Ban Chao, Protector General of the Western Regions
A Han general wins back the Silk Road oases for China
For almost 30 years General Ban Chao fought and bargained with the city-states of the Tarim Basin, pushing out the Xiongnu. In 91 he was made Protector General of the Western Regions. In 97 he sent the envoy Gan Ying towards the Roman Empire, but Gan Ying got only as far as a sea west of Parthia and turned back.
Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 1st century
Meanwhile around the world (±25 years)
Middle East
- 70 Siege of Jerusalem and destruction of the Temple — 21 years earlier
Africa
- c. 100 The rise of Aksum — 9 years later
Alive at the time
- Ban Zhao (aged 46)
- Zhang Heng (aged 13)