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Explore the historical events that shaped our world on December 22nd. From major milestones to cultural achievements, see what happened on this day in history. Dates for earlier events may be approximate.
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Hannibal of Carthage wins the Battle of the Trebbia on December 22-23 against the Roman Republic during the Second Punic War
Hannibal won the Battle by luring the Romans across the cold, swollen Trebia River, then attacking them from three sides with his cavalry, elephants, and a hidden force. eventually encircling and routing the Roman army.
A total Solar eclipse over Constantinople, on December 22, 968, CE at the Winter Solstice, is described by the Byzantine chronicler and historian, Leo the Deacon. His account is considered the earliest known description of the Sun's corona during a total solar eclipse, even mentioning the terrified reactions of the people, highlighting the unfamiliar nature of the event.
His account of the event, in his book "The History of Leo the Deacon." reads in part, "Everyone could see the disk of the Sun without brightness, deprived of light and a certain dull and feeble glow, like a narrow headband, shining round the extreme parts of the edge of the disk". Noting that darkness fell upon the Earth and "all the brighter stars revealed themselves".
Pope Honorius III officially recognizes the Order of Preachers (now known as the Dominican Order) on December 22, 1216. The order was founded by Saint Dominic de Guzman with a focus on preaching the Gospel, combating heresy, and combining rigorous scholarship with active ministry.
On December 22, 1808, Ludwig van Beethoven gave an extraordinary and unusually long public concert in Vienna at the Theater an der Wien. At this single event, he premiered four major works: Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Symphony No. 6 (“Pastoral”), Piano Concerto No. 4, and Choral Fantasy.
That concert, which lasted nearly 4 hours, is remembered as one of the most ambitious single-evening premieres in classical music history.
Beethoven's portrait painted by Joseph Karl Stieler. .Painting of Theater an der Wien circa 1815.
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The First gorilla is born in captivity was born in the Columbus Zoo and was named Colo (a combination of Columbus and Ohio). The newborn female, western lowland gorilla weighing in at approximately 4 pounds.
Colo lived her entire life at the Columbus Zoo and died one month after her 60th birthday celebration on Jan. 17, 2017,. At the time of her death, Colo was the oldest gorilla ever on record. More
Becker1999 from Grove City, OH, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Apartheid in South Africa is further entrenched with the passing of the Suppression of Communism Act. of 1950 (SOCA) The act, broadly defined "communism" to include any opposition to government policy.
It allowed the regime to criminalize dissent, ban anti-apartheid groups (like the Communist Party of South Africa), silence activists through banning orders and house arrest, and suppress movements for equality under the guise of fighting a "red peril". This act, alongside other laws, solidified apartheid's control by making resistance itself illegal and silencing voices for justice.
The Brandenburg Gate in Germany, was reopened on December 22, 1989, following the fall of the Berlin Wall, The gate had been closed for 28 years after the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961.
The reopening event was marked with a ceremony that saw West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and East German Prime Minister Hans Modrow walk through the crossing in celebration of the reunification of Germany.
Nicolae Ceaușescu, General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party and president of Romania was ousted on December 22, 1989, during the Romanian Revolution.
The dictator and his wife, Elena, were captured after attempting to flee Bucharest by helicopter. After a brief, trial, Ceaușescu and his wife were found guilty of genocide and other crimes and were executed by firing squad on Christmas Day, December 25, 1989.
Richard Reid, the “Shoe bomber” attempts to detonate bombs on a Paris to Miami flight, just months after the 9/11 attacks. More
