阴土鸡年 (female Earth-
Rooster) 536 or 155 or −617 — to — 阳金狗年 (male Iron-
Dog) 537 or 156 or −616
Year 410 (CDX) was a
common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the
Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year after the Consulship of Honorius and Theodosius (or, less frequently, year 1163 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 410 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the
Anno Dominicalendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.
Raiders from Ireland, such as the
Uí Liatháin and
Laigin, harry the coasts of Wales. They plunder towns and capture slaves but later
colonise large areas of what is called Gwynedd, in particular
Llŷn, the coasts of
Arllechwedd,
Arfon and the
Isle of Mona (approximate date).
August 24 – The
Visigoths under Alaric I
sack Rome after a third siege. Slaves open the
Salarian Gate and
Goths loot the city for three days; according to Augustine in The City of God and others, comparatively few Roman men are killed and women raped. Only two churches are burned, and people who took refuge in churches are usually spared. Many Romans who survived the Sack flee to Africa, or to the Eastern Empire (see
Saint Jerome). It is the first time since
390 BC that Rome has fallen to an enemy. This marks the
decline of the Roman Empire. Only 45 years later, in 455 AD, Rome will again be sacked, this time by the Vandals who will kill, burn, and loot much more ferociously than the Visigoths in 410 AD.
Alaric I marches southwards into
Calabria and makes plans to invade
Africa. But a
storm destroys his Gothic fleet and many of his soldiers drown. Alaric dies in
Cosenza, probably of fever, and his body is buried along with his treasure under the riverbed of the
Busento. He is succeeded by his brother-in-law
Ataulf, who becomes king of the Visigoths.
According to
Zosimus, this is the year when Emperor
Honorius sends his Rescript (diplomatic letters) to the
Romano-British magistrates, ending
Roman rule in Great Britain. However this is likely an example of
scribal error. Most recently, David Woods has argued that the account refers instead to
Raetia, a Roman province north of Italy.[1]
Britain
At around this time, one of the first Anglo-Saxon settlements in Britain,
Mucking, is established by the mouth of the Thames River.[2] (approximate date)
Europe
The city of
Aléria on the island of
Corsica is devastated by a huge fire, destroying its port and most of its inhabitants.
Asia
Prithivisena becomes king of the
Vakataka in the
Deccan (India).