__NOTOC__ Year 353 ( CCCLIII) was a

common year starting on Friday A common year starting on Friday is any non-leap year (i.e. a year with 365 days) that begins on Friday, 1 January, and ends on Friday, 31 December. Its dominical letter hence is C. The most recent year of such kind was 2021, and the next one wil ...

of the

Julian calendar The Julian calendar is a solar calendar of 365 days in every year with an additional leap day every fourth year (without exception). The Julian calendar is still used as a religious calendar in parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church and in parts ...

. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magnentius and Decentius (or, less frequently, year 1106 ''

Ab urbe condita ''Ab urbe condita'' (; 'from the founding of Rome, founding of the City'), or (; 'in the year since the city's founding'), abbreviated as AUC or AVC, expresses a date in years since 753 BC, 753 BC, the traditional founding of Rome. It is ...

''). The denomination 353 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the

Anno Domini The terms (AD) and before Christ (BC) are used when designating years in the Gregorian calendar, Gregorian and Julian calendar, Julian calendars. The term is Medieval Latin and means "in the year of the Lord" but is often presented using "o ...

calendar era A calendar era is the period of time elapsed since one '' epoch'' of a calendar and, if it exists, before the next one. For example, the current year is numbered in the Gregorian calendar, which numbers its years in the Western Christian era ...

became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Events

By place

Roman Empire

Battle of Mons Seleucus The Battle of Mons Seleucus was fought in 353 between the armies of the Roman emperor Constantius II and the usurper Magnentius. Constantius' forces were victorious. Support for Magnentius had been eroding since his defeat at the Battle of Mu ...

: Emperor

Constantius II Constantius II (; ; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic peoples, while internally the Roman Empire went through repeated civ ...

defeats the usurper

Magnentius Magnus Magnentius ( 303 – 10 August 353) was a Roman general and usurper against Constantius II. Of Germanic descent, Magnentius served with distinction in Gaul, where the army chose him as a replacement for the unpopular emperor Constans. Ac ...

, who commits suicide in

Gaul Gaul () was a region of Western Europe first clearly described by the Roman people, Romans, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy. It covered an area of . Ac ...

in order to avoid capture. Constantius becomes sole emperor, and reunifies the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

. * Constantius II sends his official

Paulus Catena Paulus Catena ('the Chain' or 'the Fetter'; fl. 350s; d. 361/2) was a senior Roman public official who served as an investigator and notary for Constantius II during the mid- fourth century.Seeck 1906, p. 233 He is principally known through the wri ...

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

, to hunt down the opponents supporting Magnentius.

Flavius Martinus Flavius Martinus was a vicarius of Roman Britain c. 353 under Constantius II.Collins, R. (2016). Power at the periphery: military authority in transition in late Roman Britain. In Official Power and Local Elites in the Roman Provinces (pp. 147-164 ...

vicarius ''Vicarius'' is a Latin word, meaning ''substitute'' or ''deputy''. It is the root of the English word "vicar". History Originally, in ancient Rome, this office was equivalent to the later English " vice-" (as in " deputy"), used as part of th ...

of Britain and supporter of Constantius, opposes the persecutions; he is then accused by Catena of being a traitor. In response, Martinus tries to kill Catena with a sword; he fails and then commits suicide. * Constantius II assembles a ''

conciliabulum ''Conciliabulum'' ({{lit, conciliable, conciliabule) is a Latin word meaning a place of assembly. Its implication transferred to a gathering, such as a conventicle or conference. In the history of the Catholic Church, it is frequently applied as a ...

'' at

Arles Arles ( , , ; ; Classical ) is a coastal city and Communes of France, commune in the South of France, a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône Departments of France, department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Reg ...

, and condemns

Athanasius Athanasius I of Alexandria ( – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, Athanasius the Confessor, or, among Coptic Christians, Athanasius the Apostolic, was a Christian theologian and the 20th patriarch of Alexandria (as Athanasius ...

Patriarch of Alexandria The Patriarch of Alexandria is the archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation "pope" (etymologically "Father", like "Abbot"). The Alexandrian episcopate was revered as one of the three major epi ...

By topic

China

Wang Xizhi Wang Xizhi ( zh, c=王羲之; courtesy name: Yishao ( zh, labels=no, c=逸少); ) was a Chinese politician, general and calligrapher from the Jin dynasty (266–420) known for his mastery of Chinese calligraphy. He is often regarded as the great ...

, Chinese

calligrapher Calligraphy () is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instruments. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "the art of giving form to signs in an exp ...

, produces "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion" in running script style. It becomes a model for future calligraphers.

Births

Saint Vigilius Vigilius of Trent (, ; c. 353 – 26 June 405) is venerated as the patron saint and bishop of Trent. He should not be confused with the pope Vigilius, pope of the same name. Life According to tradition, he was a Roman Empire, Roman Patrician ( ...

Bishop of Trent The Archdiocese of Trento (, German Trient) is a Latin Metropolitan archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the Triveneto, named after its see in Alpine Italy, Trento (Tr(i)ent), in Trentino-Alto Adige region. The seat (throne) of the archbishop ...

(d.

405 __NOTOC__ Year 405 ( CDV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Stilicho and Anthemius (or, less frequently, year 1158 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 405 ...

)

Deaths

August 11 Events Pre-1600 * 3114 BC – The Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, used by several pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilizations, notably the Maya, begins. * 2492 BC – Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and foun ...

–

, Roman

usurper A usurper is an illegitimate or controversial claimant to power, often but not always in a monarchy. In other words, one who takes the power of a country, city, or established region for oneself, without any formal or legal right to claim it a ...

(b.

303 __NOTOC__ Year 303 ( CCCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. It was known in the Roman Empire as the Year of the Consulship of Diocletian and Maximian (or, less frequently, year 1056 ''Ab urbe condita''). The deno ...

) *

August 18 Events Pre-1600 * 684 – Battle of Marj Rahit: Umayyad partisans defeat the supporters of Ibn al-Zubayr and cement Umayyad control of Syria. * 707 – Princess Abe accedes to the imperial Japanese throne as Empress Genmei. * 130 ...

– Magnus Decentius, brother and

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war. He ...

of Magnentius *

Roman Britain Roman Britain was the territory that became the Roman province of ''Britannia'' after the Roman conquest of Britain, consisting of a large part of the island of Great Britain. The occupation lasted from AD 43 to AD 410. Julius Caes ...

Zhang Chonghua Zhang Chonghua (; 327–353), courtesy name Tailin (), formally Duke Jinglie of Xiping (西平敬烈公, posthumous name given by the Jin Dynasty (265-420), Jin dynasty) or Duke Huan of Xiping (西平桓公, posthumous name used internally in Form ...

, ruler of

Former Liang The Former Liang (; 301–376) was a dynastic state, and one of the Sixteen Kingdoms, in Chinese history. It was founded by Zhang Shi of the Han Chinese Zhang family. Its territories included present-day Gansu and parts of Ningxia, Shaanxi, Qing ...

(b.

327 __NOTOC__ Year 327 (Roman numerals, CCCXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known in Rome as the Year of the Consulship of Constantius and Maximus (or, less frequently, year 1080 ''Ab urbe con ...

)

References

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