493 CE
Battle for the Body of St. Patrick: The Uí Néill Dynasty fights over the body of Saint Patrick with the Airgialla Kingdom (according to the Annals of the Four Masters). Onoulphus, brother of Odoacer, is killed during the siege of Ravenna by archers while seeking refuge in a church. Emperor Xiao Wen Di starts adopting a sinicization policy as well as various reforms. He marries Feng Qing, who becomes empress of the Northern Wei Dynasty.
Conflict & Security
- February 25 – Odoacer surrenders Ravenna after a 3-year siege, and agrees to a mediated peace with Theodoric the Great, who steadily consolidates his rule and provides security for the local population. His achievement is to manage the transformation of Italy from being the center of a fractured Roman Empire to a successful and independent Ostrogothic Kingdom.source
- March – Battle for the Body of St. Patrick: The Uí Néill Dynasty fights over the body of Saint Patrick with the Airgialla Kingdom (according to the Annals of the Four Masters).source
- Onoulphus, brother of Odoacer, is killed during the siege of Ravenna by archers while seeking refuge in a church.source
- Isaurian War: Claudiopolis, ancient city of Cappadocia, is besieged and captured by the Romans. The Isaurians blockade the mountain passes, but John the Hunchback (John Gibbo) wins an overwhelming victory against the rebels.source
Religion & Belief
- Mor Hananyo Monastery is established by Mor Shlemon, converting a former Roman fortress (ex temple) in the Tur Abdin region on the Turkish/Syrian border.source
Crime & Justice
- March 15 – Odoacer is invited to a banquet organised in order to celebrate the peace treaty. During the festivities, Odoacer is killed by Theodoric the Great. His body is skillfully sliced in half in full view of his guests. A massacre of Odoacer's soldiers and supporters follows.source
- Clovis I marries the Burgundian princess Clotilde, age 18; she is brought up in the Catholic faith and is the daughter of King Chilperic II. Her father is murdered in the same year by his brother Gundobad.source
Culture & Society
- Emperor Xiao Wen Di starts adopting a sinicization policy as well as various reforms. He marries Feng Qing, who becomes empress of the Northern Wei Dynasty.source
- Theodoric the Great allies with the Franks and marries Audofleda, sister of Clovis I. He also marries his own female relatives to princes or kings of the Burgundians, Vandals and Visigoths, establishing a political alliance with the Germanic kingdoms in the West.source
Births
Deaths
- March 15 – Odoacer, first "barbarian" king of Italy (b. 433)source
- March 17 (approximate date) – Saint Patrick, Romano-British Christian missionary, patron saint of Irelandsource
- Onoulphus, general and brother of Odoacersource
- Xiao Zhangmao, crown prince of Southern Qi (b. 458)source
- Emperor Wu of Southern Qi (b. 440)source
- Daniel the Stylite, Christian saintsource
- Chilperic II, king of Burgundysource