in the Roman east. 234: Zhuge Liang dies of illness at the standoff of Wuzhang Plains. 235–284: Crisis of the Third Century shook the Roman Empire. 241: The Kingdom of Hatra dissolved after the Fall of Hatra to Persia 244: Battle of Xingshi in China. 258: Valerian's massacre of Christians. 260: Roman Emperor Valerian I is taken captive by Shapur I of Persia. 263: Cao Wei conquers the Shu Han Kingdom. 266: The Jin Dynasty is founded after the overthrow of the Cao Wei Dynasty by Sima Yan. 280: The Jin Dynasty reunites China under one empire after the conquest of Eastern Wu. 284–305: Diocletian, Roman Emperor. 291–306: The War of the Eight Princes, a civil war by the Sima Clan in China. 300–538: Kofun era, the first part of the Kofun period in Japan. Late 3rd century – early 4th century: Good Shepherd, Orants and Story of Jonah, painted ceiling of the Catacombs of Marcellinus and Peter in Rome, is made. Inventions, discoveries, introductions Sarnath becomes a center of Buddhist arts in India. Diffusion of maize as a food crop from Mexico into North America begins. References 1st millennium 03rd century