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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Year dab|397|the number|397 (number)}}
{{more citations needed|date=September 2020}}
{{Year nav|397}}
{{M1 year in topic}}
Year '''397''' ('''[[Roman numerals|CCCXCVII]]''') was a [[common year starting on Thursday]] (link will display the full calendar) of the [[Julian calendar]]. In the [[Roman Empire]], it was known as the '''Year of the Consulship of Caesarius and Atticus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 1150 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 397 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 ====
* [[Revolt of Alaric I]]: [[Stilicho]] traps the [[Visigoths]] under [[Alaric I|King Alaric]] in the [[Peloponnese]], but decides to abandon the campaign against the Visigoths in Greece, thus allowing King Alaric to escape north to [[Epirus]] with his loot. Presumably, Stilicho has left Greece in order to prepare for military action in northern Africa, where a rebellion (see [[Gildonic War|Gildonic Revolt]] in 398) seems imminent.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Burrell|first=Emma|date=2004|title=A Re-Examination of Why Stilicho Abandoned His Pursuit of Alaric in 397|journal=Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte|volume=53|issue=2|pages=251–256|jstor=4436726}}</ref>
*[[Honorius (emperor)|Emperor Honorius]] passes a law making barbarian styles of dress illegal in the city of [[Rome]]. As a result of this law, everybody in Rome is forbidden from wearing boots, trousers, animal skins, and long hair. This law is passed in response to the increasing popularity of barbarian fashions among the people of Rome.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Aldrete|first1=Gregory S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C7-EDwAAQBAJ&q=397%20laws%20against%20wearing%20pants%20in%20the%20roman%20empire&pg=PA368|title=The Long Shadow of Antiquity: What Have the Greeks and Romans Done for Us?|last2=Aldrete|first2=Alicia|date=2019-02-07|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-350-10052-7|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Elton|first=Hugh|date=1996|title=Fravitta and Barbarian Career Opportunities in Constantinople|journal=Medieval Prosopography|volume=17|issue=1|pages=95–106|jstor=44946209|issn=0198-9405}}</ref>
==== China ====
* The [[Xiongnu]] occupy the [[Gansu]] area, an economically important province situated along the [[Silk Road]].
=== By topic ===
==== Religion ====
* [[April 4]] &ndash; [[Ambrose]], [[Archbishop of Milan]], dies in his diocese after 23 years in office, during which he dominated the political life of the [[Roman Empire]].
* [[August 28]] &ndash; [[Council of Carthage (397)|Council of Carthage]]: The [[biblical canon]] is definitely declared.
* [[September 7]] &ndash; [[First Council of Toledo]]: Hispanic [[bishop]]s, including [[Lampius]], condemn [[Priscillianism]].
* [[November 13]] &ndash; [[John Chrysostom]] is appointed [[Archbishop of Constantinople]].
* [[Mor Gabriel Monastery]] is founded and located on the [[Tur Abdin]] plateau near [[Midyat]] ([[Turkey]]).
* [[Sulpicius Severus]] writes the earliest biography of [[Martin of Tours]], the first known "life of a [[saint]]" ever written.
* [[Augustine of Hippo]] begins his ''[[Confessions (Augustine)|Confessions]]'', an autobiography that recounts his intellectual and spiritual development.
* Scottish [[missionary]] [[Ninian]] establishes a church (''[[Candida Casa]]'') at [[Whithorn]], and begins his work among the [[Picts]].</onlyinclude>
== Births ==
* [[March 30]] or [[March 31]] &ndash; [[Kʼukʼ Bahlam I]], king of [[Palenque]] ([[Yucatán Peninsula]], Mexico)
== Deaths ==
* [[April 4]] &ndash; [[Ambrose|Aurelius Ambrosius]], [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milan|bishop of Milan]]
* [[November 8]] &ndash; [[Martin of Tours]], [[bishop]] and [[saint]]
* [[Murong Hui (Later Yan)|Murong Hui]], imperial prince of [[Later Yan]] (b. [[373]])
* [[Murong Long]], general and prince of Later Yan
* [[Empress She]], wife of emperor [[Yao Chang]]
== References ==
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[[Category:397| ]]