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215 CE

This year falls in the Classical antiquity (c. 500 BCE–500 CE). Large empires rule much of Eurasia, among them Persia, the Maurya and Gupta states of India, Han China and Rome. Classical Greece, the spread of Buddhism and the rise of Christianity belong to this era, which ends as the western Roman Empire falls in the fifth century CE.

Within fifteen years

Civilization · Classical antiquity · Sassanian EmpireSassanian Empire224–651The Sassanian Empire was the last great Persian empire before Islam. It ruled from Mesopotamia to central Asia for four centuries, fighting Rome and Byzantium to exhaustion. Arab armies destroyed it in 651.

Philosopher · Classical antiquity · EgyptPlotinusc. 204–270Founder of Neoplatonism, born probably at Lycopolis in Egypt, who taught at Rome from 244 until his death. His pupil Porphyry edited his writings as the Enneads. He lived about 204 to 270.