216

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The Baths of Caracalla (reconstructive drawing from 1899)

Year 216 (CCXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Sabinus and Anullinus (or, less frequently, year 969 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 216 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

• The Baths of Caracalla in Rome are completed with public baths (Thermae), reading rooms, auditoriums, running tracks, and public gardens that cover 20 acres.
• Emperor Caracalla tricks the Parthians by accepting a marriage proposal. He slaughters his bride and the wedding guests after the celebrations.
• Caracalla provokes a war with Artabanus V (of Parthia) to imitate his idol Alexander the Great. He crosses the Tigris, destroys towns and spoils the tombs of Arbela. The Roman army annexes Armenia.
• The basilica of Leptis Magna, ordered by Septimius Severus, is completed.

Asia

• Cao Cao, Chinese warlord, establishes himself as king of the Kingdom of Wei.

By topic

Religion

• Mithraism, which had begun in Persia, is on course to be adopted by many Roman soldiers serving in Asia.

Births

• Fu Qian, general of the Kingdom of Shu (d. 263)
• Mani, prophet and founder of Manichaeism (d. 274)

Deaths

• Saint Clement of Alexandria (approximate date) (b. c. 150)
• Saint Narcissus of Jerusalem (approximate date) (b. c. 99)
• Cui Yan (b. 163)
• Huo Jun
• Mao Jie, minister under Cao Cao
• Zhang Lu, general of Han Dynasty

References