251

This article is about the year 251. For the number, see 251 (number). For the chord progression, see ii–V–I progression.

Year 251 (CCLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, in the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Traianus and Etruscus (or, less frequently, year 1004 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 251 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.

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	2nd century 3rd century 4th century
Decades:	230s 240s 250s 260s 270s
Years:	248 249 250 251 252 253 254

251 in various calendars

Gregorian calendar	251 CCLI
Ab urbe condita	1004
Assyrian calendar	5001
Balinese saka calendar	172–173
Bengali calendar	−342
Berber calendar	1201
Buddhist calendar	795
Burmese calendar	−387
Byzantine calendar	5759–5760
Chinese calendar	庚午年 (Metal Horse) 2948 or 2741     — to — 辛未年 (Metal Goat) 2949 or 2742
Coptic calendar	−33 – −32
Discordian calendar	1417
Ethiopian calendar	243–244
Hebrew calendar	4011–4012
Hindu calendars
- Vikram Samvat	307–308
- Shaka Samvat	172–173
- Kali Yuga	3351–3352
Holocene calendar	10251
Iranian calendar	371 BP – 370 BP
Islamic calendar	382 BH – 381 BH
Javanese calendar	129–130
Julian calendar	251 CCLI
Korean calendar	2584
Minguo calendar	1661 before ROC 民前1661年
Nanakshahi calendar	−1217
Seleucid era	562/563 AG
Thai solar calendar	793–794
Tibetan calendar	阳金马年 (male Iron-Horse) 377 or −4 or −776     — to — 阴金羊年 (female Iron-Goat) 378 or −3 or −775

Gothic Invasion 250-251

Events

By place

Roman Empire

• July 1 – Battle of Abritus: The Goths defeat Emperor Decius and his son Herennius Etruscus, on swampy ground in the Dobruja (Moesia).
• May – The first Synod of Carthage, a pre-ecumenical council, is held under the presidency of Saint Cyprian.
• In Rome, Hostilian, son of Decius, succeeds his father, while Trebonianus Gallus is proclaimed Emperor by the troops. Gallus accepts him as co-emperor, but an outbreak of plague strikes the city, and kills Hostilian.
• The prosperity of Roman Britain declines during this period, as the Germanic tribes of the Franks and Saxons, whose homelands are in Friesland and the Low Countries, make raids around the southeast coast.
• Gallus makes peace with the Goths; he permits them to keep their plunder, and offers them a bribe not to return.
• A 15-year plague begins in the Roman Empire.

Persia

• Sassanid King Shapur I orders an invasion of Syria, with the intent of finally capturing the city of Antioch during the campaign of 251–254.

China

• Wang Ling's rebellion against the Wei regent Sima Yi is quelled.
• Sima Yi passes away in Luoyang.
• Sima Shi, Sima Yi's eldest son, inherits his father's authority.

By topic

Religion

• March – Pope Cornelius succeeds Pope Fabian as the 21st pope.

Births

• January 12 – Anthony the Great, Christian monk and saint (d. 356)

Deaths

• February 5 – Cao Lin, Chinese prince of the Cao Wei state
• June – August
  • Decius, Roman emperor (killed after the battle of Abritus)
  • Herennius Etruscus, Roman emperor and son of Decius
• June 15 – Wang Ling, Chinese general and politician
• August 22 – Zhen, Chinese empress of the Cao Wei state
• September 7 – Sima Yi, Chinese general and regent (b. 179)
• Agatha of Sicily, Christian martyr and saint (approximate date)
• Cao Biao, Chinese prince of the Cao Wei state (b. 195)
• Deng Zhi, Chinese general, politician and diplomat
• Hostilian, Roman emperor (of plague in Rome)
• Lü Yi, Chinese official, governor and politician