41

Roman Empire: Year of the Consulship of Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus & Gnaeus Sentius Saturninus
24 January: Shortly after declaring himself a god, Gaius Caligula Germanicus, emperor from 37-41, is assassinated by two Praetorian tribunes. His uncle Tiberius Claudius Nero Drusus is proclaimed emperor by the Praetorians.
Claudius restores religious freedom to Jews throughout the empire but prohibits Jews in Rome from proselytising.
Judæa ruled by Herod Agrippa (41-44).
China: Emperor Guangwu deposes his wife, Guo Shentong, as empress & creates his consort Yin Lihua empress in her place.

42

Roman Empire: Consuls are Emperor Claudius & Gaius Caecina Largus.
Korea: Suro becomes the first king of Geumgwan Gaya.
Vietnam: The Chinese General Ma Yuan occupies Tonkin & Annam with 20,000 troops to the imperial capital Hue.
The patriotic sisters Trung Trac & Trung Nhi commit suicide by drowning themselves.

43

Roman Empire: Year of the Consulship of Claudius Caesar & Lucius Vitellius
Aulus Plautius lands in Britain with four legions (20,000 men) & the same number of auxiliaries at Rutupiae (Richborough), on the east coast of Kent & defeats the Britons, led by Caratacus & Togodumnus, in battles on the rivers Medway & Tamesis (Thames). He halts at the Thames & sends for Emperor Claudius, who leads the march on Camulodunum. Eleven British kings, probably including those of the Iceni & Brigantes, submit without a fight. Meanwhile, Titus Flavius Vespasianus begins the subjugation of the south-west. The Romans begin to construct forts & a road that later becomes Ermine Street. At the battle of Medway the British under Caractacus are defeated by Roman legions under Ostorius Scaopula.
The Romans will establish a settlement on the Tamesis (Thames) River where a bridge is built that will become the city of London.
Caratacus, also known as Caradoc, chief of the Catuvellauni, mounts a guerrilla uprising against the Romans. His uprising will ultimately fail after betrayal by the Brigantian queen, Cartimandua. He will be taken to Rome where he will take part in Emperor Claudius’ Triumph.
Claudius annexes Lycia in Asia Minor, combining it with Pamphylia as a Roman province.

44

Roman Empire: Year of the Consulship of Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus & Titus Statiliu Taurus
Emperor Claudius returns from his British campaign in triumph, the southeast part of Britannia now held by the Roman Empire, but war will rage there for another decade & a half.
King Herod Agrippa dies. Judea becomes province of the Empire.
Britain: Boudicca weds Prasutagus, king of the British Celtic tribe the Iceni.

45

Roman Empire: Year of the Consulship of Vinicius & Sabinus
Emperor Claudius founds Savaria (Szombathely) in Pannonia.
China: Expedition of General Ma Yuan against the Xiongnu & the Xianbei (in Manchuria) takes place.

46

Roman Empire: Year of the Consulship of Decimus Valerius Asiaticus & Marcus Junius Silanus Torquatus
A census shows that there are more than 6,000,000 Roman citizens.
Roimitalkes III of the Thracian Kingdom of Sapes is assassinated. After the death of its king, Thracia becomes a Roman province.
Dobruja is annexed to Roman Moesia.

47

Roman Empire: Frisians submit to Roman rule.
The Chauci, a powerful Germanic tribe, raid Roman lands on the lower Rhine.
Plutarch, Greek historian, is born.
First recorded use of the term “Christian” occurs in Antioch, home of one of the earliest Christian churches.

49

Roman Empire: The Jerusalem Council meets & proclaims that Gentiles do not have to become Jews to be Christians.

48

Roman Empire: Year of the Consulship of Aulus Vitellius & Lucius Vipstanus Poplicola
Publius Ostorius Scapula, governor of Britain, announces his intention to disarm all Britons south & east of the rivers Trent & Severn. The Iceni, an independent, allied kingdom within that area, revolt but are defeated. Ostorius then moves against the Deceangli in north Wales but is forced to abandon the campaign to deal with a revolt among the allied Brigantes.
Gallic nobles are admitted to the Roman Senate. Claudius grants the rights of citizenship to the Aedui.
Emperor Claudius invests Agrippa II with the office of superintendent of the Temple in Jerusalem.
After the execution of his wife Messalina, Claudius gets senatorial approval to marry his niece, Agrippina the Younger.
Asia: The Hsiung-nu Empire dissolves.

50

Roman Empire: Year of the Consulship of Vetus & Nerullinus
Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (Cologne, Koeln) is raised to the status of a city.
Emperor Claudius adopts Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (Nero), son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus & Agrippina the Younger, as his heir. He takes the name Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus.
Claudius appoints Agrippa II governor of Chalcis.
In Britain, Governor Publius Ostorius Scapula begins a military campaign against the recalcitrant Silures of south Wales, led by the former Catuvellaunian prince Caratacus. Londinium (London), Isca Dumnoniorum (Exeter), Tripontium (Rugby) & the fort of Manduessedum (Atherstone) are founded.
In Judea a Roman soldier burns a Torah-scroll. Procurator Cumanus has the culprit beheaded, calming the Jews & delaying for two decades the outbreak of their revolt.
Philo of Alexandria, Jewish philosopher, dies.
The Iazyges settle in the plain east of the Tisza River.
Hero of Alexandria invents a steam turbine.
Germany: Vannius, king of the Suebi, is driven from power by Vibilius, king of the Hermunduri; his nephews Vangio & Sido obtain power in his kingdom.
Poland: The Gothic Kingdom is established on the lower Vistula.
Africa: Christianity is introduced throughout Nubia by a high official of Queen Judith.
India: The Satavahana Dynasty begins rule over the Andhra Kingdom in northwestern Deccan.
Central Asia: The Tocharian or 5 tribes of Yüeh-chih tribes are united under the Kushan leader Kujula Kadphises. The invasion of the Yüeh-chih from Bactria & their unification results in the formation of the Kushan Empire.
Graeco-Buddhist Gandharan culture reaches its height.