290s

The290sdecade ran from January 1, 290, to December 31, 299.

Events

290

By place

Roman Empire

• EmperorDiocletiancampaigns with success against Arabic enemies.
• Following his victory over EmperorMaximian's fleet, the usurperCarausiusinvades the European mainland and re-establishes his military and administrative presence in northern Gaul.

Asia

• May 16– EmperorWu of Jin,founder of theWestern Jin Dynasty,dies after a 25-year reign. He reunifies north and south, but gives away manydukedomsto his kinsmen. Crown PrinceSima Zhongsucceeds his father, and has to deal with conflicts among thearistocraticfamilies inChina.

291

By place

Roman Empire

• Winter: The emperorsDiocletianandMaximianconvene inMilan.
• An uneasy peace is established between the emperors Diocletian and Maximian on the one hand, and the rival emperorCarausiuson the other.
• Perhaps in cooperation with the forces of Maximian, Carausius campaigns successfully against Germanic raids in Gaul and Britain. Also during his reign, Carausius begins building the forts of theSaxon Shore.

Northern Europe

• TheAlemanni,having been expelled from part of their territory by theBurgundians,seek to regain their lost lands. These peoples had unsuccessfully invadedGaulin tandem in 285/6, and the Alemanni had likely been weakened by the Roman counter-invasions of 287 and 288.
• A force ofGothsdefeat the Burgundians.
• TheTervingian GothsandTaifalifight theVandalsandGepids.

Africa

• TheBlemmyesinvade theKingdom of Kush.

Persian Empire

• KingBahram IIfights against a coalition consisting of his brotherHormizd of Sakastan,Sassanian vassal Hormizd I Kushashah, and the Gilans.

China

• War of the Eight Princes:After the death of EmperorSima Yan(Jin Wudi), a civil war breaks out among the princes anddukesof theJin Dynasty.The struggle devastates and depopulates the provinces of northernChina.

292

By place

Roman Empire

• The jurist Gregorius, at the court of EmperorDiocletian,produces theGregorian Code,the first codification ofRoman law(approximate date).

Asia

• Bongsangbecomes ruler of the Korean kingdom ofGoguryeo.

Mesoamerica

• The oldest knownMayansteleis erected at the capitalTikal(modernGuatemala).

293

By place

Roman Empire

• March 1– EmperorsDiocletianandMaximianappointConstantius IandGaleriusasCaesars.This is considered the beginning of theTetrarchy,known as theQuattuor Principes Mundi( "Four Rulers of the World" ). (Some sources and scholars date Galerius' elevation toMay 21.)
• Constantius retakes some of theGallicterritories from the usurperCarausius.He conquers the crucial port ofBononia(modernBoulogne).
• Towards the end of the year, Carausius is murdered by his finance ministerAllectus,who proclaims himself the new emperor ofBritain.
• In this or the following year, Constantius defeats theFranksinBatavia(Netherlands).
• Galerius begins a series of two campaigns in Upper Egypt against the rebel cities ofCoptosand Boresis as well as theBlemmyesandMeroitic Nubians.
• Over the course of his reign, but especially from the time of the Tetrarchy's creation, Diocletian divides the large provinces of the early empire into smaller administrative units, and he groups these new smaller provinces intodioceses.He also accelerates the third-century trend whereby the administration and military of the provinces are increasingly divided between governors and generals (duces) respectively, whereas formerly governors had also been in charge of the legions. This expansion of imperial personnel increases Diocletian's control over the empire and weakens the power of individual officials and officers. Moreover, Diocletian expands the retinues of the individual emperors to have more ministers and secretaries, thus establishing what will become known as the late RomanConsistorium.

Persia

• KingBahram IIof thePersian Empiredies after a 17-year reign; his sonBahram IIIascends to the throne. After four months, Bahram III's great-uncleNarseh,the king ofPersarmenia,marches on the Persian capitalCtesiphonwith the support of a faction of the nobility and the eastern Satraps. Bahram is overthrown and Narseh is declared the new King of Kings.

China

• Tuoba Fusucceeds his uncleTuoba Chuo,as chieftain of the ChineseTuobaClan.

By topic

Religion

• Probus succeeds Rufinus, asBishop of Byzantium.

294

By place

Asia

• PersianshahanshahNarsehdefeats KingTiridates III of Armenia,and forces him to flee to theRoman Empire.
• Tuoba Luguansucceeds his nephewTuoba Fu,as chieftain of the ChineseTuoba clan.

295

By place

Roman Empire

• EmperorDiocletiandefeats theCarpi.
• CaesarGaleriuscompletes a series of two campaigns in Upper Egypt, against the rebel cities ofCoptosand Boresis, as well as theBlemmyesandMeroitic Nubians.
• The jurist Hermogenianus, at the court of Diocletian, produces theHermogenian Code.This new codification ofRoman lawcomplements theGregorian Codeof c.292.
• Diocletian, perhaps through Galerius, issues an edict against incest.

China

• Tuoba Luguandivides the territory of theTuoba claninto three areas. His nephewsTuoba YiluandTuoba Yituobecomechieftainsof the western and central areas of (Shanxiprovince). Tuoba Luguan dominates the eastern area (nearHohhot).

By topic

Religion

• Petrarejoins the province ofPalestine,and is converted toChristianityby the Syrian monk Barsauma.

296

By place

Roman Empire

• In this or the previous year, CaesarConstantius Iassembles two invasion fleets with the intent of overthrowing the usurperAllectus,who is based in Britain. The first is under the command ofAsclepiodotus,Maximian's long-servingPraetorian Prefect.Asclepiodotus sails from the mouth of theSeine,and lands near theIsle of Wight,where his forces defeat Allectus inHampshire.Allectus is killed in the fighting. Constantius leavesBoulognewith his fleet, and occupiesLondon,where he slaughters some of Allectus'Frankishmercenaries. With this victory, the Romano-British regime first established byCarausiusis overthrown, and Britain is re-incorporated into the rest of the empire.
• Having supervised the Rhine frontier during Constantius' invasion of Britain, Maximian then marches into Spain, where he fightsFrankishpirates. He then crosses into North Africa to contend with the rebellion of theQuinquegentiani.
• The Persian kingNarsehinvades Roman-held Upper Mesopotamia andArsacidwesternArmenia,the latter territory being under the leadership of the pro-Roman kingTiridates III.With only a small army, CaesarGaleriusfights three holding actions against Narseh's army in Mesopotamia. Somewhere in the open plains betweenCarrhaeandCallinicum,Galerius' army suffers a defeat against the Persian army, which is both more numerous and contains superior numbers of high-quality cavalry. Nevertheless, Galerius succeeds in blunting the Persian offensive.

By topic

Religion

• April 22–Pope Caiusdies after a 13-year reign and is succeeded byMarcellinusas the 29thpopeofRome.

297

By place

Roman Empire

• EmperorDiocletianintroduces a new tax system and other economic reforms.
• Diocletian watches over the Syrian provinces while CaesarGaleriusmakes preparations for a campaign against the Persian kingNarseh.He recruits veterans fromIllyriaandMoesia,recruits new soldiers, and strengthens his army withGothicmercenaries and theArmenianunits ofTiridates III.
• August:Domitius Domitianuslaunches a usurpation against Diocletian in Egypt. He is perhaps aided by popular discontent with Diocletian's taxation reform.
• Autumn: Diocletian besieges the rebels inAlexandria.
• December:Domitianus dies, but hiscorrectorAurelius Achilleustakes over as the leader of the rebellion.
• Battle of Satala:Galerius launches a surprise attack against Narseh's camp in westernArmenia.The Romans sack the camp and capture Narseh's wives, sisters and daughters, including his Queen of Queens Arsane. Narseh is wounded and escapes to his empire.

298

By place

Roman Empire

• Spring: EmperorDiocletianretakesAlexandriaand crushes the usurpation ofAurelius Achilleus.
• Diocletian then travels into Upper Egypt and possibly campaigns on the Nubian frontier. In either this year or in 300/301, he makes agreements with theMeroitic Nubiansand theBlemmyes.He agrees to pay subsidies to both peoples, and he cedes the Dodecashoenos to the Nubians on the understanding that the Nubians will defend the region against the Blemmyes.
• CaesarGaleriusrestoresTiridates IIIto the throne ofArmeniaand invades theSassanid Empire.His army marches throughAdiabene,Atropatene,Susianaand LowerMesopotamia.He then retakes the strategically important city ofNisibisin Upper Mesopotamia.

Korea

• The manufacture of culturedsilkbecomes popular fromKoreatoJapan.
• Bunseobecomes king of the Korean kingdom ofBaekje.
• Girimbecomes the king of the Korean kingdom ofSilla.

299

By place

Roman Empire

• Peace of Nisibis:EmperorDiocletiansigns a treaty with the Persian kingNarsehthat will last for 40 years. The Persians accept Roman dominion overArmenia,theCaucasus,and UpperMesopotamia.The pro-Roman rulerTiridates IIIreceives all of Armenia as far as the border withAtropatene.Mirian IIIof theKingdom of Iberiais made a Roman client, and at some point in time, as a result of the treaty,Caucasian Albaniawill follow suit. Rome also gains five satrapies beyond the Tigris, which are perhaps given to Tiridates to administer.
• To celebrate his victory over the Persians, Galerius commissions theArch of GaleriusinThessaloniki(modernGreece).
• In this or the following year, Galerius campaigns with success againstSarmatiansand theMarcomanni,attacking through a swamp to defeat a Sarmatian army.
• Having first crossed into Africa in 296, EmperorMaximianconcludes his campaigns against theQuinquegentianiand otherBerbers.His campaigns had ranged as far asMauretaniain the west andTripolitaniain the east. Julianus, a rebel leader in Africa, throws himself into a fire after the Romans breach the walls of his stronghold.
• Returning to Rome in triumph, Maximian commissions theBaths of Diocletianin honour of his 'brother' Diocletian.
• Diocletian expelsChristiansfrom theRoman army.

China

• EmpressJia Nanfengframes Crown Prince Yu for treason and has him deposed.

Births

290

• Abramios the Recluse,Christianhermitand ascetic (d.360)
• Pappus of Alexandria,Greek mathematician (d.350)
• Vitus(orGuido), Roman hagiographer and martyr

291

• Saint Agnes,Christianmartyress(d. c.304)
• Saint Hilarion,anchoriteandsaint(d.371)
• Li Xiu,female general during theJin Dynasty
• Saint Philomena,Christian martyress (d. c. 304)

292

• He Chong(orCidao), Chinese politician (d.346)
• Pachomius,Christian theologian and writer (d.348)
• Zhu Jing gian,ChineseBuddhistnun (d.361)

294

• Sima Bao,Chinese prince of theJin Dynasty(d.320)

295

• Shi Hu,Chinese emperor ofLater Zhao(d.349)

296

• Yu Bing(orJi gian), Chinese politician (d.344)

297

• Murong Huang,ruler of theFormer Yan(d.348)
• Yu Wenjun,empress of theJin Dynasty(d.328)

298

• Athanasius of Alexandria,Egyptian patriarch (d.373)

299

• Jin Mingdi,Chinese emperor of theJin Dynasty(d.325)

Deaths

290

• May 16–Wu of Jin,Chinese emperor of theJin Dynasty(b.236)
• Tao Huang(orShiying), Chinese general and politician

291

• Sima Liang,regent during the reign ofSima Yan
• Sima Wei,prince during the Jin Dynasty (b.271)
• Wei Guan,general of theKingdom of Wei(b.220)
• Wen Yang,general of the Kingdom of Wei (b.238)
• Yang Jun,official during the reign of Sima Yan

292

• Yang Zhi,Chinese empress of theJin Dynasty(b.259)

293

• Bahram II,king of theSassanid Empire
• Bahram III,king of the Sassanid Empire
• Carausius,Roman general andusurper
• Tuoba Chuo,Chinese chieftain of theTuobatribe
• Yuwen Mohuai,Chinese chieftain of theYuwentribe

294

• Tuoba Fu,chieftain of the ChineseTuoba clan

295

• Maximilian of Tebessa,Berber Christian saint andmartyr

296

• April 22–Caius,bishop ofRome
• Allectus,Romantreasurerandusurper-emperor
• Guo Huai(orYuhuang), Chinese noblewoman (b.237)

297

• Chen Shou,author of theSan Guo Zhi(b.233)
• Tirumalisai Alvar,one of the 12Alvarsaints. (b. 4203 BCE)
• Zhou Chu,Jin dynastygeneral, son ofZhou Fang(b.236)

298

• Aurelius Achilleus,Romanusurper
• Cassian of Tangier,Christian martyr
• Chaekgye of Baekje,Korean ruler
• Marcellus of Tangier,Christian martyr
• Yurye of Silla(orYuri), Korean ruler

299

• Judah bar Ezekiel,Babylonianamora(b.220)
• Qi Wannian,Chinese chieftain and rebel leader