Nerva (depicted), the first of the "Five Good Emperors" of ancient Rome, came to power following the assassination of his predecessor Domitian. AD 96: AD 96 (XCVI) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valens and Vetus. The denomination AD 96 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. September 18, 96. Wiki link