Year 78 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.

Events

By place

Roman Empire

• Romans conquer the Ordovices, located in present-day northern Wales, as well as the Silures.
• Gnaeus Julius Agricola replaces Sextus Julius Frontinus as governor of Roman Britain.

Asia

• Indian Prince Aji Caka introduces the Sanskrit language and Pallawa script, used to inscribe Javanese words and phrases, to the Indonesian islands.
• This is the base year (year zero) of the Saka era used by some Hindu calendars, the Indian national calendar, and the Cambodian Buddhist calendar. It begins near the vernal equinox for the civil solar calendar, but begins opposite the star Spica for the traditional solar calendar.
• Kanishka (78–144), reigns over the Tocharian Empire of Kusana (Afghanistan and Northern India). He is a renowned conqueror and wise administrator.
• Pacorus II is king of Parthia (78–115).

By topic

Philosophy

• The philosopher Wang Chong (Wang-Tchoung) claims all phenomena have material causes.

Births

• Zhang Heng, Chinese mathematician, astronomer, inventor, poet, artist, scholar, geographer, and statesman (d. 139)
• Liu Qing, Chinese prince of the Han Dynasty (d. 106)
• Wang Fu (d. 163)

Deaths