2nd century BCE

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Millennium: 1st millennium BC
Centuries: 3rd century BC · 2nd century BC · 1st century BC
Decades: 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC
140s BC 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC 100s BC
Categories: BirthsDeaths
EstablishmentsDisestablishments
Eastern hemisphere at the beginning of the 2nd century BC.
Eastern hemisphere at the beginning of the 2nd century BC.
Eastern hemisphere at the end of the 2nd century BC.
Eastern hemisphere at the end of the 2nd century BC.

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 continued its expansion 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 was also felt in the near east, as crumbling Hellenistic states like the Seleucid Empire were 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 manifested itself in provincial corruption, and a shameless lust for wealth and status among the privileged classes. The end of the century witnessed 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 reached its first high point with Qin's successor, the Han dynasty. The Han empire extended 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 BC, the Han dispatched the explorer Zhang Qian to explore the lands to the west and to form an alliance with the Yuezhi people in order to combat the Mongol tribe of the Xiongnu;[1] the Han defeated the Mongol-Turkic tribes of the steppes, driving the Xiong Nu/(Huns) west.

Contents

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
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

Significant persons

Gaius Marius, instigator of the Marian reforms, which allowed the recruitment of landless citizens as professional soldiers
Gaius Marius, instigator of the Marian reforms, which allowed the recruitment of landless citizens as professional soldiers

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

Hipparchus' equatorial ring.
Hipparchus' equatorial ring.

References

  1. ^ C.Michael Hogan, Silk Road, North China, The Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnham
  2. ^ Roberts, J: "History of the World.". Penguin, 1994.
  3. ^ Roberts, J: "History of the World.". Penguin, 1994.

Decades and years

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