4th century

Events

• Roman Empire is divided into four parts, ruled by the Tetrarchy
• First Council of Nicea
• Battle of the Milvian Bridge marks the beginning of the Byzantine Empire
• Roman/Byzantine Emperor Constantine declares himself head of the Christian church, marking the beginning of the church-state relationship that sets the pace for the rest of the Middle Ages and well beyond
• Armenia adopts Christianity as the national religion
• Roman Britain is sucessfully overcome by a coalition of Picts, Saxons, Scotti, and others, with the help of rebelling Roman soldiers. Roman rule is restored to Britain a year later.
• Traditional discovery of the True Cross by St. Helena

Significant people

• Constantine, first Byzantine Emperor
• Saint Augustine of Hippo, theologian
• Saint Ambrose, bishop of Milan
• Eusebius, ancient historian
• Alaric, king of the Visigoths

Inventions, Discoveries, Introductions

• Gothic alphabet

Some Groups That Cover This Period

• SCA

Internal Links

• 3th Century
• 5th Century

External Links

• Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_Empire
• Byzantium Studies on the Internet - http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/byzantium/