View source for 240

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Year dab|240}}
{{Year nav|240}}
{{M1 year in topic}}
[[File:Hatra ruins.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|The ruins of [[Hatra]] (1988)]]
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Year '''240''' ('''[[Roman numerals|CCXL]]''') was a [[leap year starting on Wednesday]] (link will display the full calendar) of the [[Julian calendar]]. At the time, it was known as the '''Year of the Consulship of Sabinus and Venustus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 993 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 240 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 ====
* The [[Roman Empire]] is threatened on several fronts at the same time. [[Africa (Roman province)| Africa]] revolts and tribes in northwest [[Germania]], under the name of the [[Franks]], are raiding the [[Rhine]] frontier.
==== Persia ====
* [[April 12]] &ndash; Prince [[Shapur I]] becomes co-ruler of the [[Sasanian Empire]] with his father King [[Ardashir I]].
* [[Fall of Hatra|Siege of Hatra]]: The Sasanians besiege the capital of the [[Kingdom of Hatra]] ruled by [[Sanatruq II]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Edwell |first1=Peter |title=Between Rome and Persia: The Middle Euphrates, Mesopotamia and Palmyra Under Roman Control |date=2007 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781134095735 |page=168 |language=en}}</ref>
==== India ====
* [[Gupta (king)|Maharaja Sri-Gupta]] becomes ruler of the [[Gupta Empire]] (approximate date).
=== By topic ===
==== Religion ====
* [[Mani (prophet)|Mani]], a young mystic of [[Ctesiphon]], proclaims himself a [[prophet]] at the court of Ardashir I. He preaches his doctrine, [[Manichaeism]], throughout the Sassanid Empire.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gulácsi |first=Zsuzsanna |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rUUpCwAAQBAJ |title=Mani's Pictures: The Didactic Images of the Manichaeans from Sasanian Mesopotamia to Uygur Central Asia and Tang-Ming China |date=2016-04-18 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-30894-7 |pages=42–54 |language=en}}</ref>
</onlyinclude>
== Births ==
* [[Lucian of Antioch]], Syrian theologian and martyr (d. [[312]])
* [[Sporus of Nicaea]], Greek mathematician (approximate date)
* [[Zenobia]], queen of the [[Palmyrene Empire]] (d. [[274]])<ref>{{Cite book |last=Southern |first=Pat |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ecfiAAAAQBAJ |title=Empress Zenobia: Palmyra's Rebel Queen |date=2008-11-17 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-1-4411-4248-1 |pages=3 |language=en}}</ref>
== Deaths ==
* [[Ammonius Saccas]], [[Neoplatonism|Neoplatonic]] philosopher (approximate date)
* [[Herodian|Herodian of Antioch]], Roman historian and writer (b. [[170]])
* [[Huang Quan (general)|Huang Quan]] (or Gongheng), Chinese general
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:240}}
[[Category:240| ]]