Your Day in the Ancient Greek World

December 7

December 7 in ancient Greece is represented in our source-audited archive by 2 verified records spanning AD 116 to AD 574. Together, the entries below connect this calendar date with different moments in the ancient Greek world through historical and documentary evidence.

Across the centuries

On This Day

  1. AD 116

    Life on This Day

    Elephantine, Roman Egypt Law & Civic Life High

    A Sale of the Enslaved Narkissos Is Authorized

    On December 7, AD 116, a Greek-Demotic document authorized the sale of an enslaved person named Narkissos. The bilingual record shows legal transactions crossing linguistic traditions in Roman Egypt.

    Sources

    Primary evidence

    • ERC Elephantine dataset 100254

    Modern scholarship

    • Texts & Scripts from Elephantine

    Public links

  2. AD 574

    Event That Shaped History

    Constantinople Politics & Power High

    Tiberius Is Raised to Caesar

    On December 7, AD 574, Justin II adopted Tiberius, gave him the name Constantine and raised him to the rank of Caesar. The act transferred effective imperial authority as Justin’s health deteriorated.

    Sources

    Primary evidence

    • Late antique imperial chronology of Justin II and Tiberius II

    Modern scholarship

    • Cécile Morrisson and John Nesbitt, study of Tiberius II Constantine
    • American Numismatic Society studies

    Public links