Editing 455 (section)

== Events ==
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=== By place ===

==== Roman Empire ====
* [[March 16]] &ndash; Emperor [[Valentinian III]], age 35, is [[Assassination|assassinated]] by two [[Huns|Hunnic]] retainers of the late [[Flavius Aetius]], while training with the [[bow and arrow|bow]] on the [[Campus Martius]] ([[Rome]]), ending the [[Theodosian dynasty]]. His ''[[Primicerius|primicerius sacri cubiculi]]'', [[Heraclius (primicerius sacri cubiculi)|Heraclius]], is also murdered. 
* [[March 17]] &ndash; [[Petronius Maximus]], former ''[[domesticus (Roman Empire)|domesticus]]'' ("elite bodyguard") of Aetius, becomes (with support of the [[Roman Senate]]) emperor of the [[Western Roman Empire]]. He secures the throne by bribing officials of the imperial palace. Maximus consolidates his power by a forced marriage with [[Licinia Eudoxia]], widow of Valentinian III.
* Maximus appoints [[Avitus]], most trusted general, to the rank of ''[[magister militum]]'' and sends him on an [[Diplomatic mission|embassy]] to [[Toulouse]], to gain the support of the [[Visigoths]]. He elevates his son [[Palladius (Caesar)|Palladius]] to ''[[Caesar (title)|Caesar]]'' and has him marry [[Eudocia (daughter of Valentinian III)|Eudocia]], eldest daughter of Valentinian III.
* [[May 31]] &ndash; Maximus is [[Stoning|stoned to death]] by an [[Ochlocracy|angry mob]] while fleeing Rome. A widespread [[panic]] occurs when many citizens hear the news that the [[Vandals]] are plundering the Italian mainland.
* [[June 2]] &ndash; [[Sack of Rome (455)|Sack of Rome]]: King [[Genseric]] leads the Vandals into Rome, after he has promised [[Pope Leo I]] not to burn and plunder the city. Genseric sacks the city for a period of two weeks. Eudoxia and her daughters, Eudocia and [[Placidia]], are taken hostage. The [[Looting|loot]] is sent to the harbour of [[Ostia Antica|Ostia]] and loaded into ships, from whence the Vandals depart and return to [[Carthage]].
* [[July 9]] &ndash; Avitus is proclaimed [[Roman emperor]] at Toulouse, and later recognised by the [[Gaul|Gallic]] chiefs in ''Viernum'' (near [[Arles]]).
* [[September 21]] &ndash; Avitus enters Rome with a Gallic army. He restores the imperial authority in [[Noricum]] (modern [[Austria]]) and leaves a [[Goths|Gothic]] force under [[Remistus]], Visigoth general (''magister militum''), at [[Ravenna]].
* The [[Ostrogoths]] conquer [[Pannonia]] and [[Dalmatia (Roman province)|Dalmatia]].

==== Britannia ====
* [[Battle of Aylesford]]: Prince [[Vortimer]] rebels against the pro-[[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] policies of his father, [[Vortigern]]. He is defeated in the battle at [[Aylesford]] ([[Kent]]). [[Hengist and Horsa|Hengist]] and his son [[Oisc of Kent|Oisc]] become king of Kent. Horsa and [[Catigern]], brother of Vortimer, are killed. The [[Britons (historical)|Britons]] withdraw to London (according to the ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]'').

==== Asia ====
* [[Skandagupta]] succeeds [[Kumaragupta I]] as ruler of the [[Gupta Empire]] (India). During his reign he crushes the [[Huns|Hun]] invasion; however, the expense of the wars drains the empire's resources and contributes to its decline.
* [[Gaero of Baekje|Gaero]] becomes king of the Korean kingdom of [[Baekje]].<ref name=met>{{cite web |title=List of Rulers of Korea |url=https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/koru/hd_koru.htm |website=www.metmuseum.org |access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref>

==== Mesoamerica ====
* Earliest recorded date at [[Chichen Itza]] on the  [[Yucatán Peninsula]] (Mexico) (approximate date).

=== By topic ===

==== Commerce ====
* [[Barter]] economy replaces organized trade as [[Roman Empire|Romans]] and other citizens desert their towns for the countryside, where they will be less vulnerable to [[barbarian]] raids (approximate date).

==== Medicine ====
* The city of ''[[Vindobona]]'' ([[Vienna]]) is struck by an [[epidemic]] that spreads through the [[Roman province]]s. The disease is probably [[streptococcus]] or a form of [[scarlet fever]] with ''[[streptococcus pneumoniae]]'' (approximate date).
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