Directory

12 BCE

Roman armies based at Xanten, Cologne and Mainz campaign beyond the Rhine. Tiberius Claudius Nero summoned to Pannonia due to severe revolt by the Delmatae. Halley's Comet makes an appearance, as recorded by Chinese Astronomers for about 56 days. Written in the Annal of Han as "In the first year of Yuan Yen (12 B.C.), in the Autumn the seventh month, on the day Sing Wei, a comet swept in Gemini, went through Pollux and Castor, and passed over Leo and Virgo. It was then behind the sun about six degrees, and appeared in the east earlier in the morning. After thirteen days the comet became an evening star shining in the west, whence it swept over Arcturus, moved slowly to Serpens, and reached Ophiuchus. After 56 days it disappeared in Scorpio.".

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Marcus Valerius Messalla Appianus and Publius Sulpicius Quirinius are Roman consuls.source

Conflict & Security

  • Roman armies based at Xanten, Cologne and Mainz campaign beyond the Rhine.source
  • Tiberius Claudius Nero summoned to Pannonia due to severe revolt by the Delmatae.source

Religion & Belief

  • Emperor Augustus is given the title Pontifex Maximus.source
  • Approximate date – Pyramid of Cestius erected in Rome.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • First official mention of Argentoratum, the city known in modern times as Strasbourg.source

Science & Discovery

  • Halley's Comet makes an appearance, as recorded by Chinese Astronomers for about 56 days. Written in the Annal of Han as "In the first year of Yuan Yen (12 B.C.), in the Autumn the seventh month, on the day Sing Wei, a comet swept in Gemini, went through Pollux and Castor, and passed over Leo and Virgo. It was then behind the sun about six degrees, and appeared in the east earlier in the morning. After thirteen days the comet became an evening star shining in the west, whence it swept over Arcturus, moved slowly to Serpens, and reached Ophiuchus. After 56 days it disappeared in Scorpio."source

Births

  • Agrippa Postumus, son of Julia the Elder and grandson of Augustus (d. AD 14)source

Deaths

  • King Azes II dies. The rule of the Indo-Scythians crumbles as the Kushans, one of the five tribes of the Yuezhi who live in Bactria expand into India to create a Kushan Empire.source
  • Mithridates III, king of Commagene (Armenia)source
  • Gaius Caninius Rebilus, Roman senator and suffect consulsource
  • Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Roman statesman (b. c. 63 BC)source
  • Marcus Valerius Messalla Appianus, Roman consul (b. c. 45 BC)source
  • Sextius Propertius, Roman Latin poet and writer (b. c. 50–45 BC)source