190s

The 190s decade ran from January 1, 190, to December 31, 199.

Events

190

By place

Roman Empire

A part of Rome burns; Emperor Commodus orders the city to be rebuilt, under the name Colonia Commodiana.
In his rise to power, Lucius Septimias Severus is appointed as a Roman Council^[1] (later becoming emperor during the year of the 5 emperors)
A Roman road crosses the Alps, by the Simplon Pass.

China

First year of the Chuping era of the Chinese Han Dynasty.
The Campaign against Dong Zhuo begins. During the Battle of Xingyang, Cao Cao's army is defeated by Dong Zhuo.
Luoyang is burned and plundered by the forces of Dong Zhuo. The court is moved to Chang'an.

Parthia

Osroes II, controlling Media, claims the throne of the Parthian Empire. King Vologases IV of Parthia puts down the rebellion and restores order.

By topic

Art and Science

Cleomedes teaches that the moon does not glow on its own, but rather reflects sunlight.

Economic

Egypt (under Roman rule) is impoverished due to an inflation rate of 100% during the previous decade.
The percentage of silver in the Egyptian denarius is lowered from 90% to 70%.

191

By place

Parthia

King Vologases IV of Parthia dies after a 44-year reign, and is succeeded by his son Vologases V.

China

A coalition of Chinese warlords from the east of Hangu Pass launches a punitive campaign against the warlord Dong Zhuo, who seized control of the central government in 189, and held the figurehead Emperor Xian hostage. After suffering some defeats against the coalition forces, Dong Zhuo forcefully relocates the imperial capital from Luoyang to Chang'an. Before leaving, Dong Zhuo orders his troops to loot the tombs of the Han emperors, and then destroy Luoyang by fire, to leave behind nothing for the coalition.
Battle of Jieqiao: Yuan Shao narrowly defeats Gongsun Zan, in northern China.

By topic

Art

c. 191–192 – The sculpture of Commodus as Hercules, from Esquiline Hill, Rome, is made (it is now kept at Palazzo dei Conservatori, Rome).

Religion

Serapion becomes Patriarch of Antioch.

192

By place

Roman Empire

December 31 – Emperor Commodus alarms the Senate, by appearing dressed as a gladiator for his new consulship on January 1. His mistress Marcia finds her name on the imperial execution list, and hires champion wrestler Narcissus to assassinate Commodus; the Antonines Dynasty ends.
Civil war again strikes Ancient Rome (192–193).

China

May 22 – Lü Bu assassinates warlord Dong Zhuo, who has controlled the central government of the Han Dynasty (since 189).

Vietnam

The kingdom of Champa begins to control south and central Vietnam (approximate date).

By topic

Arts and Science

A fire destroys Galen's library.^[2]

Religion

Syriac Christians establish an early Christian community in Kerala, India.

193

By place

Roman Empire

January 1 – Year of the Five Emperors: The Roman Senate chooses Publius Helvius Pertinax, against his will, to succeed the late Commodus as Emperor. Pertinax is forced to reorganize the handling of finances, which were wrecked under Commodus, to reestablish discipline in the Roman army, and to suspend the food programs established by Trajan, provoking the ire of the Praetorian Guard.
March 28 – Pertinax is assassinated by members of the Praetorian Guard, who storm the imperial palace. The Empire is auctioned off; Marcus Didius Julianus the highest bidder, offers 300 million sesterces for the throne. Roman governors Clodius Albinus (Britannia) and Pescennius Niger (Syria) claim, with support of their troops, the imperial throne.
April 14 – Lucius Septimius Severus is proclaimed Emperor by his troops at Carnuntum, in Pannonia Superior (Balkans). He marches with his army to Rome.
June 1 – Septimius Severus enters the capital, and has Julianus put to death. He replaces the Praetorian Guard with a 15,000-man force from the Danubian legions, and gains control of the Roman Empire, beginning the Severan dynasty.
Battle of Cyzicus and Battle of Nicaea (Asia Minor): Septimius Severus defeats the army under Pescennius.
In Britain, Clodius Albinus allies with Septimius Severus, and accepts the title of Caesar. British tribes take advantage of the disorder in the Empire, and damage Hadrian's Wall. Extensive repairs to the defence work is carried out by the legionaries.
Counterfeiting workshops begin to appear throughout the Roman Empire.
The Council of Rome, the pre-ecumenical council

China

Last (4th) year of Chuping era of the Chinese Han dynasty.
Cao Cao's invasion of Xu Province: Cao Cao invades Tao Qian's Xu Province, holding him responsible for the death of Cao Song.

By topic

Commerce

The silver content of the Roman denarius falls to 50 percent under emperor Septimius Severus, down from 68 percent under Marcus Aurelius.

194

By place

Roman Empire

Decimus Clodius Septimius Albinus Caesar became a Roman Consul.
Battle of Issus: Septimius Severus marches with his army (12 legions) to Cilicia, and defeats Pescennius Niger, Roman governor of Syria.^[3] Pescennius retreats to Antioch, and is executed by Severus' troops.
Septimius Severus besieges Byzantium (194–196); the city walls suffer extensive damage.

Asia

Battle of Yan Province: Warlords Cao Cao and Lü Bu fight for control over Yan Province; the battle lasts for over 100 days.
First year of the Xingping era during the Han Dynasty in China.

By topic

Art and Science

Galen writes his manual on pathology, The Art of Curing (approximate date).

Religion

Irenaeus declares Gnostic doctrines to be heretical (approximate date).

195

By place

Roman Empire

Emperor Septimius Severus has the Roman Senate deify the previous emperor Commodus, in an attempt to gain favor with the family of Marcus Aurelius.^[4]
King Vologases V and other eastern princes support the claims of Pescennius Niger. The Roman province of Mesopotamia rises in revolt with Parthian support. Severus marches to Mesopotamia to battle the Parthians.
The Roman province of Syria is divided and the role of Antioch is diminished. The Romans annex the Syrian cities of Edessa and Nisibis. Severus re-establishes his headquarters and the colonies there.
Lucius Septimius Bassianus (or Caracalla), age 7, changes his name to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, to solidify connections with the family of Marcus Aurelius, and is given the title Caesar.
Clodius Albinus, who had been proclaimed emperor in Britain, crosses into Gaul with his legions, while at the same time recruiting new soldiers. He is soon the head of an army of 150,000 men, according to Cassius Dio. Severus, still in Mesopotamia, hastily returns to Rome.
The denarius is devalued by Severus. The coin now contains only 50% precious metal.

China

In China, the Xiongnu federation crosses the Great Wall and establishes itself in Shanxi Province.
Last (2nd) year of the Xingping era during the Han Dynasty.

196

By place

Roman Empire

Emperor Septimius Severus attempts to assassinate Clodius Albinus but fails, causing Albinus to retaliate militarily.
Emperor Septimius Severus captures and sacks Byzantium; the city is rebuilt and regains its previous prosperity.^[5]^[6]
In order to assure the support of the Roman legion in Germany on his march to Rome, Clodius Albinus is declared Augustus by his army while crossing Gaul.
Hadrian's wall in Britain is partially destroyed.

China

First year of the Jian'an Era, during the reign of the Xian Emperor of the Han.
The Xian Emperor returns to war-ravaged Luoyang and seeks the protection of warlord Cao Cao. He is advised to move the capital to Xuchang; the emperor becomes a pawn in the hands of the Chinese warlords.

Korea

Naehae becomes king of Silla.^[7]

197

By place

Roman Empire

February 19 – Battle of Lugdunum: Emperor Septimius Severus defeats the self-proclaimed emperor Clodius Albinus at Lugdunum (modern Lyon). Albinus commits suicide; legionaries sack the town.
Septimius Severus returns to Rome and has about 30 of Albinus's supporters in the Senate executed. After his victory he declares himself the adopted son of the late Marcus Aurelius.
Septimius Severus forms new naval units, manning all the triremes in Italy with heavily armed troops for war in the East. His soldiers embark on an artificial canal between the Tigris and Euphrates.
Legio I, II, and III Parthica are levied by Septimius Severus for his Parthian campaign.
The Roman army marches east to repel a Parthian invasion of Mesopotamia; they loot the royal palace at Ctesiphon and capture an enormous number of its inhabitants as slaves.
Septimius Severus reconstitutes the Province of Mesopotamia under an equestrian governor commanding two legions.
Septimius Severus, who had spared the Senate at the beginning of his reign, now excludes it from controlling the Roman empire by declaring a military dictatorship.

Asia

Battle of Wancheng: Zhang Xiu launches a surprise attack at Cao Cao.
Yuan Shu declares himself emperor of the short-lived Zhong dynasty.
Sansang becomes ruler of the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo.^[8]

By topic

Art and Science

Galen's major work on medicines, Pharmacologia, is published.

Religion

A Christian council is held in Edessa.

198

By place

Roman Empire

January 28
- Publius Septimius Geta, son of Septimius Severus, receives the title of Caesar.^[9]
- Caracalla, son of Septimius Severus, is given the title of Augustus.^[10]

China

Winter – Battle of Xiapi: The allied armies led by Cao Cao and Liu Bei defeat Lü Bu; afterward Cao Cao has him executed.^[11]

By topic

Religion

Marcus I succeeds Olympianus as Patriarch of Constantinople (until 211).

199

By place

Roman Empire

Mesopotamia is partitioned into two Roman provinces divided by the Euphrates, Mesopotamia and Osroene.^[12]
Emperor Septimius Severus lays siege to the city-state Hatra in Central-Mesopotamia, but fails to capture the city despite breaching the walls.^[13]^[14]
Two new legions, I Parthica and III Parthica, are formed as a permanent garrison.^[15]

China

Battle of Yijing: Chinese warlord Yuan Shao defeats Gongsun Zan.

Korea

Geodeung succeeds Suro of Geumgwan Gaya, as king of the Korean kingdom of Gaya (traditional date).

By topic

Religion

Pope Zephyrinus succeeds Pope Victor I, as the 15th pope.^[16]

Significant people

Septimius Severus, Roman Emperor

Births

190

Gaius Furius Sabinius Aquila Timesitheus, Roman praetorian prefect (d. 243)
Liu Yin (or Xiuran), Chinese general of the Shu Han state (d. 269)
Ma Su, Chinese general and strategist of the Shu Han state (d. 228)
Quintus Egnatius Proculus, Roman politician (approximate date)
Wang Ji (or Boyu), Chinese general of the Cao Wei state (d. 261)

191

Xin Xianying, Chinese noblewoman and advisor (d. 269).^[17]

192

Cao Zhi (or King Chen), Chinese prince and poet (d. 232)
Gordian II, Roman emperor (Year of the Six Emperors) (d. 238)

193

Luo Tong, Chinese official of the Eastern Wu state (d. 228)
Zhang Wen, Chinese official of the Eastern Wu state (d. 230)

194

Sun Huan (or Jiming), Chinese general (d. 234)
Zhu Ju, Chinese official and general (d. 250)

195

Cao Biao (or Zhuhu), Chinese imperial prince (d. 251)
Gong Lu (or Dexu), Chinese official and politician (d. 225)
He Yan (or Pingshu), Chinese official and philosopher (d. 249)
Wang Su, Chinese official and Confucian scholar (d. 256)

196

Cao Chong, son of Cao Cao (d. 208)

197

Cao, Chinese empress of the Han Dynasty (d. 260)
Deng Ai, Chinese general of the Cao Wei state (d. 264)

198

Lu Kai, Chinese official and general (d. 269)^[18]
Quan Cong, Chinese general and advisor (d. 249)

Deaths

190

March 6 – Liu Bian, Chinese emperor (poisoned by Dong Zhuo) (b. 176)
Athenagoras of Athens, Greek Christian apologist (b. 133)
Julius of Rome, Roman politician (murdered by Commodus)
Marcus Aurelius Cleander, Roman praetorian prefect
Xun Shuang, Chinese politician and writer (b. 128)^[19]
Zhou Bi, Chinese official (executed by Dong Zhuo)
Emperor Seimu of Japan, according to legend.

191

Bruttia Crispina, Roman empress (executed) (b. 164)
Han Fu, Chinese governor and warlord
Hua Xiong, Chinese general (executed)
Qiao Mao, Chinese official and warlord
Sun Jian, Chinese general and warlord (b. 155)
Vologases IV, king of the Parthian Empire
Zhang Wen, Chinese official and general

192

May 22 – Dong Zhuo, Chinese general and warlord (d. 134)
December 31 – Commodus, Roman emperor (b. 161)
Annia Fundania Faustina, Roman noblewoman
Bao Xin, Chinese general and warlord (b. 152)
Cai Yong, Chinese official and calligrapher (b. 132)
Liu Dai, Chinese official, general and politician
Lu Zhi, Chinese scholar and general (b. 159)
Wang Yun, Chinese official and politician (b. 137)
Yuan Yi, Chinese official and warlord
Zhang Zhi, Chinese scholar and calligrapher

193

March 28 – Pertinax, Roman emperor (assassinated) (b. 126)^[20]
June 1 – Didius Julianus, Roman emperor (assassinated)
Adrianus (or Hadrian), Greek sophist, philosopher and writer
Cao Song (or Jugao), Chinese official and father of Cao Cao
Liu Yu (or Bo'an), Chinese nobleman, official and warlord
Tiberius Claudius Pompeianus, Roman general and politician

194

Liu Yan, Chinese warlord and governor
Ma Midi, Chinese official and politician
Pescennius Niger, Roman usurper (b. 140)
Tao Qian, Chinese warlord and governor (b. 132)

195

Fan Chou, Chinese general and politician
Huangfu Song (or Yizhen), Chinese general
Liu Yao, Chinese warlord and governor (b. 157)
Lu Kang (or Jining), Chinese politician (b. 126)
Xu Shao (or Zijiang), Chinese official (b. 150)
Ze Rong, Chinese warlord and Buddhist leader
Zhang Miao, Chinese warlord and official
Zhu Jun, Chinese general and official

196

Beolhyu, Korean ruler of Silla^[7]
Cao Bao, Chinese general and governor
Chizhi Shizhu Hou, Chinese puppet ruler (b. 150)
Zhou Xin, Chinese official and politician

197

February 19 – Clodius Albinus, Roman general and usurper
Cao Ang (or Zixiu), eldest son of Cao Cao (b. 177)
Dian Wei, Chinese general serving under Cao Cao
Gaius Julius Erucius Clarus Vibianus, Roman politician
Gogukcheon of Goguryeo, Korean ruler of Goguryeo
Guo Si (or Guo Duo), Chinese general and regent
Li Jue, Chinese general serving under Dong Zhuo
Liu Chong, Chinese nobleman and Prince of Chen
Titus Flavius Claudius Sulpicianus, Roman statesman
Yang Feng, Chinese general serving under Li Jue

198

Li Jue, Chinese warlord and regent
Liu Yao, Chinese governor and warlord (b. 157)
Mi Heng, Chinese musician and writer (b. 173)
Zhang Yang, Chinese official and warlord

199

February 7
- Gao Shun, Chinese general and advisor
- Lü Bu, Chinese general and warlord
Chen Ji, Chinese official, scholar and politician
Gongsun Zan, Chinese general and warlord^[21]
Qin Yilu (or Qin Yi), Chinese general
Suro of Geumgwan Gaya, Korean ruler
Tian Kai, Chinese official and general
Yuan Shu, Chinese general and warlord^[22]

References

^ "Hadrian's Wall: Septimius Severus". English Heritage. Retrieved 2024-01-07.
^ Nicholls, Matthew C. (2011). "Galen and Libraries in the Peri Alupias". The Journal of Roman Studies. 101: 123–142. ISSN 0075-4358.
^ Potter, David Stone (2004). The Roman Empire at bay, AD 180-395. Routledge history of the ancient world. London: Routledge. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-415-10058-8.
^ Freisenbruch, Annelise (2010). Caesars' wives: sex, power, and politics in the Roman Empire (1st Free Press hardcover ed.). New York: Free Press. p. 187. ISBN 978-1-4165-8357-8.
^ Jacobs, David (2015). Istanbul: A History. New Word City. p. 24. ISBN 9781612309262.
^ "Istanbul | History, Points of Interest, & Map". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
^ ^a ^b "List of Rulers of Korea". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
^ "List of Rulers of Korea". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
^ William Tabbernee; Peter Lampe (25 September 2008). Pepouza and Tymion: The Discovery and Archaeological Exploration of a Lost Ancient City and an Imperial Estate. Walter de Gruyter. p. 66. ISBN 978-3-11-020859-7.
^ Varner, Eric (1 June 2004). Mutilation and Transformation: Damnatio Memoriae and Roman Imperial Portraiture. BRILL. p. 168. ISBN 978-90-474-0470-5.
^ Christopher C. Rand (11 May 2017). Military Thought in Early China. SUNY Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-1-4384-6517-3.
^ Boatwright, Mary Taliaferro; Gargola, Daniel J.; Talbert, Richard J. A. (2004). The Romans: from village to empire. Oxford University Press. p. 410. ISBN 978-0-19-511875-9.
^ Kohn, George C. (2007). Dictionary of wars (3rd ed.). Infobase Publishing. p. 451. ISBN 978-0-8160-6577-6.
^ Bunson, Matthew (2002). Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire (2nd ed.). Infobase Publishing. p. 252. ISBN 978-0-8160-4562-4.
^ Erdkamp, Paul (2010). A Companion to the Roman Army. John Wiley and Sons. p. 272. ISBN 978-1-4443-3921-5.
^ Bunson, Matthew (2004). OSV's encyclopedia of Catholic history. Our Sunday Visitor Publishing. pp. 986–987. ISBN 978-1-59276-026-8.
^ de Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23-220 AD. Leiden: Brill. p. 892. ISBN 978-9-00415-605-0.
^ Stephan Peter Bumbacher (2000). The Fragments of the Daoxue Zhuan: Critical Edition, Translation, and Analysis of a Medieval Collection of Daoist Biographies. Peter Lang. p. 218. ISBN 978-3-631-36539-7.
^ Goodman, Howard L. (2010). Xun Xu and the Politics of Precision in Third-Century Ad China. BRILL. p. 39. ISBN 978-9004183377.
^ Meijer, Fik (2004). Emperors Don't Die in Bed. Routledge. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-134-38405-1.
^ Huang, Hongquan (1988). Anthology of Song Dynasty Ci-poetry. People's Liberation Army Pub. House. p. 542. ISBN 9787506506663.
^ Léon, Wieger (1928). Werner, Edward Theodore Chalmers (ed.). China throughout the ages. Hsien Press. p. 449.

[1] "Hadrian's Wall: Septimius Severus". English Heritage. Retrieved 2024-01-07.

[2] Nicholls, Matthew C. (2011). "Galen and Libraries in the Peri Alupias". The Journal of Roman Studies. 101: 123–142. ISSN 0075-4358.

[3] Potter, David Stone (2004). The Roman Empire at bay, AD 180-395. Routledge history of the ancient world. London: Routledge. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-415-10058-8.

[4] Freisenbruch, Annelise (2010). Caesars' wives: sex, power, and politics in the Roman Empire (1st Free Press hardcover ed.). New York: Free Press. p. 187. ISBN 978-1-4165-8357-8.

[5] Jacobs, David (2015). Istanbul: A History. New Word City. p. 24. ISBN 9781612309262.

[6] "Istanbul | History, Points of Interest, & Map". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 29 March 2019.

[met-7] "List of Rulers of Korea". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 21 April 2019.

[8] "List of Rulers of Korea". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 18 April 2019.

[9] William Tabbernee; Peter Lampe (25 September 2008). Pepouza and Tymion: The Discovery and Archaeological Exploration of a Lost Ancient City and an Imperial Estate. Walter de Gruyter. p. 66. ISBN 978-3-11-020859-7.

[10] Varner, Eric (1 June 2004). Mutilation and Transformation: Damnatio Memoriae and Roman Imperial Portraiture. BRILL. p. 168. ISBN 978-90-474-0470-5.

[11] Christopher C. Rand (11 May 2017). Military Thought in Early China. SUNY Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-1-4384-6517-3.

[12] Boatwright, Mary Taliaferro; Gargola, Daniel J.; Talbert, Richard J. A. (2004). The Romans: from village to empire. Oxford University Press. p. 410. ISBN 978-0-19-511875-9.

[13] Kohn, George C. (2007). Dictionary of wars (3rd ed.). Infobase Publishing. p. 451. ISBN 978-0-8160-6577-6.

[14] Bunson, Matthew (2002). Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire (2nd ed.). Infobase Publishing. p. 252. ISBN 978-0-8160-4562-4.

[15] Erdkamp, Paul (2010). A Companion to the Roman Army. John Wiley and Sons. p. 272. ISBN 978-1-4443-3921-5.

[16] Bunson, Matthew (2004). OSV's encyclopedia of Catholic history. Our Sunday Visitor Publishing. pp. 986–987. ISBN 978-1-59276-026-8.

[17] Crespigny, Rafe (2007). A Biographical Dictionary of Later Han to the Three Kingdoms 23-220 AD. Leiden: Brill. p. 892. ISBN 978-9-00415-605-0.

[18] Stephan Peter Bumbacher (2000). The Fragments of the Daoxue Zhuan: Critical Edition, Translation, and Analysis of a Medieval Collection of Daoist Biographies. Peter Lang. p. 218. ISBN 978-3-631-36539-7.

[19] Goodman, Howard L. (2010). Xun Xu and the Politics of Precision in Third-Century Ad China. BRILL. p. 39. ISBN 978-9004183377.

[20] Meijer, Fik (2004). Emperors Don't Die in Bed. Routledge. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-134-38405-1.

[21] Huang, Hongquan (1988). Anthology of Song Dynasty Ci-poetry. People's Liberation Army Pub. House. p. 542. ISBN 9787506506663.

[22] Léon, Wieger (1928). Werner, Edward Theodore Chalmers (ed.). China throughout the ages. Hsien Press. p. 449.

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