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“ 238 A. D. = 1st year of the ‘yen-hi ’ of Heou-tcheou ” — (Chinese chron. table).
“ In. the spring” (Clmt.), Maximinus succeeded by Pupienus Maximus, twenty-sixth Roman
emperor. H e reigned only about three months ; but his name occurs on coins issued in Egypt.
“ June” (Clint.), Pupienus Maximus and his colleague Balbinus put to death ; and succeeded
by Gordianus Pius, at the age of “ thirteen” the twenty-seventh Roman emperor. The name of
Gordianus Pius occurs on coins issued in Egypt : and (according to Champollion-Figeac), in inscriptions
addressed to the ancient deities, acts of adoration by Egyptian families.
His preceptor, Serenus Sammonicus, presented the extensive library of his own father bearing
the same name.
“ 239 A. D .” (Chinese chron. table), Ming-ti king of Wei succeeded by Tsao-fang ; and the years
of his reign named “ tcheng-chi.”
“ In this year” (= 1 2 0 9 — “ 970 years” of Tchao yuan phing, Klapr. mem. ii. 335), Bouka-
khan made chief of the Ouigours, a Turkish tribe on the Selenga.
“ 240 A. D .” (J. R. Hind, and Humb. cosm. i. i), the Chinese fropi beyond “ B. C. 500” having
recorded the apparent paths of comets through the constellations, the first comet whose orbit is known ;
calculated from these observations.
In this year (= 2 3 2 - f - “ S years reign ” in the Mahavamsa xxxvi), Abha-tissa succeeded by his
brother Sirinaga II. now king of Ceylon.
“ 241 A. D.” (Eutrop., Zosim., and Clint.), marriage of Gordianus Pius ; the temple of Janus
opened by him, and his departure for the seat of war in Persia.
“ The same year” (Agath., and Clint.), Artaxerxes succeeded by Sapor (Shahpoor), second
Sasanid king of Persia.
242 A. D. (= 2 4 o -(- “ 2 years reign ” in the Mahavamsa xxxvi.), Sirinaga II. succeeded by his
son Wijaya, now king of Ceylon.
243 A. D. ( = 2 4 2 -)-“ I year reign ” in the Mahavamsa xxxvi.), Wijaya succeeded by Saugha-
tissa, now king of Ceylon.
“ After the Corean invasion in the earlier part of the third century, certain Coreans were brought ”
by the empress Jingo-Kogu “ to introduce the cultivation of mulberry and of the silk-w orm ”
Japan — (Jap. centen. comm. 77).
“ 2-14 A. D. = 7th year of the ‘ yen-hi ’ of Heou-tcheou ” (Chinese chron. table), beginning of the
Forty-ninth cycle.
“ In the spring” (Clint.), Gordianus Pius succeeded by Philippus, twenty-eighth Roman emperor
; an Arab by birth, and nominally a Christian. The name of Philippus occurs on coins issued in
Egypt: and (according to Champollion-Figeac), in the above mentioned series of inscriptions
dedicated to ancient deities of Egypt.
In tlie quarry at Gertassee in Nubia, some of the Greek inscriptions, “ exvotos ” in honour of
Isis, are in the reign of Philippus. A “ considerable number of Greek exvotos inscribed to Hermes
Trismegistos,” occur at Pselcis (Wilk. theb. and eg. p. 478). But in ascending the Nile, the “ last
h.arvest of Greek inscriptions ” occurs at Hierasykaminos (Leps. eg. and sin. p. 125).
“ 245 A. D .” (Nicol.), a synod at Ephesus. Against Noetus, who denied distinction of persons
in the Trinity.
247 A. D. ( = 2 4 3 - [ - “ 4 years reign” in the Mahavamsa xxxvi.), Saughatissa succeeded by Siri-
sanghabo, now king of Ceylon.— H e reigned “ two years.”
“ 247 or 248 A. D .” (N icol., see A lst), a synod in Arabia, Origen presiding. Against those
who asserted the death and resurrection of the soul with tlie body.
“ 24S A. D .” = “ third consulship of Philippus” (coins, Eutrop., Capitoliti., V ict., Clint., and
Ramsay in Sm. b. d.), celebration of the Thousandth anniversary of the founding of Rome. (The
exact month not ascertained, but the computation of Varrò is evidently the one followed).
“ The same year ” (Clint.), the rhetor Cyprianus, who after conversion had given up his property
to the poor, appointed bishop of Carthage. Flis writings are in Latin.
“ 249, after Aug. 29th” (coins, and Clint.), Philippus succeeded by Decius, twenty-ninth Roman
emperor. The hieroglyphic ovals of Decius conclude the series on the Egyptian monuments.
“ The same year” Syncell., and Clint.), the Goths, a “ Scythian” tribe, crossing the
Danube ravage Thrace, and capture the city of Philippopolis.
“ The same year ” (Euseb., and Clint.), Fleraclas succeeded by Dionysius, “ thirteenth ” bishop
of Alexandria.
About this time, Democritus the Platonic philosopher writing. He was seen by Longinus, — and
is mentioned by Porphyrins vit. Plot. 20, and Syrlaniis (Ruhnken, and Sm. b. d.).
Cnicus benedictus of the Mediterranean countries. Called in Germany “ cardo benedict ” (Trag.),
in Greece “ kalaggatho ” (Sibth.) ; in which we recognize the KAAAKAN- e-OU of Democritus,—
Anatolius Berytius, and Paxamus : C. benedictus was observed by I'orskal, Sibthorp, and Fraas,
from the Peloponnesus and Crete to Cyprus and the Dardanelles ; by Hasselquist, at Damietta in
E gypt; and is known to grow in Persia (Lindl.). Westward, said to have been sent from “ India” to
the German emperor Frederick (T rag.): is described by Fuchsius p. 121, Gesner hort. f. 249, and
Dalechamp 1450 (Spreng.) ; is termed “ cnicus sylvestris hirsutior sive carduus benedictus’” by
Tournefort inst. 450 ; was observed by Forskal near Marseilles ; and is known lo grow in other parts
of Southern Europe (Lam. fl. fr., and Pers.). By European colonists, was carried to Northeast
America, where it has been found along “ roadsides, scarcely naturalized” (A . Gray) ; and to Chili
(Lindl.). The plant according to Lindley was “ once much used as a febrifuge.”
“ 250 A. D . ” (Dionys. Alex., Greg. Tur., and Clint.), severe persecution against Christians.
Fabianus bishop of Rome put to death, and succeeded by Cornelius ; Babylas twelfth bishop of Antioch
put to death, and succeeded by Fabius (Euseb., and Clint, iv. p 269 to 287) ; and Alexander
bishop of Jerusalem also put to death. Seven “ ordained bishops” sent as missionaries into Gaul:
Gatianus to “ Turonids ” (T ours), Trophimus to “ Aretalensibus ” (. . . .), Paulus bishop of
“ Narbon$,” Saturninus bishop of “ Tolosm,” Dionysius to “ Parisiacis,” Stremonius to “ Arvernis,”
and Martialis to “ Lemovicinis ” (Limoux ?). ’
“ The same year ” (Alst. p. 399), retirement into the Egyptian D esert of Paulus of Thebes;
regarded as the, first hermit. — His example was followed some forty years later by Antonius, afterwards
by others, and eventually led to monachism. ’
“ 251 A. D .” (Pont., and Clint.), the schism of Novatian ; his ordination at Rome outside of the
a-Elasguaga succeeded by
church, by Novatus a presbyter of Cyprianu§.
“ Before the close of the year ” (Clint.), Decius succeeded by Trebonianus Gallus, thirtieth
Roman emperor. The name of Trebonianus Gallus occurs on coins issued in Egypt.
“ 252, Sept. 14th” (Hieronym., and Clint,), Cornelius nineteenth bishop of Rome put to death.
Lucius is next in order (on the Lists of Alsted and Nicolas).
“ The same year ” (Hieronym., and Clint.), a great pestilence throughout the Roman empire ;
especially severe in Egypt and Alexandria. — The pestilence continued “ fifteen year.s.”
“ In this year” (Abyss, chron., and C. Mull, geogr. min. p. xcvii), Za-Elasguaga
EI-FIerka, now king of Abyssinia. — He reigned “ twenty-one ” years.
“ 253 A. D .” (Porphyr., and Clint.), Plotinus founder of the Neo-Platonist school of philosophy,
beginning to write. Amelius of Tuscany, and Origen the younger, among his disciples.
“ The same year” (Nicol.), a synod at Carthage, under Cyprianus. On the baptism of heretics,
and declaring that infants may be baptized.
In this year ( = 543 B. C. — “ 795 yrs ” of the Mahavamsa xxxvi), the revived VytuIIya-wada
books burned by king Ghota-abaya, and the brahminical priests, sixty in number banished from Ceylon.
“ 254, about February” (Clint.), Trebonianus Gallus and his son and colleague Volusianus, put
to death; and the accession of Aemilianus, thirty-first Roman emperor. Who reigned “ three
months ” only ; but his name occurs on coins issued in Egypt.
“ The same year = ist year of Koung-tclieng, a descendant of Tsao-tsao ” or T hao-thsao—
(Chinese chron. table).
“ Ma y ” (C lint.), Aemilianus succeeded by Valerianus, thirty-second Roman emperor. The
name of Valerianus occurs on coins issued in Egypt.
About this time (Vopisc. 7), the Franci from Germany wandering over Gaul; and a body of
them defeated at Moguntlacum (Mayence on the Rhine) by Aurelianus, “ tribune legion.” of the sixth Gallic
Flardly later than this date (Graha Munjari tables, Puranas, and Bentl.), Upadeva reignhre in Flindustan. °
“ 256 A. D .” (Eutrop., Oros., and Clint.), irruption of the “ F ranci” or “ German! ulteriores”
through Gaul into Spain. Dacia beyond the Danube, lost to the Romans. And Pannonia ravaged
by the Sarmati and Quadi.
“ 257 A. D .” (Vopisc., Eutrop., and Clint.), the Goths after ravaging Pontus in Asia, Macedonia,
and Greece, repelled by the Roman general Aurelianus.
“ The same year” (E useb., Hieronym., and Clint.), letter from Dionysius to Xystus “ successor
to Stephanus ” and now twenty-second bishop of Rome.
“ 258 A. D .” (C lint.), Xystus bishop of Rome, and Cyprianus, put to death.
“ The same year” (Vict., Eutrop., ancl Clint.), Postumus, of obscure origin, having established
himself over the Gauls as king, claiming the Empire and issuing coins. — He governed Gaul with
great firmness and moderation “ ten ” years.
“ Phe same year” (Zosim., and Clint.), after the arrival of Valerianus at Antioch, the populous
city of Trapezus (Trebizond) captured by tlie Scythian Borani, a Gothic tribe. — In the following
year, Bithynia ravaged by them.
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