20s

Roman Empire

• Galba, the future emperor, is a Roman praetor.
• Emperor Tiberius is forced to order an investigation and a public trial in the Roman Senate, for the murder of Germanicus. Fearing he will be found guilty, Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso commits suicide.^[4]

Roman Empire

• The Aedui revolt under Julius Florus and Julius Sacrovir; the revolt is suppressed by Gaius Silius.^[5]
• Emperor Tiberius is a Roman Consul for the fourth time.

• The Romans create a buffer state in the territory of the Quadi, in southern Slovakia.
• Barracks are constructed for the Praetorian Guard, on the Quirinal (located on the Seven Hills of Rome).

Korea

• King Daeso of Dongbuyeo is killed in battle against the armies of Goguryeo, led by its third ruler, King Daemusin.

Art and science

• The manufacture of pens and metal writing tools begins in Rome (approximate date).

Roman Empire

• Drusus Julius Caesar receives the tribunicia potestas (tribunician power).^[6]

Roman Empire

• Greek geographer Strabo publishes Geographica, a work covering the world known to the Romans and Greeks at the time of Emperor Augustus – it is the only such book to survive from the ancient world.^[7]
• Emperor Tiberius' son Drusus Julius Caesar dies.^[8] From that point forward, Tiberius seems to lose interest in the Empire and occupies himself with the pursuit of pleasure.
• Lucius Aelius Sejanus begins to dominate the Roman Senate and Tiberius, after the death of Drusus.^[9]

China

• Liu Xuan, a descendant of the Han dynasty royal family and leader of insurgents against the Xin dynasty, proclaims himself emperor against Wang Mang.^[10]
• July – After being under siege for two months, about 19,000 insurgents under Liu Xiu defeat 450,000 of Wang Mang's troops in the Battle of Kunyang, ushering in the fall of Wang Mang's Xin dynasty and restoration of the Han dynasty.^[11]
• October 6 – Emperor Liu Xuan's forces kill Wang Mang at the end of a three-day siege.

Roman Empire

• June 30 – The terms of Servius Cornelius Cethegus and Lucius Visellius Varro as Roman consuls expire.^[12] During their terms, two laws pertaining to slavery had been passed, the lex Visellia de iure Quiritium Latinorum qui inter vigiles militaverant granting freed slaves Roman citizenship after six years service, and the Lex Visellia de poenis libertinorum qui ingenuorum honores usurpabant which penalized non-citizens who falsely claimed to be ingenui or freeborn Romans.^[13]
• July 1 – Midway through the Roman year 777 A.U.C., Gaius Calpurnius Aviola and Publius Lentulus Scipio begin the new consular year as the new suffect consuls.
• The Roman war against Numidia and Mauretania ends with the annexation of the two African kingdoms.^{[dubious – discuss][citation needed]}
• The revolt of Tacfarinas revolt in Africa is repressed.
• The Senate expels actors from Rome.

Asia

• In the Kingdom of Silla, which compromises most of the eastern Korean peninsula, Yuri of the House of Park becomes the new monarch (the chachaung). King Yuri takes the throne at the capital, Seorabeo (now Gyeongju in South Korea) upon the death of his father, King Namhae.

Korea

• King Yuri ascends to the throne as ruler of Silla (Korea).^[14]

Africa

• The Masinissa line of the rulers of Carthage ends.^{[citation needed]}

Roman Empire

• Emperor Tiberius settles a dispute between Messenia and Sparta over the Ager Dentheliales on Mount Taygetus, awarding the land to Messenia.^[15][16]
• Lucius Aelius Sejanus unsuccessfully attempts to marry Livilla.

China

• August 5 – The Han dynasty is restored in China as Liu Xiu proclaims himself Emperor Guangwu of Han, starting the Jianwu era (until AD 56).
• November 27 – Luoyang becomes the capital of the Houhan or Eastern Han dynasty.^[17]

Roman Empire

• Pontius Pilate is appointed as prefect of Judea.
• Emperor Tiberius retires to Capri, leaving the Praetorian Guard under Lucius Aelius Sejanus in charge of the Roman Empire and the city of Rome.
• Romans crush an uprising of Thracian tribesmen.^[18]

Han dynasty

• Xinlun is presented by author Huan Tan to Emperor Guangwu of Han with its final chapter (on zither music) still unfinished.^[19]

Religion

• Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist and begins his public ministry, according to some scholars.

Roman Empire

• A fire breaks out in Rome.^[20]
• A poorly built amphitheatre in Fidenae collapses, killing 20,000 of the 50,000 spectators.^[21]
• Using the dates and ranges listed in the Gospel of Luke, this year can be established as when John the Baptist begins preaching in the Jordan. It is also likely that Jesus was baptised by John in the final months of this year before his temptation and the first of three Passovers listed in the Gospel of John.
• An Arc of Triumph is erected in Rimini, in honor of the former Emperor Augustus.

Religion

• Possible date of the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist (another possibility is AD 29).

Germania

• Roman legions in Germania are transported by fleet to the fortress of Flevum on the Rhine, to operate against the rebellious Frisians.^[22]
• The Frisians negotiate a treaty with the Roman Empire at the River Rhine.
• Frisians revolt against Roman authorities, hanging tax collectors and besieging a local fort. Frisians achieve victory and gain considerable prestige among other local tribes.

Korea

• King Daru of Baekje succeeds to the throne of Baekje in the Korean peninsula.^[23]

Judea

• According to the Gospel of Luke (Luke 3:1-2), the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus begin at the earliest in this year, and more likely in AD 29.^[24]

Roman Empire

• Agrippina the Elder is exiled to the island of Pandataria, and her sons (except Caligula) are imprisoned by Lucius Aelius Sejanus.
• Aulus Plautius, later military leader of the invasion of Britain under Emperor Claudius, becomes suffect consul alongside Lucius Nonius Asprenas.

Religion

• According to the Gospel of Luke (Luke 3:1-2), the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus is thought to have started this year.^[24] Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist.
• Jesus executed by crucifixion, according to Roman Catholic tradition^[25] and Tertullian's chronology.^[26]