850 AUC [97 AD]
The Chinese Emperor, Pan Ch'ao, receives news of the existence of a large empire to the west called Ta-ts'in, the Roman Empire. He sends out a large force led by general Kan Ying to conquer this new land.
851 AUC [98 AD]
Trajan becomes the Emperor of Rome.
853 AUC [100 AD]
The Chinese army under Kan Ying meets one of the Roman Empires eastern-most outposts, and rapidly captures it. From the interrogation of prisoners they find the locations of other Roman settlements in the east, and soon afterwards attack on the start of their drive to conquer the Roman Empire.
Word of the invading Chinese reaches Rome. Immediately Trajan sends out an army to repulse these invaders.
After years of fighting the Roman legions force the Chinese back almost to the borders of China itself. However, they fall prey to plague and the extreme length of their supply lines (even with the legions living off the land as much as they can) and are forced to straggle back to the Empire.
As the legions return, plague spreads with them, and only harsh measures by the Emperor Trajan to quarantine the eastern provinces, including himself, prevent the plague from spreading across the whole Empire, with potentially devastating results.
While Rome is weakened by the threat of the plague, several newly conquered areas in the east and south rise up in revolts which are put down only with difficulty.
In China the closeness of the Roman legions causes the Emperor to be overthrown for his supposed incompetence. Several generals strive for the post, causing years of internal strife before Kuan Yu becomes the dominant force and the founder of the Kuan dynasty, which is based on strong military leadership. Before this happens several areas rebel, while several others are attacked by barbarians from outside the Empire, forcing Kuan Yu to spend the first years of his reign restoring order in his realm.
913 AUC [160 AD]
The Chinese begin to make use of man-carrying hot air observation balloons, mainly along their borders, but later in a more widespread role with all the Chinese armies.
914 AUC [161 AD]
Paper is invented in China.
Mithraism, worship of the Persian god Mithras, god of fire and light, begins to spread across the Roman Empire, finding a large foothold among the population, especially in the military.
965 AUC [212 AD]
All free inhabitants of the Roman provinces become Roman citizens in legislation primarily designed to raise more money from taxation.
1000 AUC [247 AD]
Empire-wide celebrations commemorate the thousandth year since Rome's founding.
Roman pantheism slowly fades away under the influence of Christianity and Mithraism.
Exploration ships from China slowly move up the coast of Pingjingde Haiyang, the Placid Ocean [the Pacific Ocean], and back down along the west coast of what becomes Atlantis [the Americas], establishing settlements in many areas as they go. Chinese forces also head west, towards Rome and also into India, where they are resisted by many Indian nations.
The Emperor Aurelius, seeking to expand Rome's power base, sends Roman forces south, into Africa and east into the middle east and India. Several established African nations oppose the Roman invasion, as do several Indian rulers.
1137 AUC [384 AD]
Christianity becomes the official Roman religion. However, conflict still exists over which of the many branches of Christianity is the true faith.
1157 AUC [404 AD]
A Roman fleet searching for a new route into Chinese-controlled areas discovers a previously unknown continent in the Atlantean [Atlantic] Ocean, which the fleets commander names Atlantis. Friendly contact is made with several groups of natives, and representatives return to Rome with the fleet.
1168 AUC [415 AD]
The first Roman settlements in Atlantis are set up.
Roman settlements are established all along the coasts of north and south Atlantis. Although several unfortunate incidents occur between the settlers and the Atlantean natives they are mostly integrated fairly peacefully into Roman society.
As Rome and China continue their conquests the various nation-states of India amalgamate almost bloodlessly for their own mutual protection.
1203 AUC [450 AD]
The Chinese begin to use unpowered manned kites, controlled by a tether-rope to the ground, to supplement their lighter-than-air observation balloons. They are quickly adopted in many circumstances because they are much faster to assemble and get airborne than balloons.
1210 AUC [457 AD]
The Romans launch their first manned observation kite. In addition to using them for reconnaissance the Romans also begin to use them as airborne archery positions, a tactic which is soon adopted by the Chinese.
Indian colonists begin to establish settlements all around the Indian Ocean. In Africa they mingle with Roman settlers, sometimes peacefully, sometimes violently. Several times wars occur in disputes over land. As the Indian ships sail south-east they discover a large desert-covered continent which the Romans come to call Lemuria [Australia], and begin to settle its western coastline. At about the same time China begins to settle Lemurias eastern coast.
Chinese explorers discover a pair of large islands to the east of Lemuria which becomes known as Xuduo Lian Tudi (Land of Many Faces [New Zealand]). Although uninhabited these islands contain a large variety of strange beasts, including many types of huge flightless birds which are fairly easy to farm and very good eating. They become known as Shu-Niao (Tree-birds [Moas]). As China settles the islands the birds are exported back to China and from there are spread all over the world, proving very good at adapting themselves to life in new areas so that by the present day they are found.almost everywhere, used as both food animals and, occasionally, riding animals.When they reach Roman areas the Shu-Niao become known as Rocs.
Roman forces take control of the last independant areas of Africa.
1255 AUC [502 AD]
Advances in technique over the years allow the Chinese to launch the first untethered manned glider, which like the tethered gliders is at first used purely for observation. However, they soon become armed, with the pilots carrying bows and small gunpowder bombs which they can drop (although given the altitudes at which the gliders operate to get over enemy territory and back, these are not at all accurate).
Arianism, which teaches that God the Father is the only true God, and that the Son and the Holy Spirit are merely his creations, finally becomes the dominant branch of Christianity, although many other heresies linger on, some of them for centuries.
Roman explorers heading westwards across Atlantis meet Chinese explorers coming the other way. Although their meeting is amiable it soon leads to the drawing of borders across the Atlantean continents, and occasional border skirmishes.
1351 AUC [598 AD]
The first gunpowder weapons, in the shape of cannon, are introduced by the Chinese. They are soon adopted by Rome and most other nations.
1373 AUC [620 AD]
The first printing press is introduced in the Roman Empire. The idea soon spreads across the world, although because of the complexity of the Chinese alphabet it finds less use there.
The Islamic religion begins to become a noticeable force in the middle east. Although, like Christianity before it, it is persecuted at first, by 750 AD it has become an accepted religion with many followers in the eastern Roman Empire, among whom are numbered some of the Empires finest scholars.
1495 AUC [742 AD]
The first hand-held gunpowder weapons are introduced by the Romans.
After years of campaigning in the Senate and among the people by many prominent philosophers and politicians, Slavery is made illegal throughout the Roman Empire.
1563 AUC [810 AD]
Several philosophers in Rome and elsewhere begin to discover many fundamental facts about the nature of electricity.
1597 AUC [844 AD]
Roman engineers develop the first working steam engine.
1653 AUC [900 AD]
Several advances in technology, including the widespread use of steam power, begin what becomes known as the Industrial Revolution. Several railways are constructed, the first of them within the Roman Empire.
The last of Tellus' unknown lands are explored and mapped. With this the balance of power between Rome. China and India finally becomes established.
1671 AUC [918 AD]
The first electrical telegraph is introduced in India. The idea is soon adopted by both Rome and China, greatly speeding communications.
1692 AUC [939 AD]
The first powered flying machine is introduced when the Chinese produce a steam engine small enough to be used by a glider.
1695 AUC [942 AD]
The first signs of the disease which becomes known as the Black Death appear in Rome's eastern provinces, where it seems to have been introduced from further east.
1703 AUC [950 AD]
As the Black Death becomes more of a threat to Rome, doctors are forced to develop a variety of new techniques in order to keep the disease under control. These eventually lead on to several great strides in the field of disease control, and the elimination of the Black Death as a threat.
1740 AUC [987 AD]
The first internal combustion engine is developed by Chinese engineers seeking ways to make their powered gliders fly faster and longer.
1753 AUC [1000 AD]
The thousandth anniversary of Christs birth is met with celebrations across the Roman Empire, which are mainly used as an excuse for political statements supporting the Empire.
A great exhibition of Rome's achievements is held in Rome itself. It is lit by the first large-scale use of electricity in the world.
1761 AUC [1008 AD]
Roman scientists develop the first radio.
1785 AUC [1032 AD]
The first jet engine is developed by Chinese scientists in their continuing search for new and better glider propulsion systems.
1790 AUC [1037 AD]
A Roman aircraft makes the first intercontinental flight, across the Atlantic Ocean.
1808 AUC [1055 AD]
The first supersonic aircraft flies in China.
1811 AUC [1058 AD]
The first rotary-wing aircraft of the type which become known as beecraft flies in India.
1825 AUC [1092 AD]
The first atomic device is exploded in Mongolia by the Chinese. However, Rome and India detonate similar devices of their own later in the same year.
1862 AUC [1109 AD]
The first Fission power plant goes on line in China.
1904 AUC [1121 AD]
The first artificial satellite is launched by the Indians, to the great surprise of the Chinese and Romans.
1907 AUC [1124 AD]
Rome launches the first man into space.
A series of sweeping social reforms in the Roman Empire convert it from from a dictatorship to a democracy based on the Athenian system, greatly increasing the say most of the citizens have in the day-to-day running of the Empire. Although the Emperor remains the head of state he is reduced almost to the level of a figurehead by these changes.
Around the same time China and India also become somewhat more free places to live, although China remains the least concerned with the individual.
Go to the Technology, Society or World pages.