January 1, 388 BC
Plato established the Academy in Athens in 387 BCE, creating the first organized institution of higher learning in the Western world. Located in a sacred grove of olive trees, it operated continuously for over 900 years until its closure in 529 CE.
September 4, 476
The Western Roman Empire officially ended when Germanic leader Odoacer deposed the last Roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus, marking the end of nearly 1,000 years of Roman dominance over Western Europe.
