0s BC

The 0s BC is the period between 9 BC and 1 BC, the last nine years of the before Christ era. It is one of two "0-to-9" decade-like timespans that contain nine years, along with the 0s.

Clockwise from upper left: Jesus is generally considered to be born this decade. Historians usually consider his birth to be between 6-4 BC; Herod the Great dies in 4 BC, and the Kingdom of Judea is split; Horace and Maecenas die in 8 BC, marking the end of the Golden Age of Latin Literature; Drusus's campaigns in Germania end after he falls from a horse and dies.

For the first century, see 1st century BC. For the first millennium, see 1st millennium BC.

This is a list of events occurring in the 0s BC ordered by year.

9 BC

This section is transcluded from 9 BC. (edit | history)

• January 30 – The Ara Pacis ("Altar of Augustan Peace"), voted for by the Senate four years earlier, is dedicated.^[1]
• Pannonia is incorporated into the Roman Empire as part of Illyria.^[2]
• Nero Claudius Drusus, Emperor Augustus' stepson, begins a campaign against the Marcomanni, but dies soon after, due to a fall from his horse.^[3]
• Livy completes compilation of his Ab Urbe Condita Libri, 142 books covering the history of Rome since its foundation down to 9 BC (approximate date).^[4]
• Accession of Aretas IV Philopatris as King of the Nabataeans (modern Jordan).^[5]

Significant people

• Tigranes IV, King of Armenia, r. 12–1 BC
• Erato, Queen of Armenia, 8–5 BC, 2 BC – AD 2, AD 6–11
• Artavasdes III, King of Armenia, r. 5–2 BC
• Jesus Christ, Jewish preacher and central figure of Christianity, (ca. 4 BC–ca. AD 33)
• Ariobarzan of Atropatene, Client King of Armenia, r. 1 BC – AD 2
• Chend Di, Emperor of Han dynasty China, r. 32–7 BC
• Ai Di, Emperor of Han dynasty China, r. 7–1 BC
• Ping Di, Emperor of Han dynasty China, r. 1 BC – AD 5
• Wang Mang, Chinese statesman and future emperor of China
• Dong Xian, Han dynasty Chinese official under Emperor Ai of Han
• Antiochus III, King of Commagene, r. 12 BC – AD 17
• Arminius, Germanic war chief (18/17 BC – AD 21)
• Arshak II, King of Caucasian Iberia, r. 20 BC – AD 1
• Strato II and Strato III, co-kings of the Indo-Greek Kingdom, r. 25 BC – AD 10
• Lugaid Riab nDerg, legendary High King of Ireland, r. 33–9 BC
• Conchobar Abradruad, legendary High King of Ireland, r. 9–8 BC
• Crimthann Nia Náir, legendary High King of Ireland, r. (8 BC – AD 9)
• Suinin, legendary Emperor of Japan, r. 29 BC – AD 70
• Amanishakheto, King of Kush, r. 10–1 BC
• Natakamani, King of Kush, r. 1 BC – AD 20
• Ma'nu III, King of Osroene, r. 23–4 BC
• Abgar V, King of Osroene, r. 4 BC-AD 7, AD 13–50
• Phraates IV, king of the Parthian Empire, r. 38–2 BC
• Phraates V, king of the Parthian Empire, r. 2 BC – AD 4
• Musa of Parthia, mother and co-ruler with Phraates V, r. 2 BC – AD 4
• Caesar Augustus, Roman Emperor (27 BC – AD 14)
• Nero Claudius Drusus, Roman Consul, in office 9 BC
• Gaius Caesar, Roman general
• Livy, Roman historian
• Ovid, Roman poet
• Quirinius, Roman nobleman and politician
• Tiberius, Roman general, statesman, and future emperor.
• Herod the Great, client king of Judea
• Hillel the Elder, Jewish scholar and Nasi of the Sanhedrin, in office c. 31 BC – AD 9
• Shammai, Jewish scholar and Av Beit Din of the Sanhedrin, in office 20 BC – AD 20
• Hyeokgeose, King of Silla, r. 57 BC – AD 4

Albrecht Altdorfer's painting the Adoration of the Magi (made ca. 1530) is one of several works of art concerning the Navity of Jesus. Though Jesus's exact birthdate is unknown (other than it would have occurred sometime during this decade)^[40]

Births

Transcluding articles: 9 BC, 8 BC, 7 BC, 6 BC, 5 BC, 4 BC, 3 BC, 2 BC, and 1 BC

9 BC

• Ping, Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty (d. AD 6)
• Quintus Asconius Pedianus, Roman historian (d. AD 76)

8 BC

• Wang, Chinese empress of the Han dynasty (d. AD 23)

7 BC

• Possible birthdate of Jesus,^[41] according to appearance of a very bright triple conjunction of the royal star Jupiter and Saturn in the sign of Pisces (land in the west) in May until December of that year since 854 years, with a retrogradation and stationing in November 12, 7 BC.

6 BC

• Unknown – Possible birthdate of Jesus^[42]

5 BC

• January 15 – Guang Wu, Chinese emperor of the Han Dynasty (d. AD 57)
• Aemilia Lepida, Roman noblewoman and fiancée of Claudius (d. AD 43)
• Domitia Lepida, daughter of Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus and Antonia Major (d. AD 54)
• Lucius Vitellius the Elder, Roman consul and governor of Syria (d. AD 51)
• The birthdates of John the Baptist and Jesus are not generally known, but 5 BC is often assumed to be the date. The spring Passover feast (often around April 21) has been cited as a possible date for the birth of Christ, assuming that this had relevance to being a Messiah claimant, or that his birthday might have been related to Passover. Others theologically tie his birth to Sukkot, the fall Feast of Tabernacles.
  • John the Baptist (d. c. AD 30)
  • Biblically between 16 September - 23 September – Jesus (Sukkot - The Feast of Tabernacles)
  • as of a Church decision in 336AD 25 December – Jesus^[43]

4 BC

• Approximate date – Seneca the Younger, Córdoban-born Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman and dramatist (d. AD 65)
• Suggested birth year of Jesus, first-century Jewish religious leader and founder of Christianity (d. AD 33)^[44]

3 BC

• December 24 – Servius Sulpicius Galba, Roman emperor in AD 69.^[45]

2 BC

• Jesus, basis of Christianity (born in the month of Ethanim (Tishrei) (September–October) (approximate date, according to Eusebius of Caesarea and Jehovah's Witnesses)
• Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, father of Nero^[46]

Deaths

Transcluding articles: 9 BC, 8 BC, 7 BC, 6 BC, 5 BC, 4 BC, 3 BC, 2 BC, and 1 BC

9 BC

• Nero Claudius Drusus, son of Livia and stepson of Augustus (b. 38 BC)

8 BC

• November 27 – Horace, Roman lyric poet and writer (b. 65 BC)^[47]
• Gaius Maecenas, Roman politician and advisor (b. 70 BC)
• Polemon I, Roman client king of the Bosporan Kingdom
• Xu, Chinese empress of the Han dynasty

7 BC

• April 17 – Cheng, Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty (b. 51 BC)
• Aristobulus IV, Jewish prince of Judea (b. 31 BC)
• Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Greek historian (approximate date)^[48]
• Geumwa of Dongbuyeo, Korean king
• Zhao Hede, Chinese consort of the Han dynasty

6 BC

• Lady Ban (or Ban Jieyu), Chinese concubine and poet (b. 48 BC)
• Cleopatra Selene II, Ptolemaic princess of Egypt (approximate date)
• Feng Yuan (or Zhaoyi), Chinese concubine of the Han Dynasty
• Liu Xiang, Chinese scholar, editor of Shan Hai Jing and compiler of Lienü zhuan, father of Liu Xin (b. 77 BC)
• Soseono, Korean queen of Goguryeo (b. 67 BC)

5 BC

• Acme (enslaved woman), Jewish slave and personal maid in the service of the Empress Livia Drusilla, wife of Augustus
• Curia, Roman noblewoman and wife of Quintus Lucretius Vespillo

4 BC

• March or April – Herod the Great, king of Judea (b. 73 BC);^[49] some authors date his death to 1 BC (see Date of Herod's death).
• Antipater, Jewish heir and son of Herod the Great
• Malthace, Jewish woman and wife of Herod the Great
• Marcus Porcius Latro, Roman rhetorician
• Marcus Tullius Tiro, Roman writer, freedman of Cicero

3 BC

• Fu, Chinese grand empress of the Han Dynasty (approximate date)

2 BC

• Fu, Chinese Grand Empress of the Han dynasty
• Iullus Antonius, Roman consul and son of Mark Antony (b. 43 BC)
• Phraates IV, king of the Parthian Empire

1 BC

• August 15 – Ai of Han, Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty (b. 27 BC)^[50][51]
• Dong Xian, Chinese politician and commander-in-chief (b. 23 BC)^[31]
• Xiaoai, Chinese empress and wife of Ai of Han^[52]
• Zhao Feiyan, Chinese empress and wife of Cheng of Han (b. 45 BC)^[53]