The empire’s period of relative peace ends in 267, when the Goths of the northern Black Sea coast attack Byzantium in alliance with the fleet of the Heruli.

Gallienus leads a large Roman force into Moesia to cut off the army of Goths, three hundred and twenty thousand strong, now retreating by land from its plunder of Aegean coastal cities.

The two armies meet at Naissus (modern Niš, Serbia), where the Romans slaughter the Goths by the thousands.

His attention demanded by the revolt of a usurper, Aureolus, in Italy, Gallienus returns there without further pursuit of the survivors, who flee to armed encampments to the northeast.

The combined Goth and Herul fleet sails from Byzantium south into the Aegean in 267 to attack various cities of Greece as far south as Sparta, devastating Laconia.

Greece, its weakened frontiers unprotected by Rome, suffers greatly under the ravages of the Goths and pirates.

The walls of Athens, which had been neglected since Sulla's capture of the city in 86 BCE and have fallen into ruin, had been rebuilt under Valerian, and the circuit had been extended to include the new suburb northeast of the Olympieion (Temple of Hadrian Olympios).

This has been done because of the threat of a barbarian invasion, but the walls are of no avail in 267 when that invasion comes.

The Heruli easily capture Athens, and, though the historian Publius Herennius Dexippus rallies two thousand men on the city outskirts, they can only resort to guerrilla tactics.

The lower town is sacked, and all the buildings of the Agora are burned and destroyed.

The Acropolis, however, may have held out; at least there is no evidence of extensive damage at this time. (The Bibliotheca, a ninth-century encyclopedia by Photius, patriarch of Constantinople, credits Dexippus with three major works: a four-book history of the diadochoi (successors) of Alexander the Great, a history of the struggle of Rome against the Goths after CE 238, and a twelve-book annalistic chronicle from legendary times to CE 270. Although none of these survive, numerous fragments have been recognized in the compilations of later historians. Several Athenian inscriptions attest to the high public offices held by Dexippus, his father, and his children.)

The Gothic army moves north, assaulting the wealthy Macedonian capital at Salonika.

Gallienus, together with his wife Salonica, has sponsored a vigorous intellectual renaissance at Rome during the relatively peaceful years 262-267.

This revival is clearly discernible in the surviving art and the contemporary literature, notably that of Neoplatonist philosophers such as Plotinus.

Plotinus’ innermost circle includes Porphyry, Amelius Gentilianus of Tuscany, the Senator Castricius Firmus, and Eustochius of Alexandria, a doctor who has devoted himself to learning from Plotinus and will attend to him until his death.

Other students include Zethos, an Arab by ancestry who dies before Plotinus, leaving him a legacy and some land in Campania; Zoticus, a critic and poet; Paulinus, a doctor of Scythopolis; and Serapion from Alexandria.

Plotinus has had students among the Roman Senate beside Castricius, such as Marcellus Orontius, Sabinillus, and Rogantianus.

Women are also numbered among his students, including Gemina, in whose house he has lived during his residence in Rome, and her daughter, also Gemina; and Amphiclea, the wife of Ariston the son of Iamblichus.

Finally, Plotinus is a correspondent of the philosopher Cassius Longinus.

At one point Plotinus had attempted to interest Gallienus in rebuilding an abandoned settlement in Campania, known as the 'City of Philosophers', where the inhabitants would live under the constitution set out in Plato's Laws.

An Imperial subsidy is never granted, for reasons unknown to Porphyry, who reports the incident.

Japanese women during this age, in which written records appear, will be regarded by historians as wielding considerable influence on politics.

Some portions of the history of Empress Jingo have a probable basis in fact.

Also known as Jingu Kogo, she is supposed to have been the wife of the equally semi legendary Emperor Chuai, who reigned from 192 to 200, and regent for her son Ojin.

She rules during the period of Japanese expansion into southern Korea, dying around 269.

Legend gives her the supernatural ability to control the tides.

Chinese philosophers Guo Xiang and Wang Bi, who believe in the controlling of emotions and in a supreme unifying principle of non-being, influence the creation of Neo-Taoism.

East Central Europe (268–279 CE): Aurelian and Partial Frontier Restoration

Between 268 and 279 CE, East Central Europe—including Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, and those portions of Germany and Austria lying east of 10°E and north of a line stretching from roughly 48.2°N at 10°E southeastward to the Austro-Slovenian border near 46.7°N, 15.4°E—experienced the initial stages of frontier restoration following the severe disruptions of the preceding decades. Under Emperor Aurelian (270–275 CE) and his successors, Roman frontier provinces (Pannonia Superior, Pannonia Inferior, and Noricum) saw cautious military recovery, modest administrative restructuring, and the renewal of defensive efforts against persistent tribal pressures from the Goths, Marcomanni, Quadi, Iazyges, and Vandals.

Political and Military Developments

Aurelian’s Frontier Reforms and Military Recovery

• Emperor Aurelian (270–275 CE) initiated substantial frontier reforms, reorganizing military units and strengthening defensive positions along the Danube.

• Defensive fortifications were partially restored, and the Roman military presence was increased, allowing for the temporary stabilization of frontier regions.

Diplomatic Engagement with Tribes

• Roman diplomatic efforts intensified, aimed at managing relations with Germanic and Sarmatian tribes, particularly the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Iazyges, through negotiated agreements and occasional military demonstrations of strength.

• While the Goths and Vandals continued sporadic incursions, Roman efforts temporarily curbed the frequency and intensity of these invasions.

Economic and Technological Developments

Modest Economic Recovery

• The cautious stabilization efforts allowed limited revival of economic activity along the frontier. Cross-border trade gradually resumed, though still vulnerable to disruption and restricted compared to earlier periods.

Resumption of Frontier Infrastructure Work

• Limited infrastructure repairs and improvements to roads, fortifications, and military installations took place, reflecting Roman attempts to reassert control and ensure frontier security.

Cultural and Artistic Developments

Gradual Cultural Stabilization

• Cultural and artistic activity began a modest recovery, reflecting stabilization efforts and resumed interactions between Romans and neighboring tribes. However, cultural expressions continued to emphasize practicality, military preparedness, and frontier resilience.

Increased Cultural Synthesis

• Cultural exchanges between Roman and tribal communities became somewhat more active, albeit still cautious, creating modest renewal of hybrid artistic and material culture.

Settlement and Urban Development

Roman Frontier Settlements Rebuilding

• Frontier towns such as Carnuntum, Vindobona, and Aquincum witnessed cautious rebuilding efforts and modest demographic recovery, remaining heavily fortified but beginning to regain some of their administrative and economic functions.

Stabilization of Tribal Settlements

• Tribal communities slightly stabilized, becoming less transient than during the previous decades, but continued adopting defensive settlement patterns in response to persistent regional uncertainty.

Social and Religious Developments

Re-stabilization of Tribal Social Hierarchies

• Germanic and Sarmatian tribal societies maintained strong military hierarchies, though with less frantic urgency, reflecting the temporary stabilization and diplomatic engagements with Rome.

Religious Adaptation and Community Consolidation

• Traditional tribal religious practices remained active, emphasizing community solidarity, protection, and warrior virtues, reflecting continued uncertainty tempered by cautious optimism from partial frontier stabilization.

Long-Term Consequences and Historical Significance

The era 268–279 CE marked a significant turning point in East Central Europe, characterized by tentative frontier recovery and modest re-stabilization under Emperor Aurelian’s reforms and those of his immediate successors. Although partial and fragile, this restoration effort provided critical breathing space, allowing Roman provinces and neighboring tribes to reorganize, thus temporarily halting the chaotic decline and reshaping frontier relations for subsequent decades.