366

By place

Roman Empire

• January 2 - The Alamanni cross the frozen Rhine in large numbers, and invade the Gallic provinces. They capture Alsace and a large part of the Swiss Plateau.
• April - Battle of Thyatira: Emperor Valens defeats the troops of Procopius, bringing an end to his revolt; Serenianus and Marcellus are killed. Procopius flees the battlefield, but is executed by Valens.
• Valens builds a pontoon bridge across the Danube, and drives the Visigoths farther north, where they will come under pressure from the advancing Huns.
• Winter - Emperor Valentinian I appoints Jovinus, his Master of the Horse, general of the army. He defeats the Alamanni in three successive battles, and pushes them out of Gaul.

  By topic

Arts and sciences

• The Tabula Peutingeriana, a map showing Roman possessions and roads, is created about this time.

  Religion

• January 31 - Athanasius of Alexandria returns from his fifth exile. He has spent four months in his ancestral tomb outside Alexandria.
• Buddhist monk Lè Zūn has a vision of "golden rays of light shining down on 1,000 Buddhas", resulting in the creation of the Mogao Caves.
• October 1 - Pope Liberius dies after a 14-year reign and is succeeded by Damasus I as 37th pope. Romans unhappy with this choice elect the antipope Ursicinus.