April 14

in History

Modena, ItalyAncient

Battle Near the Via Aemilia

The Republic strikes back against Antony

Along the ancient Via Aemilia in northern Italy, the forces of the Roman Senate clashed with Mark Antony's legions in the War of Mutina. Though Antony's troops initially gained ground, the Senate's forces rallied and drove them back in a bloody engagement. The battle was part of the first civil war after Caesar's assassination, a desperate struggle between those who sought to restore the Republic and those who would build an empire on its ruins.

43 BC

Paris, FranceEarly 20th Century

1900

Paris World's Fair Opens

The City of Light dazzles a new century

Along the banks of the Seine, the Exposition Universelle of 1900 threw open its gates to celebrate the achievements of the departing century and herald the dawn of a new one. Over fifty million visitors marveled at moving sidewalks, talking films, and the newly completed Gare d'Orsay. The fair showcased Art Nouveau at its peak and introduced the world to escalators, diesel engines, and the Palace of Electricity -- a glittering vision of the future that Paris embodied like no other city.

1900 AD

Country in Eurasia (1922–1991)Late 20th Century

1958

Soviet Union

The Soviet satellite Sputnik 2 falls from orbit after a mission duration of 162 days.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), also known as the Soviet Union, was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. It was the world's third-most populous country, largest by area, and bordered twelve countries. A diverse multinational state, it was organized as a federal union of national republics, the largest and most populous being the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. In practice, its government and economy were highly centralized.

1958 AD