340s

The 340s decade ran from January 1, 340, to December 31, 349.

Millennium: 1st millennium
Centuries:
Decades:
Years:
Categories:
  • Births
  • Deaths
  • Establishments
  • Disestablishments

Events

340

By place
Roman Empire

By topic
Religion

341

By place
Roman Empire
  • Emperor Constans I bans pagan sacrifices and magic rituals, under penalty of death.
  • Constans I begins a successful campaign against the Franks.
India
  • Samudragupta of the Gupta Empire, during a decade, extends his kingdom and his influence. A pillar found at Allahabad sings his praises.

By topic
Religion
  • The Council of Encaenia is held in Antioch.
  • Paul I is restored as Patriarch of Constantinople.
  • Thousands of Christians are executed at Seleucia in Mesopotamia.
  • Coptic Christianity is introduced into Ethiopia by the Syrian apostle Frumentius. He and his colleague Edesius were captured by Ethiopians a year or two ago, and have become civil servants at the Aksumite court of King Ezana. Frumentius becomes the first Bishop of Axum and encourages the Christian merchants present in the country to practise their faith openly.

342

By place
Roman Empire
= Europe =
  • A large earthquake strikes Cyprus.
Asia
  • Goguryeo is invaded by Murong Huang of the Xianbei.
  • Jin Kangdi succeeds his brother Jin Chengdi as emperor of China.

By topic
Religion

343

By place
Roman Empire

By topic
Religion
  • Pope Julius I tries to unite the Western bishops against Arianism by convoking the Council of Serdika (later Sofia), which acknowledges the pope's supreme authority and grants him the right to judge cases involving the legal possession of episcopal sees, but only Western and Egyptian bishops attend, and Arianism remains strong.

344

By place
Roman Empire
  • The Eastern Roman Emperor Constantius II campaigns in eastern Mesopotamia, against the Sassanid Persians.
  • Battle of Singara: The Roman army under Constantius wins a close victory, at the strongly fortified city of Singara (Mesopotamia). His enemy, King Shapur II, is forced to lift the siege, and withdraw the Persian army.
  • Shapur II, for the second time, besieges the Roman fortress of Nisibis in eastern Mesopotamia, but is repulsed by forces under General Lucilianus.
Asia
  • Jin Mudi, age 1, succeeds his father Jin Kangdi as emperor of China. His mother, Empress Dowager Chu, becomes the ruling authority at court, and serves as regent.
  • Gye becomes king of the Korean kingdom of Baekje.[3]

By topic
Art
  • The making of a detail of Admonitions of the Imperial Instructress to Court Ladies (attributed to Gu Kaizhi and being from the Six Dynasties period) begins (approximate year) and is completed in 406. It is now kept at the British Museum, London.
Religion

345

By place
India
  • Merchant Knai Thomman and 400 followers visit the Malabar Coast in Kerala (India), and assist the church there.
  • The Kadamba Dynasty is founded by Mayurasharma.
Italy

346

By place
Asia

By topic
Religion
  • Emperor Constans I uses his influence to secure the return of Athanasius. He is restored as Patriarch of Alexandria, and documents are compiled relating to his expulsion, under the title Apology Against the Arians.
  • Macedonius I, Patriarch of Constantinople, is deposed again by Paul I.
  • Julius Firmicus Maternus writes De erroribus profanarum religionum.
  • The Visigoths are converted to Arianism by Wulfila.

347

By place
China
  • Li Shi, ruler of Cheng Han, fails in his attempt to halt a Jin expedition under Huan Wen. He flees to the capital Chengdu and surrenders his forces. Emperor Jin Mudi spares his life and makes him a marquess.

By topic
Religion
  • Council of Sardica: An attempt is made to resolve the Arian controversy, and ground rules for bishops are laid down.
  • The Council of Philippopolis is held as the result of Eastern bishops leaving the Council of Sardica. In Philippopolis (Bulgaria), they excommunicate Pope Julius, and as a result, the Arian controversy is perpetuated.

348

By place
Europe
  • Wulfila escapes religious persecution by the Gothic chieftain Athanaric, and obtains permission from Constantius II to migrate with his flock of converts to Moesia, and settle near Nicopolis ad Istrum (Bulgaria).
Asia
  • In Persia, women are enrolled in the army to perform auxiliary services.
  • In India, Samudragupta of the Gupta Empire defeats Rudrasena in battle.

349

By place
Asia
  • After a brief reign of 183 days, Emperor Shi Zun and his mother Empress Zheng Yingtao are executed; his son Shi Jian succeeds him, as emperor of the Jie state Later Zhao.
  • The Mou-jong (proto-Mongols) take control of North China.

Significant people

Births

340

  • Aurelius Ambrose, bishop of Milan (approximate date)
  • Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium (approximate date)
  • Jerome, priest and Bible translator (approximate date)
  • Justina, Roman empress and regent (approximate date)
  • Peter of Sebaste, bishop of Armenia (approximate date)
  • Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, Roman consul (d. 402)

341

  • Ai of Jin (or Qianling), Chinese emperor (d. 365)

342

  • Fei of Jin (or Sima Yi), Chinese emperor (d. 386)

343

  • Fu Deng, Chinese emperor of the Di state Former Qin (d. 394)
  • Jin Mudi, Chinese emperor of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (d. 361)
  • Xiao Wenshou (or Xiaoyi), Chinese empress dowager (d. 423)
  • Xie Xuan, Chinese general of the Jin Dynasty (d. 388)

344

  • Gu Kaizhi, Chinese painter (approximate date)
  • Kumārajīva, Buddhist monk and translator (d. 413)
  • Mary of Egypt, patron Saint (approximate date)
  • Wang Xianzhi, Chinese calligrapher (d. 386)
  • Zhang Yaoling, ruler of Former Liang (d. 355)

345

  • Evagrius Ponticus, Christian monk and ascetic (d. 399)
  • Afranius Syagrius, Roman politician and administrator
  • Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, Roman consul and intellectual (d. 402)
  • Tyrannius of Aquileia, historian and theologian (approximate date)

346

  • Zhang Tianxi, Chinese ruler of Former Liang (d. 406)

347

348

  • Prudentius, Roman Christian poet (d. 413)
  • Shenoute, monk and saint (d. 466)

349

Deaths

340

  • October 28 – Cunera (or Kunera), Christian martyr
  • Constantine II, Roman consul and emperor (b. 316)
  • Kui An, Indian general and minister of Later Zhao
  • Macrina the Elder, Christian saint (approximate date)
  • Tao Bao (or Anbu), Chinese general of Later Zhao
  • Yu Liang (or Yuangui), Chinese general (b. 279)

341

  • Asterius of Cappadocia, Christian theologian and writer
  • Du Lingyang (or Du Ling), Chinese empress (b. 321)
  • Eusebius of Nicomedia, archbishop of Constantinople
  • Ge Hong (or Ko Hung), Chinese taoist (approximate date)
  • Paul of Thebes, Christian hermit (approximate date)
  • Potamon of Heraclea, Christian bishop and martyr

342

  • July 26 – Chen of Jin (or Sima Yan), Chinese emperor (b. 321)
  • Barsabias, Christian abbot, missionary and martyr
  • Paul of Thebes, Christian hermit (approximate date)
  • Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis VI, Roman client king

343

344

345

Saint Shemon Bar Sabbae
Saint Narnus
  • February 4 – Abraham of Arbela, Persian bishop and martyr (approximate date)
  • April 6
    • Abdecalas – Persian Orthodox priest and saint
    • Shemon Bar Sabbae – Persian Orthodox priest and saint
  • June 16 – Patriarch Gregory of Cappadocia
  • August 27 – Narnus, Roman Catholic bishop and saint
  • November 20 – Abiatha, Hathes and Mamlacha, Syrian Orthodox priests, virgins, martyrs and saints
  • Abdisho, member of the Church of the East
  • Aphrahat, Syrian Orthodox priest and saint
  • Stephen I of Antioch, Byzantine bishop and saint

346

  • He Chong (or Cidao), Chinese politician (b. 292)
  • Maximin of Trier, German bishop (approximate date)
  • Zhang Jun (or Gongting), Chinese prince (b. 307)

347

  • Ursicinus of Brescia, Bishop of Brescia

348

Saint Pachomius the Great
Saint Spyridon
  • May 9 – Pachomius the Great, founder of Christian cenobitic monasticism (b. 292)
  • December 12 – Saint Spyridon, Greek-Cypriot Orthodox bishop and saint (b. 270)
  • Murong Huang, Chinese ruler of the Former Yan (b. 297)

349

  • Empress Liu, wife of Emperor Shi Hu (b. 318)
  • Shi Hu, emperor of the Jie state Later Zhao (b. 295)
  • Shi Shi, emperor and brother of Shi Zun (b. 339)
  • Shi Zun, emperor of the Jie state Later Zhao
  • Wei Shuo, calligrapher of the Jin Dynasty (b. 272)
  • Empress Zhang, wife of emperor Shi Zun
  • Empress Zheng Yingtao, mother of emperor Shi Zun

References
  1. "Geography at about.com".
  2. Norwich, John Julius (1989) Byzantium: The Early Centuries, Guild Publishing, p. 81n
  3. "List of Rulers of Korea". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  4. "List of Rulers of Korea". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  5. "St Nicholas: Top 10 facts about Father Christmas". Express.co.uk. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
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