Sima Tan (Jin dynasty)

Sima Tan (司馬誕, died 311), courtesy name Ziyu (子預), was a Jin dynasty (266-420) official. He was a grandson of Sima Fu, a prince of the Cao Wei dynasty and a brother of Sima Yi, the founder of the Jin dynasty. Sima Tan served as a General Who Pacifies the North (鎮北將軍) and held other important military and administrative positions within the Jin court. He was appointed to guard Xiangyang, a strategically important city. During the War of the Eight Princes, a period of intense internal conflict within the Jin dynasty, Sima Tan attempted to remain neutral. However, he was ultimately caught between the warring factions. In 311, during the Yongjia Rebellion, Xiangyang was attacked by forces of Han Zhao, one of the Sixteen Kingdoms founded by Xiongnu rebels. Sima Tan defended the city but was eventually killed during the siege. His death marked a significant loss for the already weakened Jin dynasty, further contributing to its decline in the north. His actions and the circumstances surrounding his death are documented in historical texts like the Book of Jin.