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Year 499 (CDXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Iohannes without colleague (or, less frequently, year 1252 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 499 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

China

• April 26 – Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei dies of starvation in his capital at Luoyang, after a 27-year reign in which he has Sinicized his tribal relatives (Tuoba clan), created a Chinese-style government and instituted a land-reform program.
• Crown prince Xuan Wu Di, age 16, succeeds his father Xiaowen and becomes emperor of Northern Wei. He appoints his uncle Yuan Xie provincial governor, who serves temporarily as regent to form a new government.

Middle East

• September – The 499 Nicopolis earthquake takes place in the borders between the regions of Mesopotamia, Pontus, and Roman Armenia. It affects the cities of Nicopolis, Neocaesarea (modern Niksar), Arsamosata, and Abarne, as well as the cultural areas of Anatolia (Asia Minor) and Mesopotamia.

By topic

Religion

• March 1 – During a synod in Rome, which is attended by 72 bishops and all of the Roman clergy, Pope Symmachus makes Antipope Laurentius bishop of the diocese of Nocera in Campania.

Major wars and battles in Europe

In 499, the Bulgars crossed Danube and reached Thrace where on the banks of the river Tzurta (considered a tributary of Maritsa) they defeated 15,000 men strong Roman army led by magister militum Aristus. Often overlooked due to the Battle of Ongal (180 years later), the 499-500 AD events demonstrate not only the strength and ambition of the Bulgars to rule over the lower Danube and South-East European lands, but also that their origins historically date back to the late antiquity and not the early medieval ages as is often considered.

Mathematics

• Indian mathematician Aryabhata writes his magnum opus, the Āryabhaṭīya.

Births

• Ingund, queen of the Franks (approximate date)
• Ly Thien Bao, emperor of Vietnam (d. 555)
• Maximianus, bishop of Ravenna (d. 556)

Deaths

• April 26 – Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei, emperor of Northern Wei (b. 467)
• Feng Run, Chinese empress of Northern Wei

References

1. Guidoboni, Traina, 1995

Sources

• Guidoboni, Emanuela; Traina, Giusto (1995), "A new catalogue of earthquakes in the historical Armenian area from antiquity to the 12th century", Annals of Geophysics, 38, doi:10.4401/ag-4134

• 499