3rd century

Portal history | Portal Biographies | Current events | Annual calendar

◄ | 1st century | 2nd century | 3rd century | 4th century | 5th century | ►
200 | 210er | 220 | 230s | 240s | 250 | 260er | 270s | 280s | 290s

Global territorial situation in the 3rd century

The 3rd century began on January 1, 201 and ended on December 31, 300 . For the Roman Empire it marked the transition from the principate to late antiquity .

Age / Epoch

• The Roman Empire was ruled by the so-called " soldier emperors " between 235 and 285 . These are usually proclaimed emperor by the legions as part of usurpations and often only rule for a few months. This phase of Roman history is traditionally referred to as the time of the imperial crisis of the 3rd century . Only Diocletian succeeded in stabilizing it through reforms from 284 onwards. With this the epoch of late antiquity begins .
• The Christianity was first pursued systematically throughout the Roman Empire, but asserts itself despite external and internal Widernisse struggles for its compatibility with the private property and dogmatic disputes such as the Ketzertaufstreit .
• Starting from Alexandria, pagan Greek philosophy and mathematics are experiencing a renaissance ( Neoplatonism ).
• The Sassanid Empire is founded in Iran .
• The pyramids of the Maya guide in Central America an era of monumental buildings.
• In Japan there is a separation of “church” and state ( secularization ).
• China is divided from 220 to 280 : This Three Kingdoms period is ended by Emperor Wu von Jin .

Events / developments

• With the Constitutio Antoniniana in 212 almost all personally free residents of the Imperium Romanum were granted Roman citizenship.
• Since 231 there has been repeated violent fighting between the Sassanids and Rome (see also Roman-Persian Wars ).
• The areas east of the Rhine , north of Lake Constance and west of the Iller (in the area of Baden-Württemberg roughly its current borders) are evacuated by the Roman Empire around 260 and fall permanently to the Germanic peoples (" Limesfall ").
• 250 saw the first nationwide persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire .
• 262 Goths destroy the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus , one of the seven wonders of the ancient world .
• 267 Germanic Heruli plunder Athens.
• 293 reasons Diocletian , the Roman Tetrarchy . From then on there were always at least two emperors in the empire until 476.

Buildings

• 201 End of construction work on the Barbarathermen in Trier

Personalities

• Cao Cao (155–220), pioneer of the Wei Dynasty
• Cyprian , North African Doctor of the Church and Bishop of Carthage
• Plotinus , Greek philosopher from Alexandria; is considered to be the main representative of Neoplatonism
• Paul of Samosata , Doctor of the Church from the Near East, Bishop of Antioch and counselor to Queen Zenobia of Palmyra; was excommunicated from the Christian Church as a heretic
• Sima Yi (179–251), pioneer of the Jin Dynasty
• Sima Yan (236–290), Unifier of China
• Aurelian , Roman Emperor from 270 to 275
• Diophantos of Alexandria , Greek mathematician
• Longinos , Greek philosopher and linguist of Syrian origin
• Shapur I , King of Persia (Sassanid ruler)
• Zenobia , ruler of Palmyra and the Roman Orient
• Mani , Persian founder of Manichaeism
• Pappos , Greek mathematician in Alexandria
• Kelsos Greek philosopher (Platonist), oldest known pamphlet against Christianity "True Doctrine".
• Origen , Christian theologian, was commissioned to write a pamphlet against Kelsus .
• Porphyrios , philosopher (Neo-Platonist) from the Near East
• Probus , Roman Emperor from 276 to 282
• Diocletian , Roman Emperor from 284 to 305
• Pamphilus of Caesarea , priest and doctor of the church from Phenicia; was tortured, imprisoned and beheaded as a Christian
• Antonius the Great , also Antonius Abbas or Antonius Eremita, Egyptian monk, ascetic and hermit
• Arius , Christian presbyter from Alexandria. The doctrine of Arianism is named after him
• Lactantius , a priest, rhetorician and doctor of the church from the province of Africa
• Eusebius of Caesarea , bishop and doctor of the church called the father of church history
• Iamblichos , Greek philosopher from Chalkis (Syria)
• Bhasa , Indian poet, pioneer of Indian classical drama
• Donatus , North African religious philosopher and priest
• Constantine I , also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337
• Fasir, North African preacher and freedom fighter
• Liu Hui , Chinese mathematician

Inventions and discoveries

• 216 : Emperor Caracalla completes the construction of the largest public bathing complex in Rome named after him , the Caracalla Baths , which had begun ten years earlier .
• To 230 : Claudius Aelianus by the describes Zitterrochen outgoing "numbing effect" ( electricity ).
• Around 250 : The first iron suspension bridges are built in China .
• To 260 : In Scandinavia are skates with iron runners in use.
• 284 : The Diocletian calendar is introduced in Alexandria , which begins with the accession of the Roman emperor Diocletian and was later adopted by the Christian Copts .
• To 290 : Pappus of Alexandria later than developed Guldinsche rules known formulas to calculate volume and surface of bodies of revolution .

Web links

Commons : 3rd century  collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Winfried Weber , "TRIER, BARBARATHERMEN", Administration of the State Castles of Rhineland-Palatinate, Mainz 1976, p. 2 para. 3