2nd century BCE

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Timeline: 2nd century BCE

Years: c. 200 BCE - c. 100 BCE	Subject: History, Ancient history (non-classical to 500 CE)
Publisher: HistoryWorld	Online Publication Date: 2012
Current online version: 2012	eISBN: 9780191735424

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BCE CE

Year	Event
c. 200 BCE	Cement is in use for construction in Asia Minor, possibly developed first in Pergamum Go to Pergamum in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3rd century BCE Technology Inventions and discoveries Asia West Asia Turkey The earth drawings of the Nazca people, known now as the Nazca Lines, are some of the largest works of art ever created See this event in other timelines: 3rd century BCE Civilizations of Peru Andean Civilizations Architecture American architecture Religion Latin America Peru South America Indian cavalrymen ride with their big toes in loops of leather or fabric - a first step towards the stirrup Go to stirrups in The Oxford Companion to Military History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3rd century BCE War Asia South Asia India (the subcontinent) Seafarers reach and colonize the Pacific island of Samoa Go to Polynesians in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3rd century BCE Migration Australia and Oceania Pacific Islands Society The oasis city of Palmyra acquires importance on the caravan route between Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean Go to Palmyra in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3rd century BCE Commerce and industry Asia West Asia Lebanon and Syria Society The Mochica develop a civilization, in the north of modern Peru, known for its realistic pottery sculpture Go to Mochica in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3rd century BCE Civilizations of Peru Andean Civilizations Arts Decorative arts Latin America Peru South America
196 BCE	The Romans, after defeating Macedon, announce at the Isthmian Games that all Greek states are now free under Roman protection Go to Flāminī'nus, Titus Qui'nctius (c.229–174 bc) in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Politics Conquest and colonization Europe Greece Italy Priests issue a decree on the first anniversary of the accession of Ptolemy V – it is the first three-script inscription to have been discovered, known now as the Rosetta Stone Go to Rosetta Stone in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature (3 ed.) The text of the Rosetta stone is chiselled into a black basalt slab in the three scripts hieroglyphic Egyptian, demotic Egyptian, and Greek Go to Rosetta Stone in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Africa North Africa Egypt
188 BCE	Sparta's ancient political system comes to an end, but the ordeal by flogging lingers on as a tourist attraction in the temple of Artemis Go to Spartan cults in Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Social and domestic Europe Greece Society
c. 185 BCE	Plautus and Terence, in the second and third century BC, create a Roman drama based on Greek originals Go to Plautus, Titus Maccius (c.250–184 bc) in The Oxford Companion to English Literature (7 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Greek literature Latin literature Performing arts Theatre Literature Drama Europe Greece Italy
183 BCE	Hannibal, to avoid falling into Roman hands, commits suicide in the Bithynian town of Libyssa Go to Hannibal (c.247–c.183 bc) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: War Asia West Asia Turkey
176 BCE	The Yuezhi, defeated by the Xiongnu, move west - before eventually descending into Bactria and northwest India Go to Xiongnu in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Migration Asia East Asia Society
c. 170 BCE	Parchment is invented by Eumenes II, king of Pergamum, according to traditional accounts Go to parchment in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Technology Inventions and discoveries Asia West Asia Turkey
168 BCE	Antiochus IV places a statue of Zeus above the altar of the Temple in Jerusalem, provoking violent reactions from the Jews Go to ANTIOCHUS IV EPIPHANES in The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Religion Judaism Jerusalem Asia West Asia Palestine and Israel
165 BCE	The Jewish leader Judas the Maccabee captures Jerusalem and cleanses the Temple Go to JUDAH THE MACCABEE in The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Politics Protest and rebellion Religion Judaism Jerusalem Asia West Asia Palestine and Israel
c. 160 BCE	The Roman statesman Cato the Elder writes Origines ('Origins'), a history of Rome which survives only in fragments See this event in other timelines: Latin literature Literature Rome Europe Italy
c. 150 BCE	The earliest inscriptions in an American script are those of the Zapotecs, from about this period Go to Zapotec in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Mesoamerican civilization Latin America Central America Mexico
149 BCE	Rome picks a quarrel with Carthage to begin the Third Punic War Go to Punic wars in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Punic Wars War Africa North Africa Europe Greece Italy Wars and Revolutions
146 BCE	Carthage is destroyed by the Romans at the end of the Third Punic War Go to Carthage in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Punic Wars War Africa North Africa Europe Greece Italy Wars and Revolutions
141 BCE	Simon the Maccabee is appointed high priest of the Temple in Jerusalem, with the position declared hereditary in his family Go to Hasmoneans in A Dictionary of the Bible (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Religion Judaism Jerusalem Asia West Asia Palestine and Israel
c. 140 BCE	The Greek astronomer Hipparchus is credited with the invention of the astrolabe, measuring the angle of sun or star above the horizon Go to Hipparchus of Nicaea (c.190–c.120 bc) in A Dictionary of Astronomy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Greek science Science Astronomy and space Europe Greece The priestly Sadducees are confronted in the Sanhedrin by a new opposition party - the Pharisees Go to Pharisees in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Politics Religion Judaism Asia West Asia Palestine and Israel
139 BCE	A secret ballot is instituted for Roman citizens, who mark their vote on a tablet and place it in an urn Go to elections and voting in Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Politics Democracy and dissent Europe Greece Italy
138 BCE	Zhang Qian, a Chinese diplomat, begins a spell of twelve years as a captive of the nomadic horde, the Xiongnu Go to Qian, Zhang (d. 114 b.c.e.) in The Oxford Companion to World Exploration (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Exploration Asia East Asia China Society
133 BCE	The tribune Tiberius Gracchus is murdered by a mob which includes Roman senators Go to Gracchus, Tiberius Sempronius (c. 163–133bc) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Politics Terrorism and assassination Europe Italy
c. 130 BCE	The Greek astronomer Hipparchus, mapping the stars, observes but cannot explain the precession of the equinoxes Go to precession of the equinoxes in A Dictionary of Astronomy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Greek science Science Astronomy and space Europe Greece Hipparchus proposes a grid of 360° of latitude and longitude for mapmaking Go to Hipparchus of Nicaea (c.190–c.120 bc) in A Dictionary of Astronomy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Greek science Science Europe Greece
129 BCE	Hipparchus completes the first scientific star catalogue, mapping some 850 stars Go to Hipparchus of Nicaea (c.190–c.120 bc) in A Dictionary of Astronomy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Greek science Science Astronomy and space Europe Greece
c. 126 BCE	Zhang Qian reaches Bactria and is the first to bring news of western Asia back to China Go to Qian, Zhang (d. 114 b.c.e.) in The Oxford Companion to World Exploration (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Exploration Asia Central Asia East Asia China Society
c. 125 BCE	Under the Han dynasty the Confucians become the official civil servants in China, with entry to the service regulated by examination Go to Confucianism in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Politics Asia East Asia China
121 BCE	The Romans establish a province in the south of France, still acknowledged in the name Provence Go to Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (France) in The Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Politics Conquest and colonization Europe France The tribune Gaius Gracchus is murdered by an armed group, led by a consul, after which 3000 of his supporters are rounded up and executed Go to Gracchus, Tiberius Sempronius (c. 163–133bc) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Politics Terrorism and assassination Europe Italy
c. 120 BCE	Antipater, a Greek author living on the Phoenician coast, lists the seven wonders of the world Go to Seven Wonders of the World in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Seven Wonders of the World Architecture Sculpture The Phoenicians Asia West Asia Lebanon and Syria Sima Qian undertakes (and carries through against unusual odds) a major survey of Chinese history Go to Sima Qian (c. 145–85 bc) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Literature Asia East Asia China
106 BCE	A caravan leaves China with goods destined for Persia - proof that the eastern half of the Silk Road is now open Go to Silk Road in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Commerce and industry Asia Central Asia Iran (Persia) East Asia China Society
102 BCE	The Roman general Gaius Marius defeats the Teutones, a German tribe which has made deep inroads into southern Gaul Go to Teutons in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Migration Battles Europe France Society
101 BCE	A German tribe, the Cimbri, press into northern Italy until they are defeated at Vercellae and driven out of the peninsula Go to Cimbri in The Oxford Classical Dictionary (3 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Migration Battles Europe Italy Society
c. 100 BCE	The Essenes, a Jewish sect, withdraw from secular life to form monastic communities in the desert Go to Essenes in A Dictionary of the Bible (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1st century BCE Religion Judaism Asia West Asia Palestine and Israel A Venus is carved in marble, and centuries later becomes an ideal of female beauty after being found on the island of Milo Go to Venus de Milo in The Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (4 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1st century BCE Arts Sculpture Europe Greece Hindu temple sculptors develop a sinuous and full-bodied style for the naked female form Go to Ardhanārī in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1st century BCE Arts Sculpture Asia South Asia India (the subcontinent) The Parthians develop the site of Ctesiphon, on the east bank of the Tigris opposite Seleucia Go to Parthians in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1st century BCE Politics Dynasties and royalty Mesopotamia Asia West Asia Iraq The practice of acupuncture is described in Nei Qing, a Chinese medical text Go to Acupuncture in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1st century BCE Science Medicine Asia East Asia China

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date: 22 May 2025

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