On the other hand, when we find a letter written by Cassiodorus as Praetorian Praefect to the Provincials of Istria[191] as to the payment of tribute for the first Indiction, we know that we must now have entered upon a new cycle. We therefore add 15 x 15 (= 225) to 312, and get 537. As it happens to be the first Indiction that we require, our calculation ends here: September 1, 537, to August 31, 538, is the answer required.
If anyone objects that such a system of chronology is cumbrous, uncertain, and utterly unscientific, I can only say that I entirely agree with him, and that the system is worthy of the perverted ingenuity which produced the Nones and Ides of the Roman Calendar.
In the following tables I have not attempted to mark the years of the Indiction, on account of the confusion caused by the fact that two calendar years require the same number. But I have denoted by the abbreviation 'Ind.' the years in which each cycle of the Indictions began. These years are 492, 507, 522, 537, 552, and 567.
Chronological Tables.
| A.D. | Consuls. | Private Events. | Public Events. | Rulers of Italy. | Popes. | Emperors. |
| 480 | Basilius Junior. | Magnus Aurelius Cassiodorus Senator, born at Scyllacium (?). | Assassination of Nepos, formerly Emperor of the West. | ODOVACAR (from 476). | SIMPLICIUS (from 468). | ZENO (from 474). |
| 481 | Placidus. | Odovacar avenges the murder of Nepos. Death of Theodoricus Triarii. | ||||
| 482 | Trocondus and Severinus. | Accession of Clovis. | ||||
| 483 | Faustus. | Zeno issues the Henoticon. | FELIX II (or III). | |||
| 484 | Theodoricus and Venantius. | Illus revolts against Zeno. Schism between Eastern and Western Churches. | ||||
| 485 | Q. Aurelius Memmius Symmachus. | |||||
| 486 | Decius and Longinus. | |||||
| 487 | Boethius (Father of the great Boethius). | War between Odovacar and the Rugians. | ||||
| 488 | Dyanamius and Sifidius. | Theodoric starts for Italy. Death of Illus. | ||||
| 489 | Anicius Probinus and Eusebius. | Theodoric descends into Italy. Battles of the Isonzo and Verona. | ||||
| 490 | Flavius Faustus Junior and Longinus (II). | Battle of the Adda. | ||||
| 491 | Olybrius Junior. | Battle of Ravenna. | ANASTASIUS. | |||
| 492 (Ind.) | Flavius Anastasius Augustus and Rufus. | GELASIUS. | ||||
| 493 | Eusebius (II) and Albinus. | Surrender of Ravenna. Death of Odovacar. | THEODORIC. | |||
| 494 | Turcius Rufus Apronianus Asterius and Praesidius. | |||||
| 495 | Flavius Viator. | |||||
| 496 | Paulus. | Clovis defeats the Alamanni. His conversion. | ANASTASIUS. | |||
| 497 | Flavius Anastasius Aug. (II). | SYMMACHUS (Antipope Laurentius). | ||||
| 498 | Paulinus and Joannes Scytha. | |||||
| 499 | Joannes Gibbus. | |||||
| 500 | Patricius and Hypatius. | Cassiodorus Senior, Patrician, Praefect. His son becomes his Consiliarius. | War between Gundobad and Clovis. Theodoric's visit to Rome. Conspiracy of Odoin. | |||
| 501 | Rufius Magnus Faustus Avienus and Flavius Pompeius. | About this time Cassiodorus pronounces his panegyric on Theodoric, and is rewarded by being appointed Quaestor. | Synodus Palmaris at Rome. Symmachus confirmed in the Pontificate. | |||
| 502 | Flavius Avienus Junior and Probus. | |||||
| 503 | Dexicrates and Volusianus. | |||||
| 504 | Cethegus. | War of Sirmium. | ||||
| 505 | Theodorus and Sabinianus. | War between Theodoric and Anastasius (affair of Mundo). Battle of Horrea Margi. | ||||
| 506 | Messala and Areobinda. | |||||
| 507 (Ind.) | Flavius Anastasius Aug. (III) and Venantius. | Clovis defeats Alaric II at Campus Vogladensis. | ||||
| 508 | Venantius and Celer. | Tulum endeavours to raise siege of Arles. Byzantine raid on Apulia. | ||||
| 509 | Importunus. | Mammo invades Burgundy. | ||||
| 510 | Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (Author of the 'Consolation'). | Ibbus defeats Franks and Burgundians. | ||||
| 511 | Felix and Secundinus. | Death of Clovis. | ||||
| 512 | Paulus and Muschianus. | |||||
| 513 | Probus and Clementinus. | |||||
| 514 | Senator, solus Consul (Cassiodorus). | Cassiodorus as Consul restores harmony between clergy and people of Rome. | HORMISDAS. | |||
| 515 | Florentius and Anthemius. | Cassiodorus receives the Patriciate (?). | Marriage of Eutharic and Amalasuentha. | |||
| 516 | Petrus. | |||||
| 517 | Agapitus and Flavius Anastasius (nephew of the Emperor). | |||||
| 518 | Magnus. | JUSTIN I. | ||||
| 519 | Justinus Augustus and Eutharicus Cillica. | Composition of the 'Chronicon,' dedicated to Eutharic. | End of schism between Eastern and Western Churches. | |||
| 520 | Rusticus and Vitalianus. | Composition of the Gothic History (?). | ||||
| 521 | Valerius and Flavius Justinianus. | |||||
| 522 (Ind.) | Symmachus and Boethius (sons of the great Boethius). | |||||
| 523 | Flavius Anicius Maximus. | Franks invade Burgundy. Imprisonment of Boethius. | JOHN I. | |||
| 524 | Flavius Justinus Aug. (II) and Opilio. | Death of Boethius. | ||||
| 525 | Anicius Probus Junior and Flavius Theodorus Philoxenus. | Death of Symmachus. Pope John's Mission to Constantinople. | ||||
| 526 | Olybrius. | Cassiodorus Master of the Offices. | Pope John dies in prison (May 25). Death of Theodoric (Aug. 30). | ATHALARIC. | FELIX III (or IV). | |
| 527 | Vettius Agorius Basilius Mavortius. | Death of Amalafrida, Queen-dowager of the Vandals. | JUSTINIAN. | |||
| 528 | Flavius Justinianus Aug. (II). | |||||
| 529 | Decius Junior. | BONIFACE II. | ||||
| 530 | Flavius Lampadius and Orestes. | |||||
| 531 | Post Consulatum Lampadii et Orestis. | |||||
| 532 | Post Consulatum Lampadii et Orestis Anno II. | Final invasion of Burgundy by the Franks. | ||||
| 533 | Flavius Justinianus Aug. (III). | Cassiodorus Praetorian Praefect (Sept. 1), which office he holds till he retires from public life. | The Vandal War of Justinian (June, 533--March, 534). | [JOHN III.] | ||
| 534 | Flavius Justinianus Aug. (IV) and Flavius Theodorus Paulinus Junior. | Death of Athalaric (Oct. 2). Association of Theodahad with Amalasuentha. | AMALASUENTHA. THEODAHAD. | |||
| 535 | Flavius Belisarius. | Death of Amalasuentha. The Gothic War begins. | AGAPETUS. | |||
| 536 | Post Consulatum Fl. Belisarii. | Belisarius takes Naples and enters Rome. | WITIGIS. | SILVERIUS. | ||
| 537 (Ind.) | Post Consulatum Fl. Belisarii Anno II. | Siege of Rome by Witigis. | VIGILIUS. | |||
| 538 | Flavius Johannes (John of Cappadocia). | Collection of the 'Variae.' Composition of the 'De Animâ.' | Siege of Rome raised. | |||
| 539 | Flavius Appion. | Cassiodorus about this time lays down his office and retires to his birthplace (Scyllacium), where he founds the Monastery of Vivaria. | Mediolanum taken by the Goths. Belisarius takes Auximum. | |||
| 540 | Flavius Justinus Junior. | Ravenna surrendered to Belisarius. Captivity of Witigis. | ILDIBAD. | |||
| 541 | Flavius Basilius Junior. | He writes Commentary on the Psalms as far as Psalm 20. | ERARIC. BADUILA (TOTILA). | |||
| 542 | Years reckoned Post Consulatum Basilii. | " | Totila twice defeats the Imperial generals, and retrieves the fortune of the Ostrogoths. | |||
| 543 | " | Composition of the 'Institutiones Divinarum et Humanarum Litterarum.' | ||||
| 544 | " | Belisarius returns to Italy. | ||||
| 545 | " | Rome taken by Totila. | ||||
| 546 | " | Continues and completes his Commentary on the Psalms. | ||||
| 547 | " | " | Rome re-occupied by Belisarius. | |||
| 548 | " | " | Death of Empress Theodora. | |||
| 549 | " | " | Rome again taken by Totila. | |||
| 550 | " | " | Death of Germanus. | |||
| 551 | " | Narses Commander of Italian Expedition. | ||||
| 552 (Ind.) | " | Writes the 'Complexiones in Epistolas Apostolorum,' and compiles the 'Historia Tripartita' (the precise date of these works unknown). | Narses defeats Totila near Tadinum. | TEIAS. | ||
| 553 | " | " | Teias defeated and slain near Mons Lactarius. The Ostrogoths leave Italy. Invasion of the Alamannic brethren. | NARSES, Governor of Italy under the Emperor. | ||
| 554 | " | " | ||||
| 555 | " | " | PELAGIUS. | |||
| 556 | " | " | ||||
| 557 | " | " | ||||
| 558 | " | " | ||||
| 559 | " | " | Belisarius defeats the Huns under Zabergan. | |||
| 560 | " | " | JOHN III. | |||
| 561 | " | |||||
| 562 | " | Disgrace of Belisarius. Belisarius restored to favour. | ||||
| 563 | " | |||||
| 564 | " | |||||
| 565 | Post Consulatum Basilii XXIV. | JUSTIN II. | ||||
| 566 | Flavius Justinus Augustus. | Death of Belisarius and of Justinian. | ||||
| 567 (Ind.) | Years reckoned Post Consulatum Justini. | Narses recalled by Justin. Alleged invitation to the Lombards. | LONGINUS, Exarch. | |||
| 568 | " | The Lombards under Alboin enter Italy. | ALBOIN, King of the Lombards. | |||
| 569 | " | Milan taken by the Lombards. | ||||
| 570 | " | |||||
| 571 | " | Ticinum taken by the Lombards. | ||||
| 572 | " | |||||
| 573 | " | Composition of treatise 'De Orthographiâ' in 93rd year of Cassiodorus. | Assassination of Alboin. | CLEPH, King of the Lombards. | Death of John III. | |
| 574 | " | Death of Cleph. | BENEDICT I. | |||
| 575 | " | Cassiodorus dies in his 95th year (?). |