The '2nd century BC' started the first day of
200 BC and ended the last day of
101 BC. It is considered part of the
Classical era, although depending on the region being studied, other terms may be more proper (for instance, if regarding only the Eastern Mediterranean, it would best be called part of the
Hellenistic period).
Fresh from its victories in the
Second Punic War, the
Roman Republic continues to expand into neighbouring territories, eventually annexing
Greece, and the North African coast after completely destroying the city of
Carthage at the end of the
Third Punic War. Rome's influence is also felt in the near east, as crumbling
Hellenistic states like the
Seleucid Empire are forced to make treaties on Roman terms in order to avoid confrontation with the new masters of the western
Mediterranean. The period is noted for the emergence of a new arrogance on the part of the Romans, which manifests itself in provincial corruption, and a shameless lust for wealth and status among the privileged classes. The end of the century witnesses the reforming of the
Roman Army from a citizen army to a voluntary professional force, under the guidance of the great general and statesman
Gaius Marius - (
Marian Reforms). In East Asia, the
Sinitic world reaches its first high point with
Qin's successor, the
Han dynasty. The
Han empire extends its boundaries from Korea in the east to Vietnam in the South to the borders of modern day Kazakhstan in the west. Also in the 2nd century BCE, the Han defeats the Mongol-Turkic tribes of the steppes, driving the
Xiong Nu/(Huns) west.
Events
Coin of Antiochus IV. Reverse shows
Apollo seated on an
omphalos. The Greek inscription reads ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ ΘΕΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ (Antiochus, image of God, bearer of victory). He was the last ruler of the
Seleucid Empire to rule unopposed
★
190 BC,
March 14:
Solar eclipse recorded in Rome [Livy: Ab Urbe Condita 37.4.4].
★
175 BC —
Antiochus IV Epiphanes, took possession of the
Syrian throne, at the murder of his brother
Seleucus IV Philopator, which rightly belonged to his nephew
Demetrius I Soter.
★
168 BC —
Battle of Pydna — The
Macedonian phalanx defeated by
Romans.
★ 168 BC,
June 21:
Lunar eclipse recorded in Rome [Livy: Ab Urbe Condita 44.37.8].
★
164 BC, 25
Kislev:
Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the
Hasmonean family, restores the
Temple in Jerusalem. Events commemorated each year by the festival of
Hanukkah.
★
147 BC —
Hasmonean victories restore autonomy to
Judea.
★
148 BC —
Rome conquers
Macedonia.
★
★
Rome destroys
Carthage in the
Third Punic War.
★
★
Rome conquers
Corinth.
★
129 BC — collapse of the
Seleucid Empire.
★
108 BC —
Han Dynasty finally destroyed
Wanggeom seong, the capital of
Gojoseon. And
Han Dynasty founded
Sagunhyeon to govern
Gojoseon.
★
113 BC–
101 BC — Migration of the
Cimbri and the
Teutons, defeated at the battles of
Aquae Sextiae and
Vercellae.
★
Theravada Buddhism is officially introduced to
Sri Lanka by the
Venerable Mahinda.
★ 2nd or
1st century BC —
Hagesandros,
Polydoros,
Athanadoros of
Rhodes make
Laocoön and his Sons. Perhaps the original or a Roman copy of the
1st century AD is discovered in
1506. It is now at
Musei Vaticani,
Museo Pio Clementino,
Cortile Ottagono,
Rome.
★ Market woman is made. It is now at The
Metropolitan Museum of Art,
New York.
★
Porta Augusta,
Perugia, is built.
★ Shortly before
100 BC the
Scythians overran
Parthia.
[1]
Significant persons
Gaius Marius, instigator of the
Marian reforms which allowed the recruitment of landless citizens as professional soldiers
★
Andriscus, last independent ruler of Macedon
★
Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the last effective ruler of the
Seleucid Empire
★
Antiochus VII Sidetes, last King of a United
Seleucid Empire
★
Apollonius of Perga, Greek
geometer
★
Apollonius of Rhodes, author of
Jason and the Argonauts
★
Appius Claudius Pulcher, Roman consul and censor
★
Boiorix, king of the
Cimbri
★
Flaccus,
musical collaborator of Terence
★
Hipparchus, considered the greatest astronomical observer
★
Jonathan Maccabaeus, leader of the
Hasmonean rebellion and first autonomous ruler of
Judea
★
Judas Maccabeus, leader of the
Hasmonean rebellion and its first successful general
★
Liu An, Chinese prince and noted
geographer
★
Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus, Roman general and politician
★
Lucius Cornelius Sulla, Roman general and politician
★
Lucius Mummius Achaicus, conqueror of
Corinth
★
Gaius Marius, Roman general and politician
★
Perseus of Macedon, last King of the
Antigonid dynasty
★
Plautus,
Latin playwright
★
Quintus Lutatius Catulus, Roman general
★
Scipio Aemilianus Africanus, conqueror of
Carthage
★
Sima Qian, father of
Chinese historiography
★
Terence,
Latin playwright
★
Teutobod, King of the
Teutons
★
Emperor Wu of Han, considered one of the greatest emperors throughout the
History of China
★
Zhang Qian, Chinese diplomat and explorer
Inventions, discoveries, introductions
★ The
Chinese first produce
Paper.
[1]
★
Silk Road between
Europe and
Asia
★
Hipparchus discovers
precession of
Earth's
equinoxes and compiles first
trigonometric tables
★
Liu An invented
tofu
★ The
Roman concrete (puzzolana) first used
★
Rotary mill invented by the ancient Greeks
★ A system for sending signs to communicate quickly over a long distance is described by
Polybios
★ The earliest known
winnowing machine is depicted in a
Han Dynasty Chinese tomb model.
References
1. Roberts, J: "History of the World.". Penguin, 1994.
2. Roberts, J: "History of the World.". Penguin, 1994.
Decades and Years
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