2nd century BC

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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: Births – Deaths
Establishments – Disestablishments
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 it's 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

[edit] 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

[edit] 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

[edit] Inventions, discoveries, introductions

Hipparchus' equatorial ring.
Hipparchus' equatorial ring.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Decades and years

v • d • e
Decades and years
2nd century BC
4th century BC←3rd century BC← ↔ →1st century BC→1st century
200s BC 209 BC 208 BC 207 BC 206 BC 205 BC 204 BC 203 BC 202 BC 201 BC 200 BC
190s BC 199 BC 198 BC 197 BC 196 BC 195 BC 194 BC 193 BC 192 BC 191 BC 190 BC
180s BC 189 BC 188 BC 187 BC 186 BC 185 BC 184 BC 183 BC 182 BC 181 BC 180 BC
170s BC 179 BC 178 BC 177 BC 176 BC 175 BC 174 BC 173 BC 172 BC 171 BC 170 BC
160s BC 169 BC 168 BC 167 BC 166 BC 165 BC 164 BC 163 BC 162 BC 161 BC 160 BC
150s BC 159 BC 158 BC 157 BC 156 BC 155 BC 154 BC 153 BC 152 BC 151 BC 150 BC
140s BC 149 BC 148 BC 147 BC 146 BC 145 BC 144 BC 143 BC 142 BC 141 BC 140 BC
130s BC 139 BC 138 BC 137 BC 136 BC 135 BC 134 BC 133 BC 132 BC 131 BC 130 BC
120s BC 129 BC 128 BC 127 BC 126 BC 125 BC 124 BC 123 BC 122 BC 121 BC 120 BC
110s BC 119 BC 118 BC 117 BC 116 BC 115 BC 114 BC 113 BC 112 BC 111 BC 110 BC
100s BC 109 BC 108 BC 107 BC 106 BC 105 BC 104 BC 103 BC 102 BC 101 BC 100 BC
90s BC 99 BC 98 BC 97 BC 96 BC 95 BC 94 BC 93 BC 92 BC 91 BC 90 BC
v • d • e
Centuries and millennia