274 CE
Mani, a sage of Persia, dies at Gundeshapur after 30 years of preaching his "heresy" at the court of the late Sassanian King Shapur I and on long journeys to Khorasan, India and China. He is executed or allowed to die in prison, and claims to be a prophet of God. Mani combines Zoroastrian dualism with Christian theology, and his disciples gain wide support for Manichaeism, despite opposition from Roman Emperors. Aurelian has the Temple of the Sun dedicated to Sol Invictus, on the third day after the solstice and day of rebirth of the sun. This religion, which is in essence monotheistic, becomes the state religion of Rome. The Kingdom of Aksum attains great prosperity thanks to its control of Red Sea trade.
Conflict & Security
- Battle of Châlons: The Emperor Aurelian invades Gaul to campaign against the Gallic Empire (Gaul and Britain). In the Catalaunian Plains, the Romano-Gallic Emperor Tetricus I surrenders to Aurelian and leaves his army without an emperor. The Gallic army is then crushed by Aurelian in a major battle. With the conquests of the Palmyrene Empire and the Gallic Empire, the Roman Empire is united again. However, the heavy losses incurred by the Gallic forces compromises the Rhine frontier.source
- Germanic tribes take advantage of the destroyed Roman forces of the Rhine to raid Gaul.source
Exploration & Expansion
- The Kingdom of Aksum attains great prosperity thanks to its control of Red Sea trade.source
Religion & Belief
- December 25 – Aurelian has the Temple of the Sun dedicated to Sol Invictus, on the third day after the solstice and day of rebirth of the sun. This religion, which is in essence monotheistic, becomes the state religion of Rome.source
Economy & Finance
- Aurelian reforms the Roman currency, replacing the denarius with a new version of the antoninianus that has a slightly improved silver-to-copper ratio. This overhaul of the currency system causes hyper-inflation.source
Technology & Infrastructure
- Japanese shipwrights build a 100-foot oar-powered vessel for Emperor Ōjin. The Japanese will not use sails for another seven centuries.source
Culture & Society
- Rome greets Aurelian as Restitutor Orbis ("Restorer of the World") and accords him a magnificent triumph (victory procession), which is graced by his captives Zenobia, Tetricus I, and his son Tetricus II.source
Births
Deaths
- March 2 – Mani, a sage of Persia, dies at Gundeshapur after 30 years of preaching his "heresy" at the court of the late Sassanian King Shapur I and on long journeys to Khorasan, India and China. He is executed or allowed to die in prison, and claims to be a prophet of God. Mani combines Zoroastrian dualism with Christian theology, and his disciples gain wide support for Manichaeism, despite opposition from Roman Emperors.source
- March 2 – Mani, prophet and founder of Manichaeism (b. 216)source
- June 19 – Xun Yi (or Jingqian), Chinese official and politiciansource
- August 25 – Yang Yan (or Qiongzhi), Chinese empress (b. 238)source
- August/September – Lu Kang (or Youjie), Chinese general and politician (b. 226)source
- September – Bahram I, king of the Sassanid Empiresource
- December 30 – Felix I, bishop of Romesource
- December 30 – Pope Felix I dies in Rome after a 5-year reign.source
- Cao Fang, deposed Chinese emperor of the Cao Wei state (b. 232)source
- After 274 – Septimia Zenobia, queen of the Palmyrene Empire (b. 240)source