The First Millenium

[Vince]

Welcome to 392!

While visiting France, Western Emperor Valentinian II is found hanged in his room. The mystery has never been solved, but Eugenius, a former school teacher, is made Emperor.

Moving quickly, Eugenius removes all of Theodosius I's appointees to high offices, replacing them with men loyal to himself. A nominal Christian, he permits restoration of pagan temples and rites, alienating Ambrose, the powerful bishop of Milan. Eastern Emperor Theodosius I receives Eugenius's ambassadors, but quietly begins assembling an army, Theodosius also proclaims his eight-year-old son as "Augustus."

Meanwhile, Eugenius works at pacifying the Germans. Strongly allied with the Franks, he makes peaceful alliances with different German tribes.

 

[Vince]

It's time for 393!

There's trouble brewing. Eastern Emperor Theodosius I again orders all pagan temples closed--including the ones in the western Empire. He also bans the Olympic games, because they are accompanied by pagan festivals.

 

[Vince]

394 is an exciting year.

Upset over the restoration of paganism in the West, Eastern Emperor Theodosius I invades with a 200,000 man army. These troops are a mixture of Romans, Germans, Arabs, and others, with the Emperor leading personally.

Meeting in eastern Europe at the Battle of the Frigid River, Western Emperor Eugenius erects a statue of Jupiter on the battlefield and puts images of Hercules on his army's banners. Theodosius rapidly attacks, sending his Germans first, hoping to get a bunch of them killed. He accomplishes his goal, taking heavy losses but no gains on the first day.

The victorious Western Emperor Eugenius orders a celebration while quietly sending troops behind Theodosius to seize the mountain passes and prevent his escape. But those troops desert to Theodosius, and the next morning, he attacks again. A fierce wind arises, blowing dust into the Westerners' faces and decreasing the force of their arrows.

Totally victorious, Theodosius beheads Eugenius. The western provinces quickly submit, and for the last time, the Roman Empire is united under one Emperor.

Epiphanius of Salamis, bishop of Cyprus and a Church Father, is a determined heresy hunter. He had gotten Origen and has followers condemned, and this year he condemns Jerome as a heretic. Although a Catholic saint, his list of enemies included a variety of other Catholic saints.

 

[Vince]

It's time to visit the year 395.

The victorious Theodosius I enters Milan, the capital of the Western Empire, as sole Emperor. And on January 17, he dies there.

The Roman Empire was divided again between East and West, setting the stage for the eventual division of the Christian Church. Latin Christianity was based in Rome under the leadership of the popes, while Eastern Orthodoxy develops in the east in Constantinople under the leadership of patriarchs.

Arcadius, the son of Theodosius I and one of the most famous weaklings in history, is made Emperor of the East. He is dominated by his wife and a variety of politicians.

Eleven-year-old Honorius, another son, is made Emperor of the West. Stilicho, a general, holds the real power.

Embittered by their heavy losses at the Battle of the Frigid River, followed by almost no rewards when they won, the Visigoths in eastern Europe declare their commander Alaric ("King of All") as their king and declare themselves independent of Rome. Alaric immediately leads them in an attack on the Eastern Empire. Unsuccessful there, he turns back and invades Greece, putting Athens under tribute. Having won a string of rapid victories, he now heads for Italy.

Helped by the absence of troops who had gone west, the Huns attack Syria, Armenia, and Cappodocia.

In India, the Gupta Empire attacks the Satraps, a kingdom stretching from India's west coast to the center of the country. Eventually victorious, the Gupta Empire then controls much of modern India.

Saint Augustine becomes bishop of Hippo in Africa. His main task is to re-unite the Donatists with the Catholic Church. He organizes riots as one of his tools of converting them.

 

[Vince]

We have now reached 396.

The Roman general, Stilicho, acting as regent in the western empire during Honorius' minority, reorganizes British defenses decimated by the Magnus Maximus debacle. Short of troops, he begins the transfer of military authority from Roman commanders to local British chieftains.

General Stilicho now marches east to deal with the Visigoths, who have plundered much of Greece and now withdrawn to Macedonia in northern Greece. He enlists various German tribes to guard German borders as he pulls troops out of the area. And then the Huns move into eastern Europe, to the north of the Visigoths. Meanwhile, Visigoth King Alaric I destroys the sites of the ancient Elysian Mysteries.

Fifteen-year-old An becomes Emperor of China. Partially paralyzed, he is under the control of regents and warlords, as China begins to break into civil wars.

 

[Vince]

Hopefully, things will improve in 397.

The Roman commander, Stilicho, changes his mind about fighting the Germans in eastern Europe. Besides, they're part of the Eastern Empire. Instead, he comes to Britain and repels an attack by Picts, Irish and Saxons.
The Council of Carthage declares the Catholic canon of the Bible, including the Apocrypha. These Greek writings had been rejected by the Jews since before the time of Jesus.

China begins to deteriorate under the leadership of Emperor An. The Xiongnu, who are northern non-Chinese nomads who had established their own kingdom in northern China, occupy the Gansu area in China. This northern area is a vital communications link between eastern and western China.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to the year 398!

John Chrysostom (398-404) “Golden-Mouthed†becomes Patriarch of Constantinople. Having ruined his health as a hermit, he became a successful preacher, rejecting allegory and insisting on the plain meaning of the Bible. He founded hospitals, preached against the sins of the Emperor and his family, and got himself banished more than once. He stressed the practical application of Scripture in daily life and raged against abuse of authority by the Church.

Honorius, Emperor of the West, was the son of Theodosius I, Emperor of the East (who had died). Young and weak, Honorius was capably guided by Stilichus,his cheif general. This year, the thirteen-year-old Emperor marries the daughter of Stilichus, strengthening Stilichus's control of the Empire. However, she dies shortly afterwards, and Honorius quickly marries Stilichus's other daughter.

Stilichus had been married to a member of Theodosius I's family, and Honorius's two wives were his cousins. His brother Arcadius was now Emperor of the East. Having just ended a civil war between the two halves of the Empire, everyone was hoping that keeping everything in the family would prevent future civil wars.

 

[Vince]

The year 399 has arrived.

Anastasius I (399-401) becomes Pope. A vehement enemy of Origen, who had died 150 years ago, he even calls a council to condemn him.

Faxian, a Chinese Buddhist monk, begins traveling throughout the East, collecting Buddhist works. His written account of his journeys is one of the greatest history and geography books of the ancient East.

Offended at the lack of respect paid to him in Constantinople, Tribigild, a German governor, revolts. He sacks the area around Constantinople, disperses a German army sent to stop him, and leads a German attack on the Eastern Empire's capital. He is killed soon afterwards and his forces scattered.

Yazdegerd I becomes King of Persia. He rules for 21 uneventful years, keeping peace with both halves of the Empire.

 

[Vince]

400 begins the fifth century, and we'll be here a while, as we see what's going on "about this time" around the world.

The Dorset People have Arctic Canada all to themselves. When the weather warmed, they migrated north, to stay with the cold. They excelled at hunting the large Arctic mammals and at catching large animals through holes in the ice. They are not adaptable however. They never develop ways to survive in warmer weather, nor do they ever develop warfare. Centuries later, they will be displaced by the Inuit (Eskimos).

Greenland had been abandoned about two centuries ago by the Dorset People, and it is uninhabited at this time.

In the United States (which doesn’t exist yet) the bow and arrow have become commonplace. A peaceful, civilized people who rarely go on the warpath, the American Indians use them for hunting. The fact that they don’t have horses doesn’t make hunting any easier.

 

[Vince]

We're still in the year 400.

Over the next 100 years, the growth of the Fremont People and the Anasazis into major cultures are the most important events in the United States.

The Fremont People are a minor group in modern Utah that occasionally carves pictures into rock. They will quietly grow into a major American group over the next three centuries.

The Anasazis are a minor group of nomads in the southwestern American desert. Perhaps influenced by the Mayans, and perhaps fleeing from them as well, the Anasazis begin living in caves. They begin cultivating the land, and over the next century they become a major ethnic group, skilled in both agriculture and pottery. Eventually, they grow into an empire.

 

[Vince]

Continuing with the beginning of the fifth century:

In the north-central United States, the Hopewell constructions end. These large structures, built out of the earth, included burial mounds, assembly areas, and other large structures, mostly in the modern state of Ohio.

Zapotec state with its capital at Monte Alban flourishes in southern Mexico.

In South America, the Chibchas have a successful nation in the north-east. They are the largest civilization between Mexico and the Incas, and for centuries they will successfully fight off Inca invasions. At their height, they will expand into Central America.

Meanwhile, in the southern half of South America, several societies have developed around maize farming. At various times they unite, and at other times they fight.

 

[Vince]

Let's see how the Pacific Ocean is doing in the year 400.

The Hawaiian Islands are uninhabited.

In Australia, the natives are nomadic hunters who are expanding across their gigantic island continent.

New Zealand will remain uninhabited for at least another six centuries.

It’s so cold in Antarctica that nobody lives there. Some migratory animals, such as penguins, live there part-time.

Comprising over 1,000 islands east and northeast of Australia, the Polynesians are expanding and settling new islands all the time.

 

[Vince]

Now we head west.

In Japan, two rival cultures simultaneously exist. The Yamato Culture, based on Chinese customs, is a major influence. Subordinate to this is the Kofun Culture, which emphasized building large tombs. So why is the Kofun Culture so important? Because it left so many archaeological structures, it is the beginning of an extensive Japanese history that is known to be true. Much of Japan’s previous history comes from manuscripts written centuries after the events they described.

Sparce and contradictory records show that “Japan†is now the most powerful kingdom and has spread to parts of all four of modern Japan’s four islands. Over the next century, most of the remaining kingdoms are absorbed by Japan.

 

[Vince]

It's still the year 400.

While dates and records are contradictory, sometime around the year 400, the Period of the Sixteen Kingdoms in China had come to an end. The Eastern Jin Dynasty won, and is now considered to be “China.†Some parts of the former Chinese Empire are still not under China’s control, and while the nation survives, the Jin Dynasty itself is eventually overthrown and replaced.

Vietnam is part of China and continues to develop.

In western Africa, south of the Roman Empire, the Kongo people are establishing various kingdoms along the Congo River. Over a period of centuries, they form an empire.
In southern Africa, the inhabitants are forming Iron Age communities that are isolated enough that they get along peacefully.

The Irish had been raiding Britain, but now they start colonizing in western Britain. From Scotland to Wales, successful Irish colonies appear. The Irish settlers learn Roman ways, and this knowledge is sent back to Ireland, which begins absorbing Roman culture.

 

[Vince]

We now return to our year-by-year history of the world. However, it is still the year 400 AD.

The kingdom of Japan had gained control of much of the four main islands that make up modern Japan. And in the year 400, Japan invades Korea. The large northern Korean kingdom of Goguryeo supports the small kingdom of Silla with 50,000 troops, and the Japanese are repelled.

Five years earlier, the Germans in south-eastern Europe had revolted, making Alaric their king. After pillaging Greece, he had been defeated, but now he heads for Italy, determined to capture Rome.

Gainas, a Goth military commander under the Eastern Empire, occupies Constantinople. He seeks to rule the city as a Roman, but the citizens revolt, driving his army out. He flees west, but the Huns defeat him and send his head as a present to Alaric.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to 401.

Alaric, king of the Visigoths in south-eastern Europe, invades Italy. His troops ravage the northern Italian countryside. Roman general Stilicho is leading an extensive campaign against the Vandals in Rhaetia, north-east of Italy, and the Visigoths are between him and Rome.

After the Huns win a series of victories over other German tribes, Arcadius, the weakling Emperor of the East, allies the Eastern Empire with the Huns.

Innocent I becomes bishop of Rome. He is not the first man to call himself "Pope," but because he will later claim to be head of the universal church some authorities hold that he is the first Pope.

 

[Vince]

And now it is the year 402.

There are only two Roman legions left in Britain, although the British have their own militia as well. One of the two legions is recalled to Italy to help fight the Germans. General Stilicho recalls other Romans troops from the frontiers to rescue Italy, as the Germans besiege Milan, capital of the Western Empire.

Western Emperor Honorius flees, but pursued by the Germans, is trapped inside a fortified city. Fortunately, General Stilicho arrives and raises the siege.

The Germans, who are Arians, are celebrating Easter when Stilicho launches a surprise attack, capturing many of their leaders and sending them into retreat. When Alaric, king of the Visigoths, counter-attacks, the Romans defeat him again, and the Germans flee Italy.

Having repelled the Japanese, the Koreans defeat the Xianbeis, one of the former sixteen kingdoms of China, seizing some of their border fortresses.

North of India, the Avars establish a minor kingdom that will someday control much of central Asia.

 

[Vince]

It is now 403.

Driven out of Italy, Alaric leads his Visgoths back east. They control Greece and much of south-eastern Europe, although the Western Empire claims those lands.

Embittered by the powerful preaching against sin of John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople, his enemies unite at The Synod of the Oak and depose him. The synod consisted only of hostile bishops who prepared a list of false accusations, with the aid of the Empress, who had been offended by John's preaching. But fearing the wrath of God, the Empress almost immediately orders John re-instated, and the bishops flee for their lives from a crowd of John's supporters.

 

[Vince]

Here it is, the year 404 already.

On January 1, a gladiator fight is held in the city of Rome, with the Christian Emperor Honorius attending. Suddenly, a monk named Telemachus stands up and loudly preaches against these fights. The crowd kills him, but the Emperor, shaken by Telemachus' deed, bans all future fights.

For the second time, the enemies of John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople, have him exiled. The first time it didn’t last, because the Empress ordered him returned, fearing Divine judgment.

Over eighty years old, Arsacius of Tarsus is made Patriarch of Constantinople. A vehement enemy of John Chrysostom, he was elevated because he was expected to be an easily-controlled weakling. The common people refused to recognize him as their leader, and when he would appear at any church function, they would refuse to attend. The Emperor sent soldiers to disperse their illegal meetings, using torture against their leaders.

The Emperor drove all bishops loyal to John out of office, while Pope Innocent I wrote letters to the East, condemning Arsacius of Tarsus. Eventually, John dies on the road, and his last words were "Glory be to God for all things!"

The Liáodōng Peninsula is located just to the northwest of Kora. It has two major seaports, and it forms an excellent harbor with the mainland, making it a valuable area. This year, Gwanggaeto the Great of Goguryeo attacks Liaodong and takes the entire Liaodong Peninsula.

 

[Vince]

Welcome to the year 405.

Jerome completes his translation of the Bible into Latin, based on the original languages. Its influence on the spread of Christianity, as well as on future translations, is greater than any other single translation. It is called the "Vulgate," because it is written in the language of the vulgar (common) people.

Also translated from the original languages in 1611, the King James Version used previous translations as a guide, especially Tyndall's translation from the Vulgate into English. About 85% of the KJV New Testament is taken directly from Tyndall's translation.

For over seven centuries, the Senate had kept tight control over the Sibylline Books. These ancient writings were used as a guide for Rome during times of crisis. General Stilicho orders them burned, and only parts of copies survive.

A monk named Mesrab Mashtots invents the Armenian alphabet. Designed to assist in the pronunciation of difficult Armenian words, it helps the Armenian church survive, strengthens the Armenian government (at this time, Persia ruled 80% of Armenia) and kept scattered Armenians loyal to their faith and their country.

Arsacius of Tarsus, who became archbishop of Constantinople when John Chrysostom was exiled last year, dies. Nobody misses him.