Editing 120s

{{Short description|Decade}}
[[File:Section of Hadrian's Wall 1.jpg|thumb|258x258px|A view of [[Hadrian's Wall]], which began construction in 122.]]
{{Decadebox|12}}
The '''120s''' was a decade that ran from January 1, AD 120, to December 31, AD 129.

During this decade, the [[Roman Empire]] was ruled by Emperor [[Hadrian]] (r. 117–138). In the prior decade, he had succeeded Emperor [[Trajan]], who had expanded the empire to its greatest extent. Hadrian, in contrast, adopted a more defensive foreign policy, focusing on consolidating the empire's borders and improving its infrastructure, such as [[Hadrian's Wall]] in Britain. There was almost a renewed war with Parthia, but the threat was averted when Hadrian succeeded in negotiating a peace in 123 (according to the ''[[Historia Augusta]]'', disputed).<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Doležal |first=Stanislav |date=2017 |title=Did Hadrian Ever Meet a Parthian King? |url=https://www.academia.edu/33969517 |journal=AUC Philologica |volume=2017 |issue=2 |pages=111–125 |doi=10.14712/24646830.2017.16 |issn=2464-6830|doi-access=free }}</ref> Furthermore, Hadrian enacted, through the jurist [[Salvius Julianus]], the first attempt to codify Roman law. This was the [[Praetor's Edict|Perpetual Edict]], according to which the legal actions of [[praetor]]s became fixed statutes and, as such, could no longer be subjected to personal interpretation or change by any magistrate other than the Emperor.<ref>Laura Jansen, ''The Roman Paratext: Frame, Texts, Readers'', Cambridge University Press, 2014, {{ISBN|978-1-107-02436-6}} p. 66</ref><ref>Kathleen Kuiper (Editor), ''Ancient Rome: From Romulus and Remus to the Visigoth Invasion'', New York: Britannica Educational Publishing, 2010, {{ISBN|978-1-61530-207-9}} p. 133</ref>

The Chinese [[Eastern Han dynasty]] saw the death of regent [[Deng Sui]] in 121, after which [[Emperor An of Han|Emperor An]] took on the reins of the imperial administration. In 121, there were again [[Qiang (historical people)|Qiang]] and [[Xianbei]] rebellions, which would continue to plague Emperor An for the rest of his reign.  The only border where there were Han accomplishments during Emperor An's reign was on the northwestern front—the Xiyu (modern [[Xinjiang]] and former Soviet [[central Asia]])—where [[Ban Chao]]'s son [[Ban Yong]] ({{lang|zh|班勇}}) was able to reestablish Han dominance over a number of kingdoms. Emperor An was succeeded by [[Marquess of Beixiang]] in 125, who reigned for a short time before being succeeded by [[Emperor Shun of Han]] that same year. At the start of Emperor Shun's reign, the people were hopeful that he would reform the political situation from the pervasive corruption under the Yans.  However, the teenage emperor proved to be a kind but weak ruler.  While he trusted certain honest officials, he also trusted many corrupt eunuchs, who quickly grabbed power.

{{Events by year for decade|12}}

==Significant people==
* [[Hadrian]], Roman Emperor ([[AD 117|117]]–[[AD 138|138]])

{{Births and deaths by year for decade|12}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:120s| ]]