70s

Note: Sometimes the '70s is used as shorthand for the 1970s, the 1870s, or other such decades in other centuries – see List of decades

This is a list of events occurring in the 70s, ordered by year.

70

By place

Roman Empire

• Emperor Vespasian and his son Caesar Vespasian (the future emperor Titus) become Roman Consuls.
• Panic strikes Rome as adverse winds delay grain shipments from Africa and Egypt, producing a bread shortage. Ships laden with wheat from North Africa sail 300 miles to Rome's port of Ostia in 3 days, and the 1,000 mile voyage from Alexandria averages 13 days. The vessels often carry 1,000 tons each to provide the city with 8,000 tons per week it normally consumes.
• Sextus Julius Frontinus is praetor of Rome. Legio II Adiutrix is created from marines of Classis Ravennatis.
• Pliny the Elder serves as procurator in Gallia Narbonensis.
• 14th of Xanthicos^[1] (14th of Nisan, about April 14) – Siege of Jerusalem: Titus surrounds the Jewish capital, with three legions (V Macedonica, XII Fulminata and XV Apollinaris) on the western side and a fourth (X Fretensis) on the Mount of Olives to the east. He puts pressure on the food and water supplies of the inhabitants by allowing pilgrims to enter the city to celebrate Passover and then refusing them egress.
• About April 21 – Titus opens a full-scale assault on Jerusalem, concentrating his attack on the city's Third Wall (HaHoma HaShlishit) to the northwest. The Roman army begins trying to breach the wall using testudos, mantlets, siege towers, and battering rams.
• 7th of Artemisios^[2](7th of Iyar, about May 6) – The Third Wall of Jerusalem collapses and the Jews withdraw from Bezetha to the Second Wall, where the defences are unorganized.
• 12th of Artemisios^[3] (12th of Iyar, about May 11) – Titus and his Roman legions breach the Second Wall of Jerusalem. The Jewish defenders retreat to the First Wall. The Romans start building a circumvallation, all trees within 90 stadia (ca. fifteen kilometres) of the city are cut down.
• 21st of Artemisios (about May 20 or 21) – A "certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon", "chariots and troops" seen running in the clouds around Jerusalem^[4]
• Pentecost (Shavuot, 6th of Sivan, about June 4) – Priests in Temple in Jerusalem feel a quaking and hear "a sound as of a great multitude saying, Let us remove hence".^[4]
• 17th of Panemos (17th of Tammuz), about July 14) – Sacrifices cease in the temple.^[5]
• 24th of Panemos^[6] (about July 20) – Romans set fire to cloister after capture of the Fortress of Antonia north of the Temple Mount. The Romans are drawn into street fighting with the Zealots.
• 10th of Loios^[7] (9th or 10th of Ab, about August 4) – Titus destroys the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Roman troops are stationed in Jerusalem and abolish the Jewish high priesthood and Sanhedrin. This becomes known as the Fall of Jerusalem, a conclusive event in the First Jewish-Roman War (the Jewish Revolt), which began in 66 AD. Following this event, the Jewish religious leadership moves from Jerusalem to Jamnia (present day Yavne), and this date is mourned annually as the Jewish fast of Tisha B'Av.
• August – Titus lays siege to the Upper City of Jerusalem.
• 8th of Gorpiaios (8th of Elul, about September 2) – Romans gain control of all of Jerusalem and proceed to burn it and kill its remaining residents, except for some who are taken captive to be killed later or made slaves.^[8]
• Neapolis (present day Nablus) is founded in Iudaea Province.
• Naval clashes on the Rhine during the Batavian Revolt; crew of a captured Roman flagship is imprisoned at Augusta Treverorum (modern Trier).
• Roman legions V Alaudae and XV Primigenia are destroyed by the Batavi. Later, Quintus Petillius Cerialis puts down the Batavian rebellion of Gaius Julius Civilis.
• Vespasian disbanded four Rhine legions (I Germanica, IIII Macedonica, XV Primigenia and XVI Gallica), disgraced for having surrendered or lost their eagles during the revolt of Julius Civilis.
• Later Roman Emperor Domitian marries Domitia Longina.
• Romans make a punitive expedition against the Garamantes – they are forced to have an official relationship with the Roman Empire.
• Annexation of the island of Samothrace by the Empire under Vespasian.

Asia

• India sees the end of the Hellenistic dynasties.

Africa

• Expedition by the Roman Septimius Flaccus to southern Egypt. He probably reaches Sudan.
• Ze-Hakèlé (Zoscales in Greek) becomes king of Aksum.

By topic

Religion

• Members of The Oneida Community, a now non-existent religious group formed in the Nineteenth Century, believed this was the year Jesus Christ returned.

71

By place

Roman Empire

• The Romans establish a fortress at York (Eboracum), as a base for their northern forces. Initially established solely for Legio IX Hispana, expansion later includes public housing, baths and temples.
• Battle of Stanwick: Quintus Petillius Cerialis, governor of Britain, puts down a revolt by the Brigantes.
• Emperor Vespasian and Marcus Cocceius Nerva are Roman Consuls.
• Cerialis defeats Claudius Civilis at the Battle of Treves, thus quelling the Batavian rebellion.
• Titus is awarded with a triumph, accompanied by Vespasian and his brother Titus Flavius Domitian. In the parade are Jewish prisoners and treasures of the Temple of Jerusalem, including the Menorah and the Pentateuch. The leader of the Zealots, Simon Bar Giora, is lashed and strangled in the Forum.
• Titus is made praetorian prefect of the Praetorian Guard and receives pro-consular command and also tribunician power, all of which indicates that Vespasian will follow the hereditary tradition of succession.
• Herodium, Jewish fortress south of Jerusalem, is conquered and destroyed by Legio X Fretensis on their way to Masada.

Asia

• Reign of Rabel II, king of Nabataea. He makes Bostra, Syria, his second capital.

By topic

Arts and sciences

• Use of locks with keys of clever design begins in Rome.

Religion

• Mithraism begins to spread throughout the Roman Empire.

72

By place

Roman Empire

• Antiochus IV of Syria is deposed by emperor Vespasian.
• Vespasian and Titus are Roman Consuls.
• First Jewish-Roman War: The Roman army (Legio X Fretensis) under Lucilius Bassus lay siege to the Jewish garrison of Machaerus at the Dead Sea. After they capitulate the Zealots are allowed to leave the fortress, before it is destroyed.
• The Romans lay siege to Masada, a desert fortress held by Jewish victims of the Sicarii.
• Foundation of Flavia Neapolis (Nablus).
• Vespasian starts the building of the Colosseum; the amphitheatre is used for gladiatorial games and public spectacles, such as sea battles, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas of Classical mythology.

73

By place

Roman Empire

• Spring – The Roman governor Lucius Flavius Silva lays siege to Masada, the last outpost of the Jewish rebels following the end in 70 of the First Jewish-Roman War (Jewish Revolt). The Roman army (Legio X Fretensis) surrounds the mountain fortress with a 7-mile long siege wall (circumvallation) and built a rampart of stones and beaten earth against the western approach. After the citadel is conquered, 960 Zealots under the leadership of Eleazar ben Ya'ir commit mass suicide when defeat becomes imminent.
• Pliny the Elder serves as procurator in Hispania Tarraconensis.
• Titus Flavius Domitianus becomes Roman Consul.
• Emperor Vespasian begins conquest of territory east of the upper Rhine and south of the Main. In addition, he reorganizes the defenses of the upper and lower Danube.

Asia

• February – The Chinese Han Dynasty launches a major campaign against the Xiongnu, whom they confront in the Battle of Yiwulu in the Kumul oasis, an ultimate Han military victory led by General Dou Gu (d. 88).
• Ban Chao (Pan-Ch’ao), competing with the Xiongnu, imposes a Chinese protectorate on the kings of Lop Nor and Khotan in the Tarim basin, with the aim of controlling the Silk Road.

By topic

Arts and sciences

• Martial writes a satire on "military cowardice".

74

By place

Roman Empire

• Emperor Vespasianus and his son Titus Caesar Vespasianus become Roman Consul.
• The Black Forest region is reattached to the Roman Empire.

Asia

• The Chinese reestablish a protectorate of the Western Regions.
• Chinese generals Dou Gu (Teou Kou) and Geng Bing (Keng Ping) take control of Turpan.

By topic

Arts and sciences

• Mesopotamia: The last known cuneiform text is written.

75

By place

Roman Empire

• Emperor Vespasianus and his son Titus Caesar Vespasianus become Roman Consul.
• Temple of Peace, also known as the Forum of Vespasian, is built in Rome. The temple celebrates the conquest of Jerusalem (in 70) and houses the Menorah from Herod's Temple.
• Vespasian fortified Armazi (Georgia) for the Iberian king Mithridates I. The Alans raid the Roman frontier in Armenia.
• Sextus Julius Frontinus becomes governor of Britannia and make his headquarters in Isca Augusta (Wales).
• Frontinus begins his conquest of Wales, Legio II Augusta is moved to the border of the River Usk.
• Caerwent is founded by the Romans as the market town of Venta Silurum, a settlement of the Silures.

Asia

• Accession of Han Zhangdi.
• Revolt against the Chinese in Tarim: Cachera and Turpan are besieged. Luoyang orders the evacuation of Tarim. Ban Chao makes the rebels retreat towards Khotan. At the same time, the Chinese army of Ganzhou reconquers Turpan in Northern Xiongnu. Ban Chao convinces the emperor of the need to control Central Asia in the fight against Xiongnu.

76

By place

Roman Empire

• Emperor Vespasianus Augustus and Titus Caesar Vespasianus become Roman Consul.
• Governor Sextus Julius Frontinus subdues the Silures and other hostile tribes of Wales, establishing a fortress at Caerleon or Isca Augusta for Legio II Augusta and makes a network of smaller forts for his auxiliary forces.

China

• First year of Jianchu era of the Chinese Han Dynasty.

By topic

Arts and sciences

• Chinese historian Ban Gu develops a theory of the origins of the universe.

Religion

• Pope Anacletus I succeeds Pope Linus as the third pope (according to the official Vatican list).

77

By place

Roman Empire

• Gnaeus Julius Agricola is named governor of Britannia, a post he occupies until 84. He extends the Roman influence to the mouth of the River Clyde (Scotland) and built fortifications.
• Agricola subdues the Ordovices in Wales and pursues the remnants of the tribe to Anglesey, the holy island of the Druids.
• The Caledonian tribes in Scotland are formed in a confederacy of 30,000 warriors under the leadership of Calgacus.
• A Roman squadron, sent by Agricola, explores the north of Scotland for the first time, discovering the Orkney and Shetland Islands.
• Winter – Agricola conquers Anglesey and disperses his army to their winter quarters.

Asia

• King Giru of Baekje succeeds to the throne of Baekje in the Korean peninsula.

By topic

Arts and sciences

• Pliny the Elder publishes the first ten books of Naturalis Historia.
• The Romans develop a simple method of distillation.

78

By place

Roman Empire

• Romans conquer the Ordovices, located in present-day northern Wales, as well as the Silures.
• Gnaeus Julius Agricola replaces Sextus Julius Frontinus as governor of Roman Britain which leads to the eventual taming of the Welsh tribes of Britain.

Asia

• Indian Prince Aji Caka introduces the Sanskrit language and Pallawa script, used to inscribe Javanese words and phrases, to the Indonesian islands.
• Emperor Kadphises of the Kushan Empire sends a delegation to Rome for seeking support against the Parthians.
• This is the base year (year zero) of the Saka era used by some Hindu calendars, the Indian national calendar, and the Cambodian Buddhist calendar. It begins near the vernal equinox for the civil solar calendar, but begins opposite the star Spica for the traditional solar calendar.
• Kanishka reigns over the Tocharian Empire of Kusana (Afghanistan and Northern India). He is a renowned conqueror and wise administrator.
• Pacorus II is king of Parthia (78–115).

By topic

Philosophy

• The philosopher Wang Chong (Wang-Tchoung) claims all phenomena have material causes.

79

By place

Roman Empire

• Vespasianus Augustus and Titus Caesar Vespasianus become Roman Consul.
• June 23 – Vespasian dies of fever from diarrhea, his last words on his deathbed are: "I think I'm turning into a god." Titus succeeds his father as Roman emperor.
• August 24 – Mount Vesuvius erupts, destroying Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae and Oplontis. The Roman fleet based at Misenum, commanded by Pliny the Elder, evacuates refugees but he dies after inhaling volcanic fumes.
• Emperor Titus dedicates the famous Roman Colosseum.
• Chester is founded as a castrum or Roman fort with the name Deva Victrix. The fortress is built by Legio II Adiutrix and contains barracks, granaries, military baths and headquarters.
• Gnaeus Julius Agricola enters Caledonia (modern Scotland) but is resisted by the Caledonians.
• Agricola founds Mamucium, a frontier fort and settlement in the North West of England. This was the first Manchester, a distance to the east of Chester.
• To please the Senate, Titus exiles his Jewish mistress, Berenice of Cilicia.

China

• A commission of scholars canonizes the text of works of Confucius and his school.

Significant people

• Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Roman Emperor (Vespasian, 69—79)
• Titus Flavius Vespasianus, Roman Emperor (Titus, 79—81)

References