Editing 259

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Year '''259''' ('''[[Roman numerals|CCLIX]]''') 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''' (or, less frequently, '''year 1012 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). 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 ===
==== Roman Empire ====
* Emperor [[Valerian (emperor)|Valerian]] leads an army (70,000 men) to relieve [[Edessa, Mesopotamia|Edessa]], besieged by the forces of Persian King [[Shapur I]]. An outbreak of a [[Bubonic plague|plague]] kills many [[Roman legionary|legionaries]], weakening the Roman position in [[Syria]].
* [[Battle of Mediolanum]]: A [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] confederation, the [[Alamanni]] (300,000 warriors), who crossed the [[Alps]], are defeated by [[Roman legion]]s under [[Gallienus]], near [[Mediolanum]] (modern [[Milan]]). 
* [[Postumus]] revolts against Gallienus in [[Gaul]]. The western provinces of [[Roman Britain|Britain]] and [[Spain]] join his independent realm&mdash;which is called in modern times the [[Gallic Empire]].
* Postumus, governor of Gaul, declares himself [[Roman Emperor|Emperor]], and continues to rule the Gallic Empire until [[269]], when he is killed by his soldiers.
* The Roman fort of [[Wiesbaden]] ([[Germany]]) is captured by the [[Alamanni]] (possibly [[260]]).
* The [[Franks]], who invaded the [[Roman Empire]] near [[Cologne]] in [[257]], reach [[Tarragona|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 ====
* [[Pope Dionysius]] is elected as the [[pope]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Butler |first1=Alban |last2=Burns |first2=Paul |title=Butler's Lives of the Saints |date=1 January 1995 |publisher=A&C Black |isbn=978-0-86012-260-9 |page=151 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dCwqkdk1LcsC&pg=PA151 |language=en}}</ref>

== Births ==
* [[Emperor Hui of Jin|Hui of Jin]], Chinese emperor of the [[Jin dynasty (265–420)|Jin Dynasty]] (d. [[307]])
* [[Tao Kan]] (or '''Shixing'''), Chinese general and politician (d. [[334]]) 
* [[Empress Yang Zhi|Yang Zhi]], Chinese empress of the Jin Dynasty (d. [[292]])<ref>{{cite book |last1=McMahon |first1=Keith |title=Women Shall Not Rule: Imperial Wives and Concubines in China from Han to Liao |date=6 June 2013 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |isbn=978-1-4422-2290-8 |page=125 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gc_3IXkwG3QC&pg=PA125 |language=en}}</ref>

== Deaths ==
* [[January 10]] &ndash; [[Polyeuctus]], Roman soldier and saint
* [[January 18]] &ndash; [[Sun Chen]], Chinese general and [[regent]] (b. [[232]])
* [[Augurius of Tarragona]], Christian [[Hispano-Roman]] clergyman
* [[Cao Jun (Prince of Chenliu)|Cao Jun]] (or '''Zi'an'''), Chinese prince and son of [[Cao Cao]]
* [[Fructuosus|Fructuosus of Tarragona]], Christian bishop, martyr and saint
* [[Wang Chang (Three Kingdoms)|Wang Chang]] (or '''Wenshu'''), Chinese general and politician

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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