Around 38 BC,
the Romans reach the Rhine.

13–12 BC
The Romans establish their double legion camp on the Kästrich.

Around 345 AD
Christianity in Mainz.

After 400
Mainz becomes Frankish.

745
Boniface (Apostle of the Germans) receives the bishopric of Mainz. Under his successor Lul (Lullus), Mainz becomes an archbishopric.

856
Rabanus Maurus dies in Mainz.

975–1011
Archbishop Willigis – construction of St. Martin's Cathedral.

1002
Bishop Willigis crowns Henry II in the cathedral.

Around 1000 - 1802
Mainz is an archbishopric.
Archbishop of Mainz: Archchancellor of the German Empire, highest-ranking of the seven electors (king election).

1184
Imperial festival of Emperor Barbarossa, the most magnificent festival of the Middle Ages.

13th - 15th century
Mainz is a free city.

Around 1440
Johannes Gutenberg invents printing with movable type (Gutenberg Museum).

1452–1455
Gutenberg prints the Gutenberg Bibles in Mainz.

1462
Loss of city freedom by Archbishop Johann von Nassau. Mainz becomes a royal seat without self-government.

1477
Foundation of the university.

1792/93
Mainz Republic.

1798 - 1814
Mainz belongs to France.

1815
Mainz becomes a fortress of the German Confederation.

1826
Steamship company for the Middle Rhine is founded (beginning of tourism).

1837/38
Start of organized carnival celebrations with the Mainz Ranzengarde in 1837 and the Mainz Carnival Association in 1838.

1850 - 1877
Bishop Ketteler (social bishop).

1853
Connection to the railway network on the left bank of the Rhine.

1872
Major city expansion (Mainz Neustadt).

1873
Mainz becomes an imperial fortress.

1885
Construction of the first permanent road bridge since ancient times.

1904
Abandonment of the inner fortifications.

1907
First incorporation (Mombach).

1908
Kastel and Amöneburg are incorporated.

1913
Incorporation of Kostheim.

After 1918
Demilitarization (removal of all fortifications).

1930
Incorporation of Weisenau, Bretzenheim, Bischofsheim, and Ginsheim-Gustavsburg.

1938
Incorporation of Gonsenheim.

World War II
Mainz (city center) is 80 percent destroyed.

1945
Separation of the districts on the right bank of the Rhine (51 percent of the city area) by the American military administration. Provisional administration of Amöneburg, Kastel, and Kostheim by the city of Wiesbaden.

1946
Mainz becomes the capital of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Reopening of the University of Mainz as Johannes Gutenberg University.

1950
The state parliament decides to move the state government and the state parliament from Koblenz to Mainz.

1962
Mainz becomes the headquarters of Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF). Founding of the Mainz-Lerchenberg district (anniversary settlement for the 2000th anniversary celebrations).

1969
Drais, Ebersheim, Finthen, Hechtsheim, Laubenheim, and Marienborn are incorporated into the city.

1975
1000 years of Mainz's St. Martin's Cathedral.

1977
500 years of Mainz University.

1981 Eleven Roman ships (remnants of the
late antique Mainz Rhine fleet) are found.

1990
1000 years of St. Stephan's Church.

1994
Opening: Museum of Ancient Shipping (Roman Ship Museum).

1995
Theodor Heuss Bridge (completion of renovation work).

1998
Catholic Day in Mainz.

2000
Mainz celebrates the 600th birthday of Johannes Gutenberg.

2001
Archaeologists find important Roman remains during the construction of the Römerpassage: the sanctuary of Isis and Mater Magna.

2004
Promotion of 1. FSV Mainz 05 to the first Bundesliga.

Opening of the Carnival Museum.

2005
200th anniversary of the city library.

2008
Inclusion in the global network of "Great Wine Capitals."

2009
Mainz is one of 10 nationwide meeting places in the Science Year 2009: motto "Time Travel." 1. FSV Mainz 05 is promoted to the Bundesliga again

.

2010
Mainz wins the title "City of Science 2011" from the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft (Donors' Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany).

Recognition as a "place of diversity" by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.

2011
Theme year "City of Science 2011."

2014
Mainz is named "Most Publicly Effective Reading Capital" in a competition organized by the Reading Foundation, "ZEIT" magazine, and the Deutsche Bahn Foundation.