Editing 256

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{{About year|256}}
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Year '''256''' ('''[[Roman numerals|CCLVI]]''') was a [[leap year starting on Tuesday]] of the [[Julian calendar]]. At the time, it was known as the '''Year of the Consulship of Claudius and [[Marcus Acilius Glabrio (consul 256)|Glabrio]]''' (or, less frequently, '''year 1009 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 256 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.

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===
==== Roman Empire ====
* [[February 28]] &ndash; [[Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 3035]], a warrant for the arrest of a Christian, is written.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-20 |title=P.Oxy. XLII 3035. Order to Arrest |url=https://portal.sds.ox.ac.uk/articles/online_resource/P_Oxy_XLII_3035_Order_to_Arrest/21166927/1 |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=figshare |language=en}}</ref>
* The [[Goths]] invade [[Asia Minor]]. [[Dacia]] is lost for the [[Roman Empire]], and the Goths appear at the walls of [[Thessalonica]].
* The [[Franks]] cross the [[Rhine]]; the [[Alemanni]] reach [[Mediolanum]] ([[Milan]]) (disputed date).
* In [[Africa (Roman province)|Africa]], the [[Berbers]] massacre Roman colonists. 
* King [[Shapur I]] of the [[Sasanian Empire]] invades [[Mesopotamia]] and [[Syria]]. He conquers and plunders [[Antioch]], destroys [[Dura-Europos]], and sacks the Anatolian city of [[Zeugma, Commagene|Zeugma]] on the [[Euphrates]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Zeugma |url=https://www.historyhit.com/locations/zeugma/ |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=History Hit |language=en-GB}}</ref> A devastating fire and an earthquake soon follow, causing Zeugma to be abandoned.
* Cities in the Roman Empire begin to build walls, as the defense of the frontiers begins to crumble; future emperor [[Aurelian]] inspects along the Rhine.

==== Asia ====
* Peace and unity are finally restored in China, with the victories of the [[Cao Wei|Wei Kingdom]] in the north. The ruling dynasty is worn out by war, and the kingdom is ruled by ministers on their behalf.

=== By topic ===
==== Medicine ====
* The great [[pandemic]] of the Roman world strikes violently in [[Pontus (region)|Pontus]] on the [[Black Sea]], and causes enormous loss of life in [[Alexandria]], encouraging thousands to embrace Christianity.

==== Religion ====
* Emperor [[Valerian (emperor)|Valerian]] persecutes Christians.
* [[Pope Stephen I]] threatens to excommunicate [[Cyprian]], bishop of [[Carthage]], and other [[bishop]]s in Africa and Asia Minor, unless they stop rebaptizing [[heresy|heretics]]. Cyprian attacks the Pope in a treatise that gains support from the [[Council of Carthage (256)|Council of Carthage]]. He sends envoys to [[Ancient Rome|Rome]], raising the specter of a [[schism]] between the Roman and Carthaginian [[Church (building)|Church]]es.
* A [[Synod of Carthage (256)|Synod of Carthage]] is held.
</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[Arius]], Egyptian priest and founder of [[Arianism]] (d. [[336]])
* [[Wang Yan (Jin dynasty)|Wang Yan]] (or '''Yifu'''), Chinese official and politician (d. [[AD 311|311]])

== Deaths ==
* [[March 11]] &ndash; [[Cao Lin (Prince of Pei)|Cao Lin]], Chinese prince and son of [[Cao Cao]]
* [[October 19]] &ndash; [[Sun Jun (Three Kingdoms)|Sun Jun]] (or '''Ziyuan'''), Chinese general and [[regent]] (b. [[219]])
* [[October 21]] &ndash; [[Lü Dai]] (or '''Dinggong'''), Chinese general (b. [[161]])
* [[November 12]] &ndash; [[Lü Ju]] (or '''Shiyi'''), Chinese general and politician
* [[Guan Lu]] (or '''Gongming'''), Chinese diviner and politician (b. [[209]])
* [[Wang Su (Cao Wei)|Wang Su]] (or '''Ziyong'''), Chinese scholar and official (b. [[195]])

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:256| ]]