Directory

265 CE

Emperor Gallienus tries twice to crush the usurper Postumus, but on the first occasion Aureolus, commander of the elite cavalry, carelessly lets him escape. The second time, Gallienus sustains an arrow wound and has to break off his siege of a Gallic town where Postumus has holed up. He makes no other serious attempt to overcome his rival, instead devoting his attention to the political and military problems in the Danube and eastern parts of the Roman Empire. Sima Zhao, who had been the regent and de facto primary authority of the state of Cao Wei for little over 10 years by this point, passes away, leaving his authority to his eldest son, Sima Yan, who will go on to disestablish the state of Cao Wei in February 266, founding the Jin dynasty. A general of Gallienus' army, Victorinus, defects to Postumus.

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

  • Sima Zhao, who had been the regent and de facto primary authority of the state of Cao Wei for little over 10 years by this point, passes away, leaving his authority to his eldest son, Sima Yan, who will go on to disestablish the state of Cao Wei in February 266, founding the Jin dynasty.source

Conflict & Security

  • Gallienus repels the invasion of the Goths in the Balkans.source
  • Gallienus gives the order to fortify Milan and Verona.source
  • Emperor Gallienus tries twice to crush the usurper Postumus, but on the first occasion Aureolus, commander of the elite cavalry, carelessly lets him escape. The second time, Gallienus sustains an arrow wound and has to break off his siege of a Gallic town where Postumus has holed up. He makes no other serious attempt to overcome his rival, instead devoting his attention to the political and military problems in the Danube and eastern parts of the Roman Empire.source
  • A general of Gallienus' army, Victorinus, defects to Postumus.source

Exploration & Expansion

  • Postumus makes no move to march on Rome and claim his territory south of Gaul.source

Births

  • Eusebius of Caesarea, Greek historian (approximate date)source

Deaths

  • September 6 – Sima Zhao, Chinese general and politician (b. 211)source
  • Dionysius the Great, patriarch of Alexandriasource
  • Ma Jun, Chinese engineer and inventor of the south-pointing chariotsource
  • Zhu (or Jing), Chinese empress of the Eastern Wu statesource