Around 38 B.C.
, the Romans reached the Rhine.

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

Around 345 AD
: Christianity arrives in Mainz.

After 400
: Mainz comes under Frankish rule.

745
Boniface (Apostle of the Germans) is appointed Bishop of Mainz. Under his successor, Lul (Lullus), Mainz becomes an archdiocese.

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.

c. 1000–1802
: Mainz is an archdiocese.
The Archbishop of Mainz serves as Archchancellor of the Holy Roman Empire and is the highest-ranking of the seven Electors (in the election of the king).

1184
: Emperor Barbarossa’s imperial festival, the most magnificent festival of the Middle Ages.

13th–15th centuries:
Mainz is a free city.

c. 1440
Johannes Gutenberg invents movable-type printing (Gutenberg Museum).

1452–1455
: Gutenberg prints the Gutenberg Bibles in Mainz.

1462
Loss of the city’s autonomy at the hands of Archbishop Johann von Nassau. Mainz becomes a royal seat without self-government.

1477
: The university is founded.

1792–93
: The Republic of Mainz.

1798–1814
: Mainz is part of France.

1815
Mainz becomes a fortress of the German Confederation.

1826
The Middle Rhine Steamship Company is founded (beginning of tourism).

1837–38
: The beginning of organized Carnival with the Mainz Ranzengarde of 1837 and the Mainz Carnival Association of 1838.

1850–1877
Bishop Ketteler (the “Social Bishop”).

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

1872
Major urban expansion (Mainz Neustadt).

1873
Mainz becomes an imperial fortress.

1885
Construction of the first permanent road bridge since antiquity.

1904
Decommissioning of the inner fortifications.

1907
First annexation (Mombach).

1908
Kastel and Amöneburg are incorporated.

1913
: Kostheim is incorporated.

After 1918
: Demilitarization (removal of all fortifications).

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

1938
: Gonsenheim is incorporated.

World War
II: 80 percent of Mainz (downtown) was destroyed.

1945
Separation of the districts on the right bank of the Rhine (51 percent of the city’s territory) 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). The Mainz-Lerchenberg neighborhood is founded (a commemorative housing development for the 2,000th-anniversary celebration).

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

1975
St. Martin’s Cathedral in Mainz celebrates its 1,000th anniversary.

1977
: The University of Mainz celebrates its 500th anniversary.

1981
Discovery of eleven Roman ships (remains of the late-antique Mainz Rhine fleet).

1990
: 1,000th anniversary of St. Stephen’s Church.

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

1995
Theodor-Heuss Bridge (completion of renovation work).

1998
Catholic Convention in Mainz.

2000
Mainz celebrates the 600th anniversary of Johannes Gutenberg’s birth.

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

2004
1. FSV Mainz 05 is promoted to the Bundesliga.

Opening of the Carnival Museum.

2005
: 200th anniversary of the City Library.

2008
Mainz is inducted into the global network of “Great Wine Capitals.”

2009
Mainz is one of 10 nationwide hubs for the Year of Science 2009: theme “Time Travel.” 1. FSV Mainz 05 is promoted to the Bundesliga once again.

2010
Mainz wins the title “City of Science 2011” from the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft.

Recognized 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 the “Most Publicly Visible Capital of Reading Aloud” in a competition organized by the Stiftung Lesen, *Die Zeit*, and the Deutsche Bahn Foundation.