and religious victory, since the Persian king, out of respect for their efforts, allows them to remain Christian. The anniversary is a national and religious holiday.
Sassanid ruler Yazdegerd II's decree abolishes the Sabbath, and orders executions of Jewish leaders, including the Exilarch Mar Nuna.

October 8–November 1 – Council of Chalcedon, Ecumenical council of the Christian church. As a result of this council the Oriental Orthodox churches eventually become a separate communion. More immediately, Jerusalem becomes a Patriarchate and Dioscorus of Alexandria is deposed as Patriarch of Antioch.

451 by topic
Politics
State leaders – Sovereign states
Birth and death categories
Births – Deaths
Establishment and disestablishment categories
Establishments – Disestablishments
v d e