4thcentury

The 4th century refers to the years 301–400 CE in the Julian calendar, occupying the late classical era in many regions. In historical usage, the term can also denote the 4th century BCE (400–301 BCE). The century was marked by political realignments, religious transformation, and cultural development across several regions.

In the Roman Empire, the century witnessed a shift toward Christianization and imperial consolidation. The Edict of Milan in 313 granted religious toleration to Christians. In 330, Constantine the Great moved the capital to Byzantium (renamed Constantinople), symbolizing a shift in imperial power centers. The Council of Nicaea in 325 sought to define orthodox Christian doctrine, including the Creed later associated with Nicene Christianity. Theodosius I, ruling later in the century, established Nicene Christianity as the state religion and, after his death in 395, the empire effectively divided into eastern and western halves. These developments helped shape religious and political life for centuries and contributed to the fragmentation and transformation of the western empire.

In Asia, China experienced the collapse of the Western Jin by 316, giving way to the era of the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Eastern Jin, which persisted into the 5th century. In northern India, the Gupta Dynasty began to consolidate power in the early 4th century, laying foundations for what is often considered a classical period of Indian culture that followed.

In Africa, the Aksumite Kingdom in the Horn of Africa expanded and began to adopt Christianity after the conversion of the ruler Ezana in the 4th century, reflecting broader religious and commercial links across Red Sea and Indian Ocean networks.

Overall, the 4th century was a transitional period in many regions, setting patterns of religious authority, state formation, and intercultural exchange that persisted in the following centuries.