December 20th


69: Vespasian, formerly a general under Nero, enters Rome to claim the title of emperor. He gets the title because the other guy forgot his claim ticket.


1860: South Carolina becomes the first state to secede from the United States. No word yet on when it plans to rejoin.


2007: The painting "Portrait of Suzanne Bloch," by Pablo Picasso, is stolen from the São Paulo Museum of Art along with the souvenier jumbo pencil from the gift shop that was almost as valuable.