AD 96

Events

By place

Roman Empire

• September 18 - Emperor Domitian is stabbed to death by a freedman at the age 44 after a 15-year reign, in a palace conspiracy involving officers of the Praetorian Guard. The Flavian Dynasty ends.
• Nerva is declared emperor by the Roman Senate as the new ruler of the Roman Empire. He recalls citizens exiled by Domitian; this is the beginning of the Era of the Five Good Emperors. The Antonines Dynasty starts.
• Under Nerva, the Roman Senate regains much of the power usurped by Domitian.
• Marcus Ulpius Traianus becomes governor of Upper Germany.
• The Arch of Titus is completed in Rome.

  By topic

Art and Science

• End of the period covered by Tacitus in his Histories.

  Religion

• The Book of Revelation is written.
• A schism in Buddhism creates a new, popular religion in India, Mahâyâna.

Births

• Lucius Minicius Natalis Quadronius Verus, Roman statesman

  Deaths

• September 18 - Domitian, Roman emperor
• Gaius Manlius Valens, Roman senator and consul
• Publius Papinius Statius, Roman poet