259
Year 259 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aemilianus and Bassus. The denomination 259 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.Events
By place
- Emperor Valerian leads an army to relieve Edessa, besieged by the forces of Persian King Shapur I. An outbreak of a plague kills many legionaries, weakening the Roman position in Syria.
- Battle of Mediolanum: A Germanic confederation, the Alamanni, who crossed the Alps, are defeated by Roman legions under Gallienus, near Mediolanum.
- Postumus revolts against Gallienus in Gaul. The western provinces of Britain and Spain join his independent realm—which is called in modern times the Gallic Empire.
- Postumus, governor of Gaul, declares himself Emperor, and continues to rule the Gallic Empire until 269, when he is killed by his soldiers.
- The Roman fort of Wiesbaden is captured by the Alamanni.
- The Franks, who invaded the Roman Empire near Cologne in 257, reach Tarraco in Hispania.
Persia
- Mesopotamia: Odaenathus, the ruler of the kingdom of Palmyra, sacks the city of Nehardea, destroying its great yeshiva.
By topic
Religion
Births
- Emperor Hui of Jin, Chinese emperor of the Jin dynasty
- Tao Kan, Chinese general of the Jin dynasty
- Yang Zhi, Chinese empress of the Jin dynasty
Deaths
- January 10 - Polyeuctus, Roman saint
- January 18 - Sun Chen, Chinese general and regent of the Eastern Wu state
- Augurius of Tarragona, Christian Hispano-Roman clergyman
- Fructuosus, Christian saint, bishop and martyr.
- Geodeung Wang, king of Gaya
- Wang Chang, Chinese general of the Cao Wei state
