Climate & Environment in the 5th century BC

12 sourced entries, 492 BCE to 400 BCE, oldest first. Also see Climate & Environment across every century or everything else in the 5th century BC.

• 492 BCEFollowing the conclusion of the secession of the plebs, a famine strikes Rome. The consuls avert the crisis by obtaining grain from Etruria.source
• 491 BCEDuring this year there was a famine in Rome. General Gais Marcius Coriolanus suggested that people should not receive grains unless they agree to abolish the Office of Tribune. Because of this, the Tribunes had him exiled. In response, Coriolanus takes refuge with the leader of the Volsci, eventually leading the Volscian army in a war against Rome. It was only due to entreaties from his mother and wife that he abandoned his war against Rome.source
• 481 BCEThe tribune Spurius Licinius unsuccessfully advocates an agrarian law.source
• 480 BCEThe tribune Titus Pontificius unsuccessfully advocates an agrarian law.source
• 479 BCEThe Roman consul Caeso Fabius proposed an agrarian law to distribute land won in recent wars amongst the plebs, but this was rejected by the senate.source
• 479 BCEPotidaea is struck by a tsunami.source
• 475 BCEThe first recorded eruption of Mount Etna occurs.source
• 464 BCEWhen the Messenian helots (serfs) revolt against their Spartan masters following the severe earthquake, King Archidamus II organises the defence of Sparta. The helots fortify themselves at Mount Ithome.source
• 464 BCESparta suffers the effects of a severe earthquake leading to a large loss of life.source
• 449 BCEThe Second Sacred War erupts between Athens and Sparta, when Sparta forcefully detaches Delphi from Phocis and renders it independent.source
• 439 BCESpurius Maelius, a wealthy Roman plebeian, tries to buy popular support with the aim of making himself king. During the severe famine affecting Rome, he buys up a large store of grain and sells it at a low price to the people of Rome – the first time this had been done in Rome. This leads Lucius Minucius, the patrician praefectus annonae ("president of the market"), to accuse Maelius of seeking to take over the government.source
• 400 BCEThe Olmec culture in Mesoamerica comes to an end as its city of La Venta is abandoned (approximate date).source