222 CE

Emperor Elagabalus is assassinated, along with his mother, Julia Soaemias, by the Praetorian Guard during a revolt. Their mutilated bodies are dragged through the streets of Rome before being thrown into the Tiber. Pope Callixtus I is killed by a mob in Rome's Trastevere after a 5-year reign in which he has stabilized the Saturday fast three times per year, with no food, oil, or wine to be consumed on those days. Callixtus is succeeded by Cardinal Urban I. Battle of Xiaoting/Yiling: The Chinese state of Shu Han is defeated by Eastern Wu.

In the 220s, the 3rd century.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Alexander Severus succeeds Elagabalus. He is only 13 years old; his mother, Julia Avita Mamaea, governs the Roman Empire with the help of Domitius Ulpianus and a council composed of 16 senators.source

Conflict & Security

  • Battle of Xiaoting/Yiling: The Chinese state of Shu Han is defeated by Eastern Wu.source

Economy & Finance

  • The silver content of the Roman denarius falls to 35 percent under emperor Alexander Severus, down from 43 percent under Elagabalus.source

Births

  • Du Yu (or Yuankai), Chinese general and politician (died 285)source
  • Marcus Aurelius Carus, Roman emperor (died 283)source

Deaths

  • March 13 – Emperor Elagabalus is assassinated, along with his mother, Julia Soaemias, by the Praetorian Guard during a revolt. Their mutilated bodies are dragged through the streets of Rome before being thrown into the Tiber.source
  • October 14 – Pope Callixtus I is killed by a mob in Rome's Trastevere after a 5-year reign in which he has stabilized the Saturday fast three times per year, with no food, oil, or wine to be consumed on those days. Callixtus is succeeded by Cardinal Urban I.source
  • Zhang Liao (or Wenyuan), Chinese general (born 169)source
  • Ma Liang, Chinese diplomat and politician (born 187)source
  • Bardaisan, Syriac scholar and philosopher (born 154)source
  • Julia Soaemias, mother of Elagabalus (born 180)source
  • Ma Chao, Chinese general and warlord (born 176)source
  • Xu Jing (or Wenxiu), Chinese official and politiciansource
  • Elagabalus, Roman emperor (born 203)source
  • Liu Ba (or Zichu), Chinese official and politiciansource
  • Cheng Ji (or Jiran), Chinese generalsource
  • Callixtus I, pope of the Catholic Churchsource
  • Feng Xi (or Xiuyuan), Chinese generalsource
  • Annia Faustina, Roman noblewoman and empresssource