A.D. 212. Geta is put to death, February 17. A.D. 217. Caracalla assassinated, April 8. Macrinus succeeds.

A.D. 218. Macrinus killed, June 8. Succeeded by Heliogabalus.

A.D. 219. M. D. Junius, proprætor.

A.D. 221. Marius Valerianus, proprætor.

A.D. 222. Heliogabalus killed, March 11. Alexander Severus succeeds.

19.

A.D. 235. Alexander Severus assassinated, March
Maximinus succeeds.

Gordian the

A.D. 238. Claudius Paulinus, proprætor. Maximinus assassinated, in March. Younger succeeds.

A.D. 240. Gn. Lucilianus, proprætor.

A.D. 244. Gordian assassinated, in March. Philip succeeds, and takes his son as colleague.

A.D. 249. Philip and his son slain in October; Decius proclaimed emperor.

A.D. 251. Decius dies, in November. Succeeded by Gallus Hostilianus.

A.D. 252. Volusianus associated to the empire. A.D. 253. Gallus and Volusianus slain, in May. Valerian and Gallienus emperors.

A.D. 255. Desticius Juba, proprætor.

A.D. 260. Valerian being taken by Sapor, Gallienus becomes sole emperor.

A.D. 267. Gallienus assassinated, March 20. Clauthis becomes emperor.

A.D. 270. Claudius dies of the plague, in Mav. Aurelian succeeds.

A.D. 273. Constantius Chlorus (afterwards emperor) marries Helena, a British princess"; their son Constantine is born in Britain about 275.

A.D. 275. Aurelian assassinated, in January. Tacitus succeeds.

A.D. 276. Tacitus assassinated, in April; his brother Florianus holds the empire for 83 days, ruling in Britain among other countries.

Florianus is killed, in July. Probus succeeds.

A revolt in Britain quelled by Victorinus, a Moor.

A.D. 277. Probus having conquered the Burgundians and Vandals, settles colonies of them in the eastern part of Britain.

A.D. 282. Probus is slain, in November. Succeeded by Carus, who associates his sons Carinus and Numerianus, assigning Britain to the former.

A.D. 283. Carus dies, in December. Succeeded by his sons.

A.D. 284. Numerianus is killed, in September. Diocletian chosen emperor.

A.D. 285. Carinus is killed.

A.D. 286. Maximian is associated in the empire with Diocletian.

The Franks and Saxons infest the coast of Gaul. Carausius, to whom the command of a fleet against them had been intrusted, being suspected of conniving at their ravages, retires to Britain, taking the fleet with him, and assumes the purple.

She is said by Henry of Huntingdon to have been the daughter of Coel, whom he styles king of Colecestre (Colchester); William of Malmesbury, on what ground is unknown, asserts that she was a tender of cattle (stabularia).

A.D. 289. Carausius repulses Maximian, who is obliged to make peace with him.

Brass Coin of Carausius, representing his association with Diocletian and Maximian. A.D. 292. Diocletian associates Constantius and Maximinus with him in the empire.

Constantius, who now rules over Gaul, Spain, and Britain, divorces Helena.

Constantius reduces Gessoriacum, which belonged to Carausius.

* These coins of the Count of the Saxon Shore are particularly interesting; the one as shewing by its proud inscription, "Roma renova," the lofty hopes the possession of Britain inspired; the other, as perhaps the earliest official recognition of the great truth that the real power of the country is based on its "wooden walls."

A.D. 294. Carausius is slain by Allectus, who as

sumes the purple in Britain.

A.D. 296. Constantius, passing in a mist by the British fleet, lands in Britain and burns his ships.

A.D. 304. Albans and other Christians suffer mar

Alban was a pagan resident of Verulam, who charitably gave shelter to a Christian priest, named Amphibalus, and was converted by him. Amphibalus having escaped by Alban's assistance, the latter was seized, and refusing to renounce his faith, was scourged and beheaded. On the spot where he suffered martyrdom "a church built of wonderful workmanship" afterwards arose, to which a monastic institution was added by Offa about 787, which enjoyed from him an exemption from the Rome-scot or Peterpence paid by every family but its tenants for the support of the English college at Rome, and the abbot of which afterwards received from Pope Adrian IV. precedence over all others, on account of its patron saint being regarded the proto-martyr of England. The saint is thus depicted on the brass of Abbot Delamere (who died 1396) in St. Alban's Abbey.

tyrdom; according to Bede 17,000 Christians are martyred in one month.

A.D. 305. By the abdication of Diocletian and Maximian u Constantius and Galerius become emperors. Constantius chiefly resides in Britain, and makes a successful expedition against the Caledonians.

A.D. 306. Constantius dies at Eboracum, July 25; is buried near Cair Segeint (Caernarvon), according to Nennius.

Constantine, his son, being in Britain, is proclaimed

emperor.

Maxentius, son of Maximian, takes the title of Augustus at Rome.

A.D. 307. Licinius, brother-in-law of Constantine, is declared emperor.

A.D. 312. Constantine marches against Maxentius, having with him levies from Britain.

Death of Maxentius.

A.D. 313. Constantine embraces Christianity.

Is baptized at Rome by Pope Sylvester.

Leads an army against the Britons beyond the wall of Severus, and subdues them.

A.D. 314. Certain British bishops are present at the council at Arles W.

This was in the tenth persecution, under Diocletian and Maximian; the former persecutions are not mentioned as extending to Britain.

" Maximian survived until 310, and Diocletian till 316.

This is the statement of Bede, but other writers assert that Constantine only received baptism a short time before his death, in 337.

From the signatures to the canons it appears that they were Eborius of York, Restitutus of London, and Adelfius "de civitate Colonia Londinensium," (probably Rutupiæ, now Richborough, but