456

Updated on Sep 27, 2024

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Year 456 (CDLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Avitus without colleague (or, less frequently, year 1209 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 456 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Roman Empire

March – Emperor Marcian sends an embassy to Carthage to end the Vandal raids in the Mediterranean from their strongholds in North Africa, and quells disturbances on the Armenian frontier.

Emperor Avitus sends a Germanic naval expedition under command of Ricimer to defend Sicily. They defeat the Vandals twice: on land near Agrigento, and in a sea battle off Corsica.

Summer – Capua is destroyed by the Vandals. Ricimer is unable to end piracy in the western Mediterranean. Backed by his popularity, he gains the consent of the Senate for an expedition against Avitus.

September 17 – Remistus, Roman general (magister militum), is besieged with a Gothic force at Ravenna and later executed in the Palace in Classis, outside the city.

October 5 – The Visigoths under King Theodoric II, acting on orders of Avitus, invade Spain with an army of Burgundians, Franks and Goths, led by their kings Chilperic I and Gondioc. They defeat the Suebi under King Rechiar on the river Urbicus, near Astorga (Gallaecia); this shatters the power of the Suebi. During the battle Rechiar is captured and later executed.

October 17 – Battle of Placentia: Ricimer, supported by Majorian (comes domesticorum), defeats near Piacenza (northern Italy) the usurper Avitus. They compel him to renounce the purple, and Avitus is obliged to become bishop of Piacenza.

October 28 – The Visigoths brutally sack the Suebi's capital of Braga (modern Portugal); churches are burnt to the ground.

Britannia

Saint Patrick leaves Britain once more to evangelise Ireland as a missionary bishop. The Anglo-Saxons call the British nobles to a peace conference at Stonehenge, but turn on them and massacre almost everyone (approximate date).

Asia

After a 10-year reign, Emperor Ankō is assassinated by the 10-year-old Mayowa no Ōkimi (prince Mayowa), in retaliation for the execution of his father. He is succeeded by his brother Yūryaku and becomes the 21st emperor of Japan.