238
Year 238 (CCXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.
| Millennium: | 1st millennium |
|---|---|
| Centuries: | 2nd century – 3rd century – 4th century |
| Decades: | 200s 210s 220s – 230s – 240s 250s 260s |
| Years: | 235 236 237 – 238 – 239 240 241 |
Emperor Gordian I
Events
By place
Roman Empire
- Emperor Maximinus Thrax battles against the Carpians on the Danube in Moesia (Balkans).
- March 7 – Romans in Africa go against Maximinus and elect Marcus Antonius Gordianus (Africanus) as emperor.
- April 12 – Battle of Carthage: Numidian forces loyal to Maximinus invade Africa. Gordian II is killed. Gordian I commits suicide.
- April 22 – Year of the Six Emperors: The Senate outlaws Maximinus. Pupienus and Balbinus go to the throne.
- Maximinus gets to the town Aquileia in northern Italy. His army has famine and disease.
- July 29 – The Praetorian Guard kill Pupienus and Balbinus. On the same day Gordian III, age 13, is made new emperor.
- Future Roman Emperor Valerian becomes princeps senatus.
- The Colosseum is restored after being damaged.
- The Goths, coming from Ukraine, cross the Danube and ruin the Roman Empire up to the border with Anatolia.
Asia
- The Cao Wei general Sima Yi destroys the northeastern Chinese warlord Gongsun Yuan.
Births
- Empress Yang Yan, first wife of Emperor Wu (d. 274)
- Wen Yang, general of the Kingdom of Wei (d. 291)
Deaths
- April 12 – Roman emperors Gordian I (suicide) and Gordian II (killed in battle)
- June 24 – Maximinus Thrax, Roman Emperor
- Maximinus the Younger, Roman Emperor
- July 29 – Pupienus and Balbinus, Roman Emperors
- Gongsun Yuan, warlord of Liaodong
- Lun Zhi, general of Liaodong
- Jia Fan, advisor Liaodong
- Chosroes I, King of Armenia (assassinated)