0s BC

0s BC is usually considered the last decade of the 1st century BC and the 1st millennium BC. However, like the 0s, the number of years in the 0s BC is not always clearly defined. Note that there is no year zero (0) in either the proleptic Gregorian calendar or Julian calendar. Hence 1 BC is followed by the year AD 1.

AD 1 is the first year of the Anno Domini era and of the Common Era. In 525 (the consulship of Probus Junior [Flavius Probus]), a Christian monk named Dionysius Exiguus stated that the incarnation of Jesus occurred 525 years earlier.^[1] Whether Dionysius regarded "incarnation" as Jesus' birth or conception, and whether Dionysius placed it in 1 BC or AD 1 are debated by modern scholars. Nevertheless, these same scholars believe Jesus was actually born a few years earlier, during this decade.

This article concerns the period 9 BC – 1 BC, the last nine years before the Anno Domini era, not the last ten years.

Events and trends

• 9 BC—Pannonia incorporated in the Roman Empire as part of Illyria.
• 9 BC—The Ara Pacis (Altar of Peace) was dedicated.
• 9 BC—Tiberius continues the conquest of Germany.
• 8 BC—Koblenz (then known as "Ad Confluentes") in modern-day Germany founded (originally as a Roman military post).
• 6 BC—Caesar Augustus sent ferrets (named 'viverrae' by Plinius) to the Balearic Islands to control the rabbit plagues.
• 6 BC—Tiberius sent to Armenia, then retires to Rhodes.
• 6–4 BC—Jesus of Nazareth is born.
• 4 BC—Archelaus becomes ethnarch of Judea. Herod Antipas becomes tetrarch of Galilee and Perea.
• 2 BC—Julia the Elder, daughter of Augustus and Scribonia is exiled on charges of treason and adultery to Pandateria; her mother Scribonia accompanies her.
• 2 BC—Caesar Augustus was proclaimed Pater Patriae by the Roman Senate.^[2]
• 1 BC—Modern city of Alcalá de Henares founded in modern-day Spain.
• 1 BC—Ovid writes the Ars Amatoria.
• Unknown Date—Mithradatkirt, the Parthian capital, is totally destroyed by an earthquake.

Significant people

• Tigranes IV, King of Armenia, r. 12–1 BC
• Erato, Queen of Armenia, 8–5 BC, 2 BC – 2 AD, 6–11
• Artavasdes III, King of Armenia, r. 5–2 BC
• Ariobarzan of Atropatene, Client King of Armenia, r. 1 BC – 2 AD
• Chend Di, Emperor of Han Dynasty China, r. 32–7 BC
• Ai Di, Emperor of Han Dynasty China, r. 7–1 BC
• Ping Di, Emperor of Han Dynasty China, r. 1 BC – 5 AD
• Wang Mang, Chinese statesman and future emperor of China
• Dong Xian, Han Dynasty Chinese official under Emperor Ai of Han
• Antiochus III, King of Commagene, r. 12 BC – 17 AD
• Arminius, Germanic war chief (18 BC/17 BC – AD 21)
• Lugaid Riab nDerg, Legendary High King of Ireland, r. 33–9 BC
• Conchobar Abradruad, Legendary High King of Ireland, r. 9–8 BC
• Crimthann Nia Náir, Legendary High King of Ireland, r. (8 BC – 9 AD)
• Strato II and Strato III, co-kings of the Indo-Greek Kingdom, r. 25 BC – 10 AD
• Suinin, Legendary Emperor of Japan, r. 29 BC – 70 AD
• Amanishakheto, King of Kush, r. 10–1 BC
• Natakamani, King of Kush, r. 1 BC – AD 20
• Phraates IV, king of the Parthian Empire, r. 38–2 BC
• Phraates V, king of the Parthian Empire, r. 2 BC – 4 AD
• Musa of Parthia, mother and co-ruler with Phraates V, r. 2 BC – 4 AD
• Caesar Augustus, Roman Emperor (27 BC – AD 14)
• Nero Claudius Drusus, Roman Consul, in office 9 BC
• Gaius Caesar, Roman general
• Livy, Roman historian
• Ovid, Roman poet
• Quirinius, Roman nobleman and politician
• Tiberius, Roman general, statesman, and future emperor.
• Herod the Great, Client king of Judea
• Hillel the Elder, Jewish scholar and Nasi of the Sanhedrin, in office c. 31 BC–9 AD
• Shammai, Jewish scholar and Av Beit Din of the Sanhedrin, in office 20 BC-20 AD
• Hyeokgeose, King of Silla, r. 57 BC-4 AD

Births

Albrecht Altdorfer's painting the Adoration of the Magi (made ca. 1530) is one of several works of art concerning the Navity of Jesus. Though Jesus's exact birthdate is unknown (other than it would have occurred sometime during this decade), but what is certain is that his teachings would form the foundation of Christianity, which is today a major world religion with a following of around a third of the world's Population^[3]

• 9 BC—Emperor Ping of Han (d. 6)
• 9 BC—Asconius Pedianus, Roman grammarian and historian
• 8 BC—Empress Wang (d. 23)
• 5 BC—Guangwu, Emperor of China (d. 57)
• 4 BC—Herod Philip II, tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis
• 3 BC—Seneca the Younger, Roman statesman (d. AD 65)
• 3 BC—Servius Sulpicius Galba, Roman general and emperor (d. AD 69)
• 1 BC—Ptolemy of Mauretania, client king of Mauretania (d. AD 40)
• 1 BC—St. Matthew, Figure of early Christianity, specifically an Apostle
• Date Unknown—John the Baptist, Jewish religious teacher
• Date Unknown—Jesus, Jewish teacher and central figure of Christianity (6 BC? – AD 30)

Deaths

• 9 BC—Nero Claudius Drusus, Roman statesman and military commander
• 8 BC—Horace, Roman poet (b. 65 BC)
• 8 BC—Gaius Maecenas, Roman politician and patron of the arts (b. 70 BC)
• 8 BC—Empress Xu
• 8 BC—Liu Xiang, Chinese scholar
• 8 BC—Polemon, client king of Cilicia, Pontus, Colchis and the Bosporan Kingdom.
• 7 BC—Emperor Cheng of Han (b. 51 BC)
• 7 BC—Consort Zhao Hede
• 7 BC—Aristobulus IV, Judean Prince (son of Herod the Great)
• 7 BC—Geumwa, king of Dongbuyeo (located on the Korean Peninsula)
• 6 BC—Consort Ban, Chinese concubine of Emperor Cheng of Han, also a female poet and scholar (born 48 BC)
• 6 BC—Consort Feng Yuan (b. c. 48 BC)
• 5 BC—Curia, Wife and loyal supporter of Quintus Lucretius Vespillo
• 4 BC—Antipater, Judean prince (son of Herod the Great)
• 4 BC—Herod the Great, client king of Judea (b. 73 BC)
• 4 BC—Marcus Tullius Tiro, freedman of Cicero
• 3 BC—Imperial consort Fu of the Chinese Han Dynasty
• 2 BC—Jullus Antonius, Roman Consul
• 2 BC—Phraates IV, King of Parthia
• 1 BC—Dong Xian, Han Dynasty Chinese official under Emperor Ai of Han (b. 23 BC)
• 1 BC—Emperor Ai of Han (b. 27 BC)
• 1 BC—Empress Fu
• 1 BC—Empress Zhao Feiyan (b. 32 BC)

References