50s

Eastern Hemisphere in AD 50.

The 50s decade ran from January 1, 50, to December 31, 59. It was the sixth decade in the Anno Domini/Common Era, if the nine-year period from 1 AD to 9 AD is considered as a "decade".

The early years of the decade saw Roman and Parthian intervention in the Iberian–Armenian War, a conflict which led Tiridates I to become King of Armenia with Parthian support. This was unacceptable to Rome, and the ensuing tensions culminated in the Roman–Parthian War of 58–63. Concurrently, the Roman conquest of Britain continued, with Caratacus being defeated in 50 and tribes of modern Wales being subdued in 58 to 59. In 50, the Southern Xiongnu submitted to the Chinese Han dynasty. Later in 57, the ascension of Emperor Ming heralded the beginning of a golden age.

The Council of Jerusalem was held early in the decade: The council decided that Gentile converts to Christianity were not obligated to keep most of the fasts, and other specific rituals, including the rules concerning circumcision of males.[1] The Council did, however, retain the prohibitions on eating blood, meat containing blood, and meat of animals that were strangled, and on fornication and idolatry.

Literary works of this decade include De Vita Beata (which explains that the pursuit of happiness is the pursuit of reason) and De Clementia (an instructional contrast between the good ruler and a tyrant), both of which were written by Seneca the Younger.

Manning (2008) tentatively estimates the world population in AD 50 as 248 million.

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  • Seneca writes the tragedy Agamemnon, which he intends to be read as the last chapter of a trilogy including two of his other tragedies, Medea and Edipus.

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  • October 13 – Emperor Claudius dies (possibly after being poisoned by Agrippina, his wife and niece), and is succeeded by Nero.[6]
  • Nero attempts to prohibit the gladiatorial games.
  • Under Nero, Rome annexes Aden to protect the maritime route between Alexandria and Asia.
  • Two centurions are sent to the south of Egypt to find the source of the Nile, and possible new provinces. They report that while there are many cities in the desert, the area seems too poor to be worthy of conquest.
  • Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo arrives in the East and takes up an assignment as governor of Asia, with a secret brief from Nero and his chief ministers, Seneca and Burrus, to return Armenia to the Roman Empire.
  • Corbulo inspects a base of Legio X Fretensis in Syria, at Cyrrhus; the Roman legionaries are demoralized by a "long peace". Many soldiers sell their helmets and shields.
  • Corbulo recruits Syrian auxiliary units in the region and stations them in border forts, with orders from Nero not to provoke the Parthians.
  • Violence erupts in Caesarea regarding a local ordinance restricting the civil rights of Jews, creating clashes between Jews and pagans. The Roman garrison, made up of Syrians, takes the side of the pagans. The Jews, armed with clubs and swords, meet in the marketplace. The governor of Judea, Antonius Felix, orders his troops to charge. The violence continues and Felix asks Nero to arbitrate. Nero sides with the pagans, and relegates the Jews to second-class citizens. This decision does nothing but increase the Jews' anger.
  • In Britain, Venutius leads a revolt against his ex-wife Cartimandua, queen of the Brigantes and a Roman ally. Governor Aulus Didius Gallus sends her military aid, and after some indecisive fighting a legion commanded by Caesius Nasica defeats the rebels (approximate date – some time between 52 and 57).
  • Winter – Domitius Corbulo marches his legions (Legio VI Ferrata and Legio X) into the mountains of Cappadocia and makes camp. He gives the men a harsh training, twenty-five-mile marches and weapons drills.
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  • The Jianwu era of the Eastern Han dynasty changes to the Jianwuzhongyuan era.[9]

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  • The apostle Paul returns to Jerusalem with the money he has collected to give the Christian community there. However, he is accused of defiling the temple, and is arrested and imprisoned in Caesarea. He then invokes his Roman citizenship and is sent to Rome to be judged.
  • Paul writes his Epistle to the Romans (approximate date).

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  • In the Satyricon, Petronius pokes fun at Roman immorality.
  • An eclipse on 30 April over North Africa is recorded by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History.
Religion
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  1. ^ Thiessen, Matthew (September 2014). Breytenbach, Cilliers; Thom, Johan (eds.). "Paul's Argument against Gentile Circumcision in Romans 2:17-29". Novum Testamentum. 56 (4). Leiden: Brill Publishers: 373–391. doi:10.1163/15685365-12341488. eISSN 1568-5365. ISSN 0048-1009. JSTOR 24735868.
  2. ^ Flavius Josephus, "Ant." xx. 5, § 4; "B. J." ii. 12, § 2.
  3. ^ Black, Jeremy; Brewer, Paul; Shaw, Anthony; Chandler, Malcolm; Cheshire, Gerard; Cranfield, Ingrid; Ralph Lewis, Brenda; Sutherland, Joe; Vint, Robert (2003). World History. Bath, Somerset: Parragon Books. p. 39. ISBN 0-75258-227-5.
  4. ^ Stambaugh (1988), p. 130.
  5. ^ "List of Rulers of Korea". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  6. ^ "BBC – History – Claudius". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  7. ^ Cartwright, Mark (March 6, 2018). "The Roman-Parthian War 58-63 CE". World History Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  8. ^ Fontán, Antonio (2002). Humanismo y pervivencia del mundo clásico. Ediciones del Laberinto. p. 1284. ISBN 9788484831563.
  9. ^ Hing, Ming Hung (2020). The Magnificent Emperor Wu: China's Han Dynasty. Algora Publishing. ISBN 9781628944181.
  10. ^ "Mingdi | emperor of Han dynasty". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  11. ^ "List of Rulers of Korea". www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  12. ^ Roberts, J: "History of the World.". Penguin, 1994.
  13. ^ New Testament, Acts 26.