AD 68

AD 68 (LXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Silius Italicus and Trachalus, or the start of the Year of the Four Emperors (or, less frequently, year 821 Ab urbe condita). The denomination AD 68 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. These are now used throughout the world.

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	1st century BC 1st century 2nd century
Decades:	40s 50s 60s 70s 80s
Years:	65 66 67 AD 68 69 70 71

AD 68 in various calendars

Gregorian calendar	AD 68 LXVIII
Ab urbe condita	821
Assyrian calendar	4818
Balinese saka calendar	N/A
Bengali calendar	−525
Berber calendar	1018
Buddhist calendar	612
Burmese calendar	−570
Byzantine calendar	5576–5577
Chinese calendar	丁卯年 (Fire Rabbit) 2764 or 2704     — to — 戊辰年 (Earth Dragon) 2765 or 2705
Coptic calendar	−216 – −215
Discordian calendar	1234
Ethiopian calendar	60–61
Hebrew calendar	3828–3829
Hindu calendars
- Vikram Samvat	124–125
- Shaka Samvat	N/A
- Kali Yuga	3168–3169
Holocene calendar	10068
Iranian calendar	554 BP – 553 BP
Islamic calendar	571 BH – 570 BH
Javanese calendar	N/A
Julian calendar	AD 68 LXVIII
Korean calendar	2401
Minguo calendar	1844 before ROC 民前1844年
Nanakshahi calendar	−1400
Seleucid era	379/380 AG
Thai solar calendar	610–611
Tibetan calendar	阴火兔年 (female Fire-Rabbit) 194 or −187 or −959     — to — 阳土龙年 (male Earth-Dragon) 195 or −186 or −958

Events

Roman Empire

• Final year that Tacitus records Annals, a written history of the Roman Empire.
• June 9 – Emperor Nero commits suicide four miles outside Rome. He is deserted by the Praetorian Guard, and then stabs himself in the throat.
• June 9 – The Roman Senate accepts Servius Sulpicius Galba, as Roman Emperor.
• Legio I Macriana liberatrix and Legio I Adiutrix are created.
• Lucius Clodius Macer revolts against the reign of Nero.
• Marcus Ulpius Trajanus, father of Trajan, becomes consul.
• Trajan moves to Scythopolis and crosses the Jordan River with Legio X Fretensis. He lays siege to Jericho and destroys the monastery of Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are originated.
• The Roman Senate declares Nero as a persona non grata. In the line of succession, Galba follows Nero.
• Winter – Titus sets up camp at Jericho and the Romans cut off escape routes toward Jerusalem.
• Venutius successfully deposes his wife Cartimandua and becomes the ruler of the Brigantes.

Asia

• An iron chain suspension bridge is constructed in China.

Religion

• Buddhism officially arrives in China with the building of the White Horse Temple.
• Ignatius of Antioch becomes the third bishop of Antioch.
• The Gospel of Mark is written; and latest date for Second Epistle of Peter if of Petrine composition (approximate date).
• The Essenes place the Dead Sea Scrolls in the caves at Qumran.

Births

• July 4 – Salonina Matidia, niece of Trajan (d. AD 119)
• Flavius Scorpus, Roman charioteer (approximate date)
• Gaius Bruttius Praesens, Roman consul (d. AD 140)

Deaths

• April 25 – Mark the Evangelist, pope of Alexandria
• June 9 – Nero, Roman emperor (suicide) (b. AD 37)
• Ananus ben Ananus, Jewish high priest of Israel
• Basilissa and Anastasia, Christian martyrs (beheaded)
• Gaius Julius Vindex, Roman governor (suicide)
• Lucius Clodius Macer, Roman general (murdered)
• Nymphidius Sabinus, Roman praetorian prefect
• Onesimus, bishop of Byzantium (approximate date)
• Publius Petronius Turpilianus, Roman consul (suicide)
• Peter the Apostle, patriarch of Antioch (crucified)
• Tiberius Julius Mithridates, Roman client king

References