296
Year 296 was a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valerius and Constantius. The denomination 296 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
- Constantius Chlorus assembles two invasion fleets with the intent of crossing the English Channel. The first is under the command of Asclepiodotus, Constantius' long serving Praetorian Prefect. He sails from the mouth of the Seine, and lands near the Isle of Wight, where his forces defeat the usurper Allectus in Hampshire. Constantius leaves Boulogne with his fleet, and occupies London, saving the city from an attack by Frankish mercenaries who are roaming the province.
- Maximian, emperor of the Roman Empire, mobilises an army, consisting of Praetorian cohorts, Aquileian, Egyptian, and Danubian legionaries, marching through Spain. He crosses the Strait of Gibraltar into Mauretania to protect the area against Frankish pirates.
- Constantius Chlorus reconquers Britain; he rebuilds the cities Eboracum, Londinium, and Verulamium.
Persia
- Emperor Diocletian dispatches his son-in-law Galerius with a large army to Armenia. He invades Mesopotamia, but suffers a complete defeat outside Ctesiphon against the Persian king Narseh, and is forced to retreat. Galerius crosses the Euphrates into Syria to join Diocletian at Antioch.
By topic
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