394

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The Notitia Dignitatum, with shields of the Late Roman army

394 (CCCXCIV) was a common 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 Flavianus without colleague (or, less frequently, year 1147 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 394 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

By place

Roman Empire

• September 6 – Battle of the Frigidus: Emperor Theodosius I defeats and kills the usurper Eugenius. The forces of Theodosius are bolstered by numerous auxiliaries including 20,000 Visigoth federates under Alaric. The Frankish general Arbogast (magister militum) escapes into the Alps and commits suicide.
• Late Roman army: The Notitia Dignitatum shows the development of forces in the Roman Empire. By now 200,000 soldiers guard the borders, and a reserve force of 50,000 is available for deployment. Many non-Roman soldiers are from Germanic tribes: Alamanni, Franks, Goths, Saxons and Vandals.
• Winter – The Huns cross the frozen Danube and destroy the villages build by the Goths. Theodosius I, six hundred miles away in Italy, send no reinforcements to defend the northern frontier.
• In Rome the sacred fire stops burning (see Vesta and Vestal Virgins).

Egypt

• The last known hieroglyph is written in Philae, Egypt.

China

• The last ruler of Former Qin, Fu Chong is killed in battle against an army of Western Qin, bringing Former Qin to an end.

By topic

Religion

• Epiphanius of Salamis attacks Origen's followers and urged John II, Bishop of Jerusalem, to condemn his writings.
• The Council of Bagaï in Africa brings 310 Donatist bishops together.

Births

• Gunabhadra, Indian Buddhist scholar-monk (d. 468)
• Jangsu, Korean king of Goguryeo (d. 491)

Deaths

• September 8 – Arbogast, Frankish general
• September 6 – Eugenius, Roman usurper
• Fu Chong, emperor of the Chinese Di state Former Qin
• Fu Deng, emperor of the Di state Former Qin (b. 343)
• Libanius, Greek rhetorician and sophist (approximate date)
• Murong Yong, emperor of the Xianbei state Western Yan
• Virius Nicomachus Flavianus, Roman historian and politician (b. 334)
• Yao Chang, emperor of the Qiang state Later Qin (b. 331)

References