March 21

in History

Rome, ItalyMedieval

537

Vitiges Assaults Rome

Ostrogoth warriors storm the ancient walls

King Vitiges led his Ostrogothic warriors in a furious assault against the northern and eastern walls of Rome, attempting to break through the city's ancient defenses. The Byzantine garrison, commanded by the legendary general Belisarius, repulsed the attackers at the Praenestine Gate in fierce hand-to-hand combat. The failed assault demonstrated that Rome's walls, built centuries earlier, could still hold against a determined enemy when defended by skilled soldiers.

537 AD

Karl Arnold Was Born — A man who would lead postwar Germany

GermanyEarly 20th Century

1901

Karl Arnold Was Born

A man who would lead postwar Germany

Karl Arnold was born in Germany, a future businessman and politician who would serve as President of the German Bundesrat after World War II. His career in postwar politics reflected the enormous challenges of rebuilding a nation from the rubble of total defeat. Arnold's leadership helped establish the democratic institutions that would guide West Germany through the Cold War and toward the economic miracle that transformed it into Europe's powerhouse.

1901 AD

Early 20th Century

1919

Hungarian Soviet Republic

The Hungarian Soviet Republic is established becoming the first Communist government to be formed in Europe after the October Revolution in Russia.

1919 AD