43

Year 43 (XLIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.

Events

By place

Britain

• The long Roman conquest of Britain begins. Aulus Plautius lands with four legions and an equal number of auxiliaries and defeats the Britons, led by Caratacus and Togodumnus, in battles on the rivers Medway and Thames. He halts at the Thames and sends for the emperor Claudius, who leads the march on Camulodunum. Eleven British kings, probably including those of the Iceni and Brigantes, submit without a fight. Meanwhile, the future emperor Vespasian begins to subdue the south-west. The Romans begin to construct forts such as at Peterborough, and begin to construct a road that later becomes Ermine Street.

Roman Empire

• Consuls are the emperor Claudius (his second consulship) and Lucius Vitellius.

• Claudius annexes Lycia in Asia Minor, combining it with Pamphylia as a Roman province.

• The Romans now have complete control of the Mediterranean.

Asia

• Warfare begins between the northern and southern Huns.
• The warrior Trung Sisters commit suicide after their resistance is defeated at Nam Viet in Vietnam.
• Vietnam is designated a province of China.

By topic

Religion

• In Coptic Orthodox Christianity, Mark the Evangelist becomes the first Pope of Alexandria, thus establishing the Christian Church in Africa.

Arts and sciences

• Pomponius Mela, Roman geographer, writes De situ orbis libri (probable date).

Births

• Martial, Roman poet

Deaths

• Togodumnus, King of the Catuvellauni
• Julia, daughter of Drusus the Younger, granddaughter of Tiberius, niece of Claudius, executed (or perhaps forced to commit suicide) at the instigation of Messalina