Overview
AD 23 (23 CE) was a year in the 1st century of the Common Era. In contemporary Roman practice it was identified by the names of that year's senior magistrates, recorded as the "Year of the Consulship of Pollio and Vetus." In modern terms it is a common year that began on Friday according to the Julian calendar.
Calendar and naming conventions
The Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE, remained the basic civil calendar across the Roman world in AD 23. Years were commonly referred to by the two consuls who held office rather than by a continuous numeric era; the formula "Year of the Consulship of Pollio and Vetus" is an example of this practice. Later medieval chronology converted such designations into the Anno Domini system that gives us the label AD 23. For more on the historical century, see 1st century and for background on the calendar itself consult resources on the Julian calendar.
Notable events and political context
In the Roman world the emperor Tiberius was in his second decade of rule; imperial administration, senatorial politics and the influence of leading courtiers shaped events across the empire. The Roman practice of dating by consuls is preserved in inscriptions and later histories; the consular names give this year its contemporary label. For discussion of Roman political life and how years were recorded, see materials about Roman consular dating.
Events in East Asia
AD 23 is also marked by major developments in China: the collapse of Wang Mang's short-lived Xin dynasty and the widespread unrest that followed. The fall of the Xin regime led to a period of fragmentation and competing claimants before the eastern branch of the Han dynasty was eventually restored. For further context about Chinese chronology and dynastic change, consult overviews of the era at Chinese historical timelines.
Importance and historical perspective
As a single year in antiquity, AD 23 illustrates how local calendrical systems and political events intersect. Its Roman consular label preserves a method of timekeeping important to historians; its concurrence with upheaval in China reminds readers that developments across Eurasia could be dramatic and contemporaneous. For comparative chronology and cross-cultural study see articles on ancient dating methods and events in the same period at chronological resources.
- Designation: Year of the Consulship of Pollio and Vetus (Roman).
- Calendar: Julian (common year starting on Friday).
- Broader context: Reign of Tiberius in Rome; collapse of Wang Mang's Xin dynasty in China.