The first decade of our era was only nine years long

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Because there is no year zero, the 0s represent a chronological quirk where the first decade of the Common Era spans only nine years. While history moved at its usual pace, this period saw the rise of dynasties, massive migrations, and some of the ancient world's most pivotal conflicts.

The naming of our current era is rooted in a 6th-century calculation by Dionysius Exiguus. He devised the Anno Domini (AD) system to number years from the birth of Jesus. This distinction remains a point of scholarly debate; many modern historians argue that Dionysius’ calculations were inaccurate and that the birth of Jesus likely occurred several years earlier than his timeline suggests.

Despite these chronological nuances, the period was defined by intense geopolitical shifts. In China, the Western Han dynasty collapsed as Wang Mang orchestrated a series of maneuvers to seize power. By AD 8, he officially established the short-lived Xin dynasty after crushing internal rebellions. This era also saw some of the most precise data collection in antiquity: a Chinese census in AD 2 recorded nearly 60 million people across more than 12 million households, providing a remarkably accurate snapshot of the world's population at the time.

Simultaneously, the Roman Empire was engaged in brutal expansion and stabilization. Under Augustus and Tiberius, Rome fought to suppress revolts in Illyricum and Germania. These campaigns were punctuated by significant military setbacks, such as the defeat at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. While Rome consolidated its grip on Europe, other regions saw their own shifts: the Parthian Empire experienced a period of instability with multiple rulers being deposed or installed, and Korea saw large-scale invasions halted by the elements rather than total conquest.

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