View source for 90s

{{Short description|Ninth decade of the first century AD}}
{{About|the years AD 90–99|the years 90–99 in other centuries|List of decades}}
[[File:Forum Nerva - Rome (IT62) - 2021-08-25 - 1.jpg|thumb|258x258px|Ruins of the [[Forum of Nerva]], completed in 97]]
{{Decadebox|9}}
The '''90s''' was a decade that ran from January 1, AD 90, to December 31, AD 99.

As the decade began, the [[Han–Xiongnu War]] was approaching its end, with the Xiongnu having been on the verge of collapse since the [[Battle of the Altai Mountains]] (89) the prior decade. In 90, Dou Xian dispatched General Geng Kui and Shizi of the Southern Xiongnu with 8000 light cavalry to attack the Northern Chanyu, encamped at Heyun (河雲).<ref name="wu5-71-2">{{Harvnb|Wu|2013|loc=71–72}}.</ref> There, the Han killed 8000 men and captured several thousands.<ref name="wu5-71-22">{{Harvnb|Wu|2013|loc=71–72}}.</ref> By 91, the last remnants of the Northern Xiongnu had migrated west towards the [[Ili River]] valley, ending the war.<ref>{{Harvnb|Yü|1986|loc=405}}.</ref> After the downfall of the Xiongnu, the [[Xianbei state|Xianbei replaced them with a loose confederacy]] from 93.{{sfn|Wyatt|2004|p=8}}

The Roman Empire did not see any significant military action this decade, excepting [[Legio XXI Rapax#Destruction|clashes along the Danube in 92]]. Economically, the empire saw reforms by [[Nerva]] after the death of [[Domitian]] in 96, including but not limited to a string of economic reforms intended to alleviate the burden of taxation from the most needy Romans.<ref>For a complete overview of financial reforms, see {{cite book |last=Merlin |first=Alfred |url=http://www.inumis.com/rome/books/merlin/index.html |title=Les Revers Monétaires de l'Empereur Nerva |year=1906 |location=Paris |format=French |access-date=14 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928082919/http://www.inumis.com/rome/books/merlin/index.html |archive-date=28 September 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Before long, Nerva's expenses strained the economy of Rome and, although perhaps not ruinous to the extent once suggested by Syme,<ref>{{cite journal |last=Sutherland |first=C.H.V. |year=1935 |title=The State of the Imperial Treasury at the Death of Domitian |journal=The Journal of Roman Studies |volume=25 |issue=2 |pages=150–162 |doi=10.2307/296596 |jstor=296596 |s2cid=159663639}}</ref> necessitated the formation of a special [[Commission (remuneration)|commission]] of economy to drastically reduce expenditures.

According to some historians, [[Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire#Domitian|Jews and Christians were heavily persecuted]] toward the end of [[Domitian]]'s reign (89-96).<ref>Smallwood, E.M. ''Classical Philology 51'', 1956.</ref> The [[Book of Revelation]], which mentions at least one instance of martyrdom (Rev 2:13; cf. 6:9), is thought by many scholars to have been written during Domitian's reign.<ref name="Brown">[[Raymond E. Brown|Brown, Raymond E.]] ''An Introduction to the New Testament'', pp.&nbsp;805–809. {{ISBN|0-385-24767-2}}.</ref> According to Barnes, "Melito, Tertullian, and Bruttius stated that Domitian persecuted the Christians. Melito and Bruttius vouchsafe no details, Tertullian only that Domitian soon changed his mind and recalled those whom he had exiled".<ref name="Barnes">Barnes 1968.</ref> A minority of the historians have maintained that there was little or no anti-Christian activity during Domitian's time.<ref>Merrill, E.T. ''Essays in Early Christian History'' (London:Macmillan, 1924).</ref><ref>Willborn, L.L. ''Biblical Research 29'' (1984).</ref><ref>Thompson, L.L. ''The Book of Revelation: Apocalypse and Empire'' (New York: Oxford, 1990).</ref> The lack of consensus by historians about the extent of persecution during the reign of Domitian derives from the fact that while accounts of persecution exist, these accounts are cursory or their reliability is debated.<ref name="Barnes" />{{rp|35}}

In AD 92, the [[Flavian Palace]] was completed. In AD 97, the [[Forum of Nerva]] was completed. [[Josephus]] wrote ''[[Antiquities of the Jews]]'' (covering the [[Jewish history|history of the Jewish people]]), ''[[Against Apion]]'' (a defense of [[Judaism]] as a classical religion and philosophy against criticism by [[Apion]]), and ''[[The Life of Flavius Josephus]]'' (an autobiographical text where Josephus details his own life). [[Tacitus]] wrote ''[[Germania (book)|Germania]]'' (a historical and [[Ethnography|ethnographic]] work on the [[Germanic peoples]] outside the [[Roman Empire]]) and ''[[Agricola (book)|Agricola]]'' (which recounts the life of his father-in-law [[Gnaeus Julius Agricola]], an eminent Roman general and governor of [[Roman Britain|Britain]]). 

{{Events by year for decade|9}}

==Significant people==
* [[Titus Flavius Domitianus]], [[Roman Emperor]] ([[AD 81]]–[[AD 96|96]])
* [[Nerva]], Roman Emperor ([[AD 96]]–[[AD 98|98]])

{{Births and deaths by year for decade|9}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Works cited===
* {{cite book |last=Wu |first=Shu-hui |title=Debating War in Chinese History |year=2013 |publisher=Brill |location=Leiden |isbn=978-90-04-22372-1 |chapter=Debates and Decision-Making: The Battle of the Altai Mountains (Jinweishan 金微山) in AD 91}}
* {{cite book |last=Wyatt |first=James C. Y. |title=China: Dawn of a Golden Age, 200-750 AD |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JbdS-R3y72MC&pg=PA8 |year=2004 |publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art |isbn=978-1-58839-126-1 }}
* {{cite book |last=Yü |first=Ying-shih |chapter=Han Foreign Relations |title=The Cambridge History of China, Volume 1: The Ch'in and Han Empires, 221 B.C. - A.D. 220 |year=1986 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-24327-0}}

==See also==
{{commons category}}

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[[Category:90s| ]]