This Week in Ancient History1
Notable events in Ancient History for the week of May 28 - June 3
May 28, 585 BC - The Battle of the Eclipse. The last battle in a war lasting 15 years between Lydia (western Anatolia) and the Medes (present-day Iran) was suddenly cut short due to the occurence of a total solar eclipse. Taking this as a sign from the gods to stop fighting, a truce was quickly called between the 2 warring nations.
May 29, 363 AD - The Battle of Ctesiphon. Fought between the Romans, led by Emperor Julian, and the Sassanids, led by Emperor Shapur II, at Ctesiphon, the capital of Persia. Though Rome was victorius, Julian was killed as the Persians retreated (he was foolishly not wearing his armor), and the Roman could not take the city being so far from supply lines and reinforcements. There is one theory suggesting he was killed by his own man, who was a Christian.
June 1, 193 AD - Roman Emperor Marcus Didius was assassinated. Specifically, he was decapitated by subsequent Emperor Septimius Severus.
June 1 - The Roman festival of Carna, the goddess of the heart and other vital organs, was celebrated on this date.
June 2, 455 AD - The Vandals, an Eastern Germanic tribe, entered the city of Rome, and proceeded to sack and pillage it for two straight weeks.
June 3, 350 AD - Roman usurper Nepotianus names himself Emperor. He entered the city with a posse of gladiators to protect him. He was killed in an urban struggle 30 days later.
June 3 - The Roman festival in honor of Bellona, a Roman goddess of war and counterpart to the Roman war god Mars, was celebrated.
