Login
Login

AD 69

{{protection padlock|small=yes}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}

{{Year nav|69}}

{{M1 year in topic}}

File:Roman Empire 69.svg]]

AD 69 (LXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the consulship of Galba and Vinius (or, less frequently, year 822 Ab urbe condita). The denomination AD 69 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Events

= By place =

== Roman Empire ==

  • The Year of the Four Emperors: After Nero's death, Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian succeed each other as emperor during the year.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-27|title=Year of the Four Emperors: A Complete Overview|url=https://www.thecollector.com/year-of-the-four-emperors-overview/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=TheCollector|language=en-US}} The year is marked by numerous instances of a breakdown in discipline and mutinous conduct amongst the Roman legions and the praetorian guard.
  • January 1 – The Roman legions in Germania Superior refuse to swear loyalty to Galba. They rebel and proclaim Vitellius as emperor.{{Cite web|title=Vitellius|url=https://www.worldhistory.org/Vitellius/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=World History Encyclopedia|language=en}}
  • January 10 – Lucius Calpurnius Piso Licinianus is adopted by Galba and appointed to deputy Roman Emperor.{{Cite web|last1=Chilver|first1=Guy Edward Farquhar|last2=Griffin|first2=M. T.|date=2016-03-07|title=Calpurnius Piso Frugi Licinianus, Lucius|url=https://oxfordre.com/classics/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-1313|access-date=2021-03-29|journal=Oxford Classical Dictionary|language=en|doi=10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.1313|isbn=9780199381135}}
  • January 15 – Galba and his adopted son Piso are murdered by the Praetorian Guard on the Roman Forum.{{Cite web|title=Galba {{!}} Roman emperor|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Galba|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}
  • Otho seizes power in Rome, proclaims himself emperor, and reigns for three months before committing suicide.{{Cite web|title=Otho|url=https://www.worldhistory.org/Otho/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=World History Encyclopedia|language=en}}
  • Marcus Trebellius Maximus, governor of Britannia, is forced to flee to Gaul after a mutiny of Legio XX Valeria Victrix at Deva Victrix (Chester).{{cite book | last=Southern | first=P. | title=Roman Britain: A New History 55 BC-AD 450 | publisher=Amberley Publishing | year=2011 | isbn=978-1-4456-0925-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d4aoAwAAQBAJ&pg=PP201 | access-date=2024-08-09 | page=201}}{{cite book | last=de la Bédoyère | first=G. | title=Roman Britain: A New History | publisher=Thames & Hudson | year=2014 | isbn=978-0-500-77184-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3wQ7CwAAQBAJ&pg=PT51 | access-date=2024-08-09 | page=51}}
  • April 14 – First Battle of Bedriacum: Vitellius defeats Otho's legions; Otho commits suicide.
  • April 17 – After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes emperor.
  • Marcus Vettius Bolanus becomes the new governor of Britain and faces a second insurrection of Venutius, king of the Brigantes.{{cite book |last=Tacitus |first=Publius |title=The Histories |publisher=Penguin |page=99 |isbn=978-0-140-44964-8}}
  • July 1 – two legions in Egypt, a legion in Syria, and a legion in Judea declare Vespasian emperor
  • July 1 – Tiberius Julius Alexander orders his legions in Alexandria to swear allegiance to Vespasian as emperor.{{cite book |last=Tacitus |first=Publius |title=The Histories |publisher=Penguin |page=108 |isbn=978-0-140-44964-8}}
  • July 3 – The army of Judea swears allegiance to Vespasian as emperor.
  • August 1 – Batavian rebellion: The Batavians in Germania Inferior (Netherlands) revolt under the leadership of Gaius Julius Civilis.{{Cite web|title=Gaius Julius Civilis {{!}} Roman military officer|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gaius-Julius-Civilis|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}
  • German warbands cross over to join the revolt and attack the fortress at Mainz.
  • The Batavians attack Roman forts on the Rhine frontier; Fectio and Traiectum (modern Utrecht) are destroyed.
  • In Gallia Belgica, cohors II Tungrorum, raised from the inhabitants of Atuatuca Tungrorum in the north-west of the Ardennes Forest, revolt against the Romans.
  • The Danubian legions of Raetia and Moesia proclaim Vespasian as emperor.{{Cite web|title=The Flavian Dynasty {{!}} Boundless World History|url=https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-worldhistory/chapter/the-flavian-dynasty/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=courses.lumenlearning.com}}
  • October 24 – Second Battle of Bedriacum: Flavians under Antonius Primus defeat the Vitellians.
  • December 22 – Vitellius is captured and murdered by the Gemonian stairs. Vespasian becomes emperor.{{Cite web|title=The Assassination of the Emperor Vitellius (Getty Museum)|url=https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/105192/boucicaut-master-or-workshop-the-assassination-of-the-emperor-vitellius-french-about-1413-1415/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=The J. Paul Getty in Los Angeles|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Aulus Vitellius {{!}} Roman emperor|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aulus-Vitellius|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}
  • Judea: The Jewish Revolt – Vespasian lays siege to Jerusalem; the city is captured the following year by his son Titus.{{Cite web|title=Siege of Jerusalem {{!}} Facts & Summary|url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Siege-of-Jerusalem-70|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}
  • Josephus, Jewish rebel leader, is dragged before Vespasian and becomes his historian (he "prophesied" him his elevation to the purple).{{Cite web|title=Flavius Josephus {{!}} Jewish priest, scholar, and historian|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Flavius-Josephus|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}
  • Legio I Macriana liberatrix is disbanded.
  • The Flavian dynasty starts.

Births

  • Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, Roman historian (approximate date){{Cite web|title=Suetonius {{!}} Biography, Lives of the Caesars, & Facts|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Suetonius|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}
  • Polycarpus, bishop and martyr of Smyrna (d. AD 155){{Citation|title=Polycarpus|url=https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Polycarpus|work=The Free Dictionary|access-date=2021-03-29}}

Deaths

References

{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:69}}

0069