250

By place

Roman Empire

• A group of Franks penetrate as far as Tarragona in Spain.
• The Goths under King Cniva invade Moesia. They cross the Danube and lay siege to Novae and Marcianopolis.
• Battle of Augusta Traiana: The Romans lose the battle against the Goths.
• Cniva lays siege to Philippopolis. After a long resistance, Cniva conquers the city and slays its one hundred thousand inhabitants.
• The Alamanni drive the Romans from the modern area of Donau-Ries.
• An epidemic begins in Ethiopia, moves into Egypt and the Roman colonies in North Africa, and spreads through the Roman Empire. Named the Plague of Cyprian after St. Cyprian, bishop of Carthage.

  Africa

• The Kingdom of Aksum takes control of commerce on the Red Sea.

  China

• The earliest Chinese references to a device known as "emperor's south-pointing carriage" date to this period.

  America

• Teotihuacán is rebuilt as a four-quartered cosmogram by Zapotec architects brought from Monte Albán in Oaxaca.
• Classic period of Mesoamerican civilization begins.

  By topic

Arts and sciences

• Diophantus writes Arithmetica, the first systematic treatise on algebra.
• Approximate date
• * The family portrait medallion, traditionally called the Family of Vunnerius Keramus, is made.
• * The Ludovisi Battle sarcophagus, depicting battle between the Romans and the Barbarians, is made for use in Rome.
• * The Igel Column is erected at Trier in Germany.

  Religion

• January 3 - Decian persecution of Christians is initiated when Emperor Decius orders everyone in the Roman Empire to perform a sacrifice to the gods of religion in ancient Rome. On January 20, Pope Fabian becomes one of the first martyrs of this persecution.
• Possible date - Denis, a bishop of Paris, is martyred by beheading.

  Births

• March 31 - Constantius Chlorus, Roman Emperor
• Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus, Roman Emperor
• Maximian, Roman Emperor
• Zuo Si, Chinese writer and poet of the Jin dynasty

  Deaths

• January 20 - Pope Fabian
• December 4 - Saint Mercurius, Christian martyr
• Zhu Ju, Chinese general and chancellor of the Eastern Wu state, suicide
• Approximate date
• * Ambrose of Alexandria, Christian writer
• * Peter, Andrew, Paul, and Denise, Christian martyrs
• * Nagarjuna, founder of Mahayana Buddhism