5th century
Encyclopedia : 5 : 5T : 5TH : 5th century
| Centuries: | 4th century - 5th century - 6th century |
| Decades: | 400s 410s 420s 430s 440s 450s 460s 470s 480s 490s |
The 5th century is the period from 401 - 500 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian Era.
Contents
Overview
The events for which the 5th century is best known for is the Fall of Rome to Germanic tribes, ending the 600-year rule of the Romans in Western Europe. The Roman Empire continued as the Byzantine Empire in the Eastern Mediterranean until 1453. Other notable events include the founding of Chichen Itza and the writing of The City of God by St. Augustine.
Events
- 410: Rome sacked by Visigoths, St. Augustine writes The City of God
- 439: Vandals conquer Carthage
- At some point after 440, the Anglo-Saxons settle in Britain. The traditional story is that they were invited there by Vortigern.
- 452: Pope Leo I allegedly meets personally with Attila the Hun and convinces him not to sack Rome
- 455: Vandals sack Rome
- 455: Chichen Itza of Mexico founded
- 476, August 28: Deposition of Romulus Augustulus by Odoacer: traditional date for the Fall of Rome.
- 480: Death of Julius Nepos in Dalmatia, the last de jure Western Roman Emperor.
- Buddhism reaches Myanmar and Indonesia.
- According to the Book of Mormon, Moroni buries the Golden Plates and ends the record around 421.
- African and Indonesian settlers reach Madagascar.
- Hopewell culture ends.
Significant persons
- Flavius Aëtius, last of the great Roman generals
- Alaric I, king of the Visigoths that sacked Rome
- Attila the Hun
- Augustine of Hippo, bishop, theologian
- Bodhidharma, founder of Zen Buddhism
- John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople
- Cyril of Alexandria, Patriarch of Alexandria
- Faxian, Chinese Buddhist monk
- Hawaiiloa, discovered and settled Hawaii
- Huiyuan, Chinese Buddhist
- Hypatia of Alexandria, woman philosopher
- St. Jerome hermit, cleric, Bible translator
- Pope Leo I
- Saint Mesrob, Armenian monk
- Niall Noigiallach, founder of one of Ireland's greatest dynasties.
- St. Patrick, completed the conversion to Christianity in Ireland
- Socrates Scholasticus, Byzantine Church historian
- Sozomen, Christian church historian
- Theoderic the Great, Ostrogothic king
Inventions, discoveries, introductions
- stirrup invented in China
- heavy plow in use in Slavic lands
- metal horseshoes become common in Gaul
- Anglo-Saxon Futhorc alphabet used in England