200 BC
Indian sculptures show barefoot riders using a type of stirrup. [11]
200 BC
Impressions of thumbs were used on clay tablets as identification in ancient Babylon. [1009]
200 BC.
The Four Dead Sea Scrolls are noted as Biblical Manuscripts dating back to at least this date. [1099]
200 BC
The Seleucid Empire, under King Antiochus III, conquered the region known as Judea. [1250]
200 BC
Shadow puppetry was first practiced in China. [1479]
200 BC
Philo of Byzantium wrote about early water wheels used to power grinding mills. [1705]
196 BC
Rosetta Stone inscribed during the reign of Ptolemy V [164]
19th century BC
Idea of a giant tower for space travel proposed by Konstantin Tsiolkovsky [1121]
183 BC
Funeral of former consul Publius Licinius consisting of three days of gladiatorial games. [1139]
175 to 145 BC
The oldest samples of paper found in northwestern China [978]
175 BC
Antiochus IV Epiphanes became king of the Seleucid Empire. [1250]
171 BC
A law was passed in Rome limiting the number of chickens served per meal to one [651]
168 BC
Antiochus IV invaded Judea and sacked Jerusalem. [1250]
165 BC
The first imperial exams for admission to the administrative class were administered during the Han Dynasty by Emperor Wen. [558]
164 BC
The Maccabees recaptured Jerusalem and the temple. [1250]
164 BC
Babylonian texts recorded the appearance of Halley’s Comet [1777]
163 BC
Tiberius Gracchus was born. [866]
17th century BC
Earliest form of roller coasters in Russia, known as "Russian Mountains." [1968]
154 BC
Gaius Gracchus was born. [866]
152 BC
A Roman delegation, including Cato the Elder, is sent to Carthage to mediate a dispute with Masinissa. [803]
151 BC
Carthage pays off its 50-year debt. [803]
2nd century BC
Earliest evidence of paper in China [454]
150 BC
The existence of 46,000 insulae in Rome. [714]
16th Century BC
Giordano Bruno posited that there might be planets orbiting around other stars. [726]
150 BC
Carthage raises an army against the Numidians, leading to conflict. [803]
2nd century BC
Rickets first recorded by Soranus of Ephesus [950]
2nd century BC
Eratosthenes and Hipparchus proposed a system of longitude [1675]
2nd Century BC
Evidence of gunpowder existing [1911]
149 BC
Rome formally declared war on Carthage [803]
147 BC
Scipio Aemilianus is elected consul and leads Roman efforts during the siege of Carthage. [803]
147 BC
Tiberius Gracchus served as legate during the Third Punic War. [866]
146 BC
Carthage is destroyed by the Romans. [731]
146 BC
The siege of Carthage ended with its destruction [803]
146 BC
The Romans breach the walls of Carthage, resulting in the city's destruction. [803]
145 BC
Decline of the Library and the Musaeum during the reign of Ptolemy VIII [677]
143 BC
The Sibylline Books were consulted regarding the Aqua Martius but were ignored by the Senate. [371]
141 BC
Death of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, the tomb found in Xi’an contained biomolecular markers of tea. [1128]
138 BC
Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent an envoy named Zhang Qian to establish diplomatic relations with the tribes and kingdoms of Central Asia. [1138]
137 BC
Tiberius Gracchus was elected to the position of Quaestor. [866]
135 BC
First Servile War occurs in central Sicily [591]
133 BC
Tiberius Graccus renounced his patrician status to run for Tribune of the Plebes [50]
133 BC
Tiberius Gracchus was elected to the position of Tribune of the Plebs. [866]
132 BC
Tiberius Gracchus ran for reelection as Tribune of the Plebs. [866]
128 BC
Earliest recorded observation of Uranus by Hipparchus [1241]
122 BC
Gaius Gracchus was selected as Tribune of the Plebs again. [866]
121 BC
Gaius Gracchus was declared an enemy of the state and died. [866]
1200–800 BC
A migration of people known as the Lapita arrived on the islands [1051]
12000 BC
Discovery of fibers and textile fragments in a cave in Peru [1473]
115 BC
Marcus Licinius Crassus was born [1820]
107 BC
Gaius Marius overhauls the Roman military through the Marian Reforms [553]
106 BC
Birth of Gnaeus Pompeius [1131]
105 BC
First state-sponsored gladiatorial games held, not associated with a funeral. [1139]
104 BC
Second Servile War occurs in Sicily [591]
104 BC
Beginning of the use of an eagle as the standard for every Roman legion [1230]
11th century BC
Jiang Ziya wrote the Six Secret Teachings, discussing elite military units. [1685]
July 12, 100 BC
Birth of Gaius Julius Caesar [1348]
10th century BC
Tulip first cultivated by the Persians [213]
100 BC
Alexandria became a significant city by population [310]
11,700 years ago AD
Start of the Holocene epoch [429]
100 BC
End of the Second Servile War [591]
1st century BC
Petroleum was documented being used as a fuel in China. [611]
1st Century BC
First documented use of hot steam to create mechanical motion by Hero of Alexandria with the aeolipile [706]
1st century BC.
Rabbi Hillel the Elder is reputed to have wrapped lamb meat and bitter herbs between two pieces of matzah during Passover. [1379]
10000 BC
Domestication of sheep [1473]
100 BC
A great famine was reported during the Han Dynasty in China due to drought. [1653]
97 BC
Crassus's father, Publius Licinius Crassus, served as consul [1820]
91-87 BC
The Social War [1131]
91 to 88 BC
Rome fought the Social Wars [1348]
90 BC
An inscription tells of a man named Antipatros who won a competition in Delphi by playing the organ for two days straight. [888]
89 BC
Pompey's father, Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, becomes consul [1131]
May 23, 88 BC
Coordinated uprising against Roman residents in the province of Asia, resulting in a massacre of around 80,000 Romans and Italians. [1053]
88 BC
Armed conflict broke out between Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla. [965]
87 BC
Babylonian texts recorded the appearance of Halley’s Comet [1777]
86 BC
Death of Gaius Marius [1348]
85 BC
End of the First Mithridatic War with the Treaty of Dardanos, allowing Mithridates to remain king of Pontus. [1053]
January 14, 83 BC
Birth of Marc Antony [1316]
83 BC
The Temple of Jupiter burned down and the Sibylline Books were lost. [371]
83 BC
Start of the Second Mithridatic War when Mithridates launched a preemptive attack against Rome. [1053]
83 BC
Sulla returns from the First Mithridatic War and sparks a civil war [1131]
83 BC
Crassus sided with Lucius Cornelius Sulla during his return to power [1820]
83-81 BC
Civil war between generals Marius and Sulla devastated the Roman aristocracy. [689]
82 BC
Sulla won the first Roman Civil War and was declared dictator by the Senate. [965]
82 BC
Pompey captures Gnaeus Papirius Carbo in Sicily [1131]
81 BC
Conclusion of the Second Mithridatic War with an inconclusive outcome for Roman forces. [1053]
81 BC
Caesar awarded the Civic Crown during a siege on Mytilene [1348]
80-90 BC
The gold sarcophagus of Alexander was melted down for coins and replaced with a glass sarcophagus. [567]
80 BC
First expansion of the pomerium during the rule of the Dictator Sulla (BC) [629]
October 3, 78 BC
An inscription reading “Gaius Pumidius Diphilus was here” was recorded. [919]
78 BC
Sulla died, Caesar returned home [1348]
76 BC
The Senate collected other sayings from Greek oracles and deposited these new books in the rebuilt Temple of Jupiter. [371]
76 BC
Pompey enters Hispania to put down the rebellion by Quintus Sertorius [1131]
75 BC
Caesar captured by pirates while en route to Rhodes [1348]
74 BC
Beginning of the Third Mithridatic War after Nicomedes IV of Bithynia bequeaths his kingdom to the Roman Republic. [1053]
73 BC
Third Servile War begins, led by Spartacus [591]
73 BC
Crassus led an army to put down the slave uprising led by Spartacus. [1472]
72 BC
Spartacus defeats two armies led by Roman consuls and the combined armies at the Battle of Picenum [591]
72 or 73 BC
A meteor appears in the sky between the opposing armies of Mithridates and the Romans, preventing the battle from occurring. [1053]
71 BC
71 BC
Pompey returns to Italy at the end of the Third Servile War [1131]
69 BC
Cleopatra was born [1005]
69 BC
Caesar elected quaestor [1348]
66 BC
Accusations arise against Lucullus regarding his conduct of the war, leading to the eventual intervention of Pompey. [1053]
66 BC
Pompey given control of Roman armies in Asia Minor to defeat King Mithrades [1131]
66 BC
Rome and Parthia participated in a joint invasion of Armenia. [1472]
65 BC
The Legio IX Hispana, or the Ninth Spanish Legion, is believed to have been formed during the campaigns of Pompey the Great in Hispania. [1855]
64 BC
Birth of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa [101]
64 BC
Pompey annexes Syria [1131]
63 BC
Catiline's attempt to be elected consul, leading to the Catiline Conspiracy. [640]
63 BC
Cicero presented charges against Catiline in the Senate, leading to significant events of the conspiracy. [640]
63 BC
The Senate issued the Senatus consultum ultimum in response to the conspiracy. [640]
63 BC
Cicero executed five conspirators without trial. [640]
63 BC
Rome survived the Cataline Conspiracy, which threatened to control the state. [689]
63 BC
Roman conquest of Syria begins and Judea becomes a vassal state under Herod. [766]
63 BC
Mithridates attempts to raise another army but ultimately kills himself when all his allies turn against him. [1053]
63 BC
Rome completed the conquest of much of the Middle East, culminating with the capture of Jerusalem. [1472]
62 BC
Birth of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa [101]
62 BC
The Romans conquer the Levant and Phoenicia, marking the end of the Phoenicians as a separate civilization. [731]
62 BC
Caesar elected praetor [1348]
60 BC
Julius Caesar forgoes his triumph to run for consul [886]
60 BC
There had been no major hostilities between Rome and Parthia. [1472]
59 BC
Julius Caesar was consul with Calpurnius Bibulus. [179]
59 BC
Caesar ran for consul. [689]
59 BC
Livia Drusilla is born [750]
59 BC
Unambiguous references in Chinese text indicate tea drinking. [1128]
59 BC
Caesar elected consul and solidifies the First Triumvirate [1131]
59 BC
58 BC
Julius Caesar and his allies used Cicero's actions during the conspiracy to have him exiled from Rome. [640]
58 BC
Ptolemy XII was deposed by his daughter Berenice IV [1005]
58 BC
Marc Antony flees to Athens to avoid debtors [1316]
58 BC
Annexation of Cyprus by Rome [1873]
57 BC
Pompey put in charge of the Roman grain supply [1131]
57 BC
Marc Antony joins the army under Aulus Gabinius [1316]
57 BC
King Phraates III of Parthia was killed by his two sons, Orodes II and Mithridates IV. [1472]
55 BC
Julius Caesar led an organized expedition to Britain, landing on the shore but only claiming victory without a permanent presence. [398]
55 BC
Rome ordered the governor of Syria to invade Egypt to restore Ptolemy XII to the throne [1005]
55 BC
Pompey elected to his second term as consul [1131]
55 BC
Julius Caesar crossed the Channel during Roman expeditions. [1781]
55 BC
Crassus was once again elected consul [1820]
54 BC
Roman general Crassus loses to the Parthians in the Battle of Carrahae, resulting in 20,000 Romans killed and over 10,000 captured. [9]
54 BC
Marc Antony secures a position on the staff of Julius Caesar [1316]
54 BC
Julius Caesar crossed the Channel during Roman expeditions. [1781]
54 BC
53 BC
Death of Crassus in Parthia [1131]
53 BC
Rome suffered one of the greatest military defeats in its history at the Battle of Carrhae, where the Roman army led by Marcus Lucinius Crassus was destroyed by the Parthian Empire. [1472]
53 BC
Crassus marched into Mesopotamia with a large army [1820]
52 BC
Julius Caesar fought the last major battle in the conquest of Gaul at the Battle of Alesia. [326]
52 BC
Pompey elected consul for a third time [1131]
52 BC
Marc Antony is elected quaestor and fights at the Battle of Alesia [1316]
51 BC
Ptolemy XII died, and Cleopatra became co-ruler of Egypt with Ptolemy XIII [1005]
1st century BC
Silk begins being produced in Korea. [1064]
1st century AD
Legend of a Chinese princess bringing silkworm eggs to Khotan. [1064]
49 BC
Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIII were openly fighting [1005]
49 BC
Caesar crosses the Rubicon [1131]
49 BC
Marc Antony is elected Tribune of the Plebs [1316]
49 BC
Julius Caesar marches into Italy, beginning a civil war with the Senate led by Pompey Magnus. [1927]
August 48 BC
Marc Antony leads troops at the Battle of Pharsalus [1316]
48 BC
The Battle of Pharsalus marks a significant point in the decline of the Roman Republic [260]
48 BC
Julius Caesar visited the Tomb of Alexander in Alexandria. [567]
48 BC
Julius Caesar's fire incident related to the Library of Alexandria [677]
48 BC
Caesar arrived in Egypt after the civil war and found Pompey's head [1005]
48 BC
47 BC
Caesar left Egypt, naming Cleopatra as the joint ruler with Ptolemy XIV [1005]
47 BC
Julius Caesar leaves Rome for Egypt [1316]
46 BC
Julius Caesar celebrates the first appearance of a giraffe in Rome [1782]
45 BC
Julius Caesar eliminates the leap month of Intercalaris, leading to the Julian Calendar reform [26]
45 BC
Pottery found at Gunung Padang, indicating human presence. [1071]
March 18, 44 BC
Julius Caesar planned to leave Rome to campaign against the Parthians [617]
March 15, 44 BC
Assassination of Julius Caesar [617]
March 15, 44 BC
Assassination of Julius Caesar [1316]
February 22, 44 BC
Secret meeting between Cassius Longinus and Marcus Brutus to conspire against Julius Caesar [617]
February 44 BC
Julius Caesar appointed dictator for life [617]
44 BC
Marc Antony is named consul alongside Julius Caesar [1316]
44 BC
The month of July is renamed after Julius Caesar by the Roman Senate in honor of his birth month. [1460]
44 BC
A bright comet seen during the games held in Caesar’s honor, interpreted as Julius Caesar's soul ascending to the heavens [1777]
December 7, 43 BC
Cicero was captured and beheaded under the Second Triumvirate proscription list. [965]
43 BC
The Second Triumvirate was ratified by the Senate [789]
43 BC
Mark Antony gave the scrolls from the Library of Pergamum to Queen Cleopatra as a gift. [993]
42 BC
Mark Antony summoned Cleopatra to Tarsus [1005]
42 BC
Julius Caesar is declared a god. [1203]
42 BC
The Triumvirate forces win the Battle of Phillipi [1316]
40 BC
Antony’s wife Fulvia died [789]
40 BC
Parthia tried unsuccessfully to invade Rome. [1472]
40 BC
Cleopatra bears twins, Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene, to Mark Antony. [1927]
39 BC
Livia returns to Rome and meets Octavian [750]
38 BC
Vestal Occia served for 57 years between the years 38 BC and 19 [1365]
37 BC
Antony returns east and reunites with Cleopatra at Antioch. [1927]
36 BC
King Herod the Great builds a fortress in the Judean desert overlooking the Dead Sea. [766]
36 BC
Lepidus was stripped of all power save for his title of Pontifex Maximus [789]
36 BC
Mark Antony attempted to invade Parthia. [1472]
35 BC
Livia is given the legal right to manage her own money by Augustus [750]
34 BC
The Donations of Alexandria were held, declaring Caesarion as the true heir [1005]
33 BC
Mark Antony gifts 200,000 scrolls from the Library of Pergamum to Cleopatra [677]
32 BC
Antony's last will and testament was filed with the Vestal Virgins [789]
32 BC
Octavian obtains and reads Antony’s will publicly [1316]
32 BC
Octavian forces the Roman Senate to declare war on Cleopatra. [1927]
September 2, 31 BC
31 BC
Battle of Actium [884]
31 BC
Battle of Actium [884]
October 10, 30 BC
Cleopatra took her own life [1005]
30 BC
Octavian becomes the last man standing and the most powerful man in Rome. [1203]
30 BC
Egypt becomes a Roman province [1782]
30 BC
29 BC
The city of Carthage is rebuilt as a Roman city by Emperor Augustus. [803]
29 BC
Octavian closes the doors of the Temple of Janus to symbolize peace and celebrates a triple triumph. [1927]
January 13, 27 BC
Octavian gives up his control of provinces and armies for show. [1203]
27 BC
Complete Roman conquest of Hispania under Augustus [189]
27 BC
Creation of the province Hispania Lusitana by Marcus Agrippa [189]
27 BC
Creation of the Praetorian Guard [346]
27 BC
The praetorian guard was created by Augustus. [346]
27 BC
Expansion of the pomerium by Augustus (BC) [629]
27 BC
27 BC
Reorganization of Roman Cyprus as a senatorial province [1873]
27 BC
The Senate grants Octavian the title Augustus. [1927]
26 BC
Historian Flavius Josephus reported a famine in the Levant with an estimated death toll of 20,000. [1653]
25 BC
The original Pantheon was built by Marcus Agrippa. [1027]
24 BC
Publius Petronius captures the city of Napata during a military campaign into Nubia [1782]
23 BC
Augustus gave his signet ring to Agrippa as a symbol of transferring power [101]
23 BC
Augustus falls ill, leading to a shift in succession planning [750]
23 BC
Augustus steps down from being consul and is granted powers of the tribune of the plebs for life. [1203]
20 BC
Vitruvius described the vertical water wheel, which became widely used across the Roman Empire. [1705]
19 BC
Augustus is given consular authority and imperium that supersedes all others in Rome. [1203]
19 BC
Lucius Cornelius Balbus leads a military expedition deep into the Sahara Desert [1782]
18 BC
Expansion of the pomerium by Augustus (BC) [629]
18 BC
Coins with a comet minted by Augustus [1777]
16 BC
Increased Roman military campaigns in Germany [704]
2000 years ago BC
Initial human settlement arrived in Madagascar from what is today Indonesia [1846]
12 BC
The Sibylline Books were copied and transferred to the Temple of Apollo on the Palatine Hill by Emperor Augustus. [371]
12 BC
Augustus is given the title of Pontifex Maximus after the death of Lepidus. [1203]
10 BC
Birth of Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Claudius) [1101]
9 BC
Drusus died after falling off his horse. [1615]
8 BC
Expansion of the pomerium by Augustus (BC) [629]
8 BC
The Roman senate passed a resolution renaming the month of Sextillis to August to honor the emperor Augustus. [1489]
8 BC
Month Sextilis renamed to August in honor of Emperor Augustus [1853]
4-6 BC
Estimated birth of Jesus [451]
4 BC
Tironian notes were developed by Tiro, Cicero’s personal slave [152]
BC 4
Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem of Judea [537]
3rd BC
Development of formal logic begins with Aristotle's work on syllogisms. [1309]
2 BC
Augustus is given the title pater patriae, or "father of the country." [1203]
Between 4 BC and the year 1
Herod the Great dies. [766]
250 BC to 400 AD
The Roman Climatic Optimum occurred, a period of increased temperatures that supported agricultural productivity across the empire. [1482]
1 BC
Julia was exiled by Augustus and never returned to Rome. [1615]
1 AD
Rome likely became the first city to pass a population of 1,000,000 [310]
2000 years ago (approximately 1 AD)
Average Roman consumed about 20 liters of olive oil per year. [707]
1 AD
Estimated global population between 150 to 300 million people [862]
Year 1 AD
Organized civilizations in China, India, Persia, and Rome [1548]
1 AD
Theoretical endpoint for achieving the number of downloads in the next two years [1883]
1 AD
Flint corn was first cultivated by Native Americans in Mexico and the American Southwest. [1933]
December 21 AD
Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere occurs on this date for three years. [899]
December 22 AD
Winter Solstice occurs on this date every fourth year. [899]
2 AD
Lucius died at the age of 18 after falling ill. [1615]
4 AD
Arminius given command of a unit made up of Cherusci tribesmen [704]
4 AD
Judea transitions from a vassal kingdom of Rome to a Roman province. [766]
6 AD
Agrippa Postumus was exiled. [1615]
7 AD
Arminius serves under Publius Quinctilius Varus, appointed first governor of Germania [704]
9 AD
Start of Annianus's calendar set on March 25 [451]
9 AD
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest occurs, resulting in the annihilation of three Roman legions [704]
9 AD
Publius Quinctilius Varus kills himself after defeat in the battle [704]
9 AD
Xin Dynasty rules during an interregnum until 23 AD [1198]
September 9 AD
Return of brand new episodes after a week off [1518]
14 AD
Tiberius comes to power [346]
14 AD
Tiberius came to power and appointed Sejanus as joint commander of the guard. [346]
14 AD
Tiberius becomes emperor after Augustus' death [735]
14 AD
Augustus dies and his stepson Tiberius is selected as his successor. [1203]
14 AD
Augustus died, leaving Tiberius as the second emperor of Rome. [1615]
15 AD
Sejanus became the sole commander of the praetorian guard. [346]
15 AD
The Tiber River flooded, and Emperor Tiberius refused to consult the Sibylline Books. [371]
19 AD
Augustus dies, Livia is posthumously granted the title of Augusta [750]
19 AD
Vestal Occia finished her service [1365]
19 AD
Germanicus died at the age of 34, believed to have been poisoned. [1615]
22 AD
Pottery found at Gunung Padang, indicating human presence. [1071]
September 20-24, 1846 AD
Battle of Monterrey [1695]
February 22-23, 1847 AD
Battle of Buena Vista [1695]
23 AD
Drusus died, widely thought to have been poisoned under the orders of Sejanus. [346]
8,000 years ago AD
The axis of the Earth was tilted at about 24.1 degrees. [509]
26 AD
Tiberius retreated to the island of Capri, allowing Sejanus to control Rome. [346]
29 AD
Livia Drusilla, aka Julia Augusta, dies [750]
31 AD
Sejanus was summoned to the senate where he was executed. [346]
31 AD
A resolution of damnatio memoriae was passed on Sejanus after his death. [346]
37 AD
Caligula becomes emperor [735]
37 AD
Claudius appointed co-consul by Caligula [1101]
37 AD
Birth of Nero (Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus) on December 15 in Antium [1292]
37 AD
Tiberius died under suspicious circumstances. [1615]
30 years after 9 AD
Recovery of the third eagle during the reign of Emperor Claudius [704]
40 AD
Emperor Caligula attempted to invade Britain but instead commanded his forces to collect sea shells. [398]
41 AD
Caligula was assassinated at the age of 28. [1615]
41 AD
General Suetonius Paulinus crosses the Atlas Mountains in Morocco [1782]
January 24, 41 AD
Assassination of Caligula [1101]
42 AD
Retirement of Gaius Appuleius Diocles [330]
43 AD
The Ninth Legion participated in the Roman invasion of Britain under Emperor Claudius. [1855]
44 AD
Saint James is believed to be beheaded in Jerusalem by King Herod Agrippa. [119]
45 AD
Arrival of Christianity in Cyprus by Paul and Barnabas [1873]
47 AD
Establishment of a Roman settlement at the strategic point of the Thames River, known as Lundinium. [1106]
49 AD
Expansion of the pomerium by Emperor Claudius (AD) [629]
1st century AD
Neopythagoreanism revival [697]
50 AD
Septimius Flaccus leads an expedition into the central Sahara, possibly reaching Agisymba [1782]
54 AD
Nero becomes emperor [735]
54 AD
Death of Emperor Claudius and Nero becomes Emperor of Rome at age 16 [1292]
55 AD
No sitting president has ever attended a Super Bowl in 55 years. [215]
59 AD
Nero's plot to kill his mother, Agrippina, leads to her assassination [1292]
59 AD
Nero arranged for his mother to die in a boating accident, but she was killed instead. [1615]
60 AD
Roman town of Lunduniam (modern-day London) was attacked and sacked by a group of native Celts. [398]
60 AD
King Prasutagas of the Iceni died, leading to Queen Boudica's uprising against the Romans. [398]
60 AD
Boudica's rebellion, one of the most serious challenges to Roman rule in Britain, took place. [1855]
62 AD
Death of the head of the Praetorian Guard, Sextus Afranius Burrus, as Nero begins to spiral into erratic behavior [1292]
62 AD
Nero executed his first wife Octavia after exiling her on false charges. [1615]
64 AD
Saint Peter is executed in Rome [64]
64 AD
July 19, 64 AD
The Great Fire of Rome started underneath the stands in the Circus Maximum [221]
65 AD
Organized executions of early Christians took place in the Circus of Nero. [679]
65 AD
The Pisonian Conspiracy against Nero is discovered and the conspirators are executed [1292]
65 AD
Poppaea Sabina, Nero's second wife, died after being allegedly kicked by Nero. [1615]
66 AD
Armed uprising begins against Roman rule in Judea, marking the start of the First Jewish-Roman War. [766]
67 AD
Saint Peter is believed to have been executed in Rome [64]
67 AD
Nero postpones the Olympics in Greece to participate and wins every event he entered [1292]
68 AD
Nero's death, after which the Book of Revelations could have been written. [417]
67 or 68 AD
Saint Peter was executed in the Circus of Nero. [679]
68 AD
The army in Gaul rises up against Nero, leading to his downfall and eventual suicide [1292]
68 AD
Nero committed suicide at the age of 30. [1615]
68 AD
Death of Emperor Nero, marking the end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the beginning of the Year of the Four Emperors. [1882]
68-69 AD
A false rumor of Nero’s arrival terrifies the Roman provinces of Achaia and Asia. [1882]
June 8, 68 AD
Nero died [201]
68 AD
Nero killed himself after losing support for his rule [221]
January 1, 69 AD
Galba found out the legions in Germania refused to recognize him as emperor [201]
69 AD
The Lex de Imperio Vespasiani is created, outlining the powers of the princeps. [1203]
January 15, 69 AD
Galba was assassinated and Otho recognized as emperor [201]
April 14, 69 AD
Otho took his own life after being defeated at the Battle of Bedriacum [201]
69 AD
Emperor Vespasian came to power and decided to get rid of the Domus Aurea [221]
December 21, 69 AD
Vespasian was declared emperor by the Senate [201]
70 AD
Romans razed the city of Jerusalem to the ground after a rebellion in Judea. [46]
70 AD
The Roman Emperor Vespasian commissioned the construction of what would become the Colosseum. [742]
70 AD
70 AD
The approximate date the Second Temple period ended. [1099]
71 AD
The Third Servile War occurs, led by gladiator Sparticus, during which commander Marcus Licinius Crassus implements decimations. [224]
72 AD
The Sicarii at Masada are the last of the rebels from the Jewish uprising. [766]
April 15, 73 AD
The remaining rebels in Masada commit mass suicide as the Romans prepare to break through. [766]
74 AD
Mass suicide of a group of Jews at Masada [413]
78 AD
Pliny the Elder writes "Naturalis Historia," the largest surviving work from the Roman Empire. [1259]
79 AD
Pliny the Elder wrote in his book Naturalis Historia about Roman concrete. [156]
79 AD
The Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum was buried, containing all scrolls. [1435]
79 AD
Herculaneum destroyed by volcanic eruption [1468]
80 AD
The Colosseum was opened with 100 days of games. [742]
80 AD
The original Pantheon burned down in a major fire. [1027]
80-81 AD
Terentius Maximus, the second major impostor claiming to be Nero, seeks help in Parthia before being executed. [1882]
95 AD
The Book of Revelations was written by a man who called himself John. [417]
96 AD
Domitian is assassinated, marking the beginning of the Five Good Emperors [735]
96 AD
Domitian was assassinated, leading to the selection of Nerva as Emperor. [1001]
97 AD
Han envoy Gan Ying is sent to explore the west but does not reach Rome due to warnings from the Parthians. [9]
January 98 AD
Nerva died after serving for 16 months. [1001]
98 AD
Emperor Trajan crossed the Danube to conquer Dacia. [1441]
1st century AD
Gunpowder is first mentioned in writing. [633]
1st century AD
Ptolemy developed the modern western astrological system [787]
100 AD
Engravings from Central Asia show an L shaped footrest on horses. [11]
1,000 AD
Last time the Canal of the Pharaohs might have been functioning [491]
1st Century AD
First documented case of using hot steam to create mechanical motion by Hero of Alexandria with the aeolipile. [706]
1st century AD
Roman poet Horace references laganam, or lagana, thin sheets of fried dough. [1288]
1000 AD
Song Dynasty established three meals a day [1565]
1st century AD
Some recipes in Apicius date back to this time. [1856]
104 AD
Birth of Gaius Appuleius Diocles [330]
106 AD
The Roman conquest of Dacia under Emperor Trajan brought Roman administration to the territory. [2018]
108 AD
The last definitive evidence for the legion's presence in Britain comes from inscriptions and archaeological finds dated to this year. [1855]
113 AD
Construction of the current building likely started during the late reign of Trajan. [1027]
August 11, 117 AD
Trajan died without having named an heir. [1001]
120 AD
The construction of Hadrian's Wall by Emperor Hadrian, which is linked to the withdrawal from northern expansion, began. [1855]
April 26, 121 AD
Marcus Aurelius was born in the city of Rome during the reign of Emperor Hadrian. [1720]
133 AD
Birth of Didius Julianus in Mediolanum (modern-day Milan). [564]
135 AD
Hadrian issued a decree prohibiting the cutting down of cedar trees surrounding the temple of Jupiter in Heliopolis. [1026]
138 AD
Hadrian died after ruling for 21 years. [1001]
138 AD
Hadrian died, and Antoninus Pius became emperor, marking Marcus as heir to the throne with the title Caesar. [1720]
142 AD
The Eastern Han Dynasty text called the Book of the Kinship of Three is authored by Wei Boyang, mentioning substances that resemble gunpowder. [633]
145 AD
Marcus married Antoninus’s daughter Faustina the Younger. [1720]
2nd century AD
Aulus Gellius, a Roman writer, refused to read out loud a manuscript that he had never read before. [855]
2nd century AD
The Roman Empire had approximately 80,000 kilometers of paved Roman roads. [1547]
2nd century AD
The Greco-Roman geographer Ptolemy established a reference line of longitude at the Fortunate Islands [1675]
2nd century AD
Barbegal Mill complex built in southern France, an enormous water-powered flour mill. [1705]
155 AD
The martyrdom of Polycarp, who was burned at the stake and whose ashes and bones were collected by Christians. [1841]
161 AD
162 AD
Didius Julianus appointed praetor. [564]
166 AD
A Roman delegation is sent to China during the reign of Emperor "Andun," believed to be Emperor Antoninus Pius or Emperor Marcus Aurelius. [9]
166-167 AD
The conflict of the Marcomannic Wars began when a confederation of tribes invaded Roman territory. [1720]
169 AD
Lucius Verus died after ruling for eight years. [1001]
169 AD
Lucius Verus died, possibly from the Antonine Plague, leaving Marcus Aurelius as the sole emperor. [1720]
170 AD
Didius Julianus appointed governor of Gallia Belgica. [564]
165-180 AD
The Antonine Plague took place, which resulted in significant population loss. [1482]
175 AD
Didius Julianus appointed consul. [564]
177-180 AD
The third phase of the Marcomannic Wars took place, returning to the Danube to confront the tribes. [1720]
165 to 180 AD
The Antonine Plague in the Roman Empire might have been smallpox. [89]
180 AD
Commodus becomes emperor and leads to the Year of Five Emperors [735]
180 AD
Marcus Aurelius died, leading to Commodus becoming the sole emperor. [1001]
Around 180 AD
Irenaeus of Lyon wrote "Adversus Haereses," addressing heretical teachings, particularly Gnosticism. [1650]
180 AD
Marcus Aurelius died at Vindobona while still campaigning on the frontier. [1720]
185 AD
First confirmed record of a supernova recorded by Chinese astronomers [369]
December 31, 192 AD
Assassination of Commodus [202]
December 31, 192 AD
Death of Emperor Commodus. [564]
January 1, 193 AD
Pertinax becomes emperor. [564]
193 AD
Didius Julianus becomes emperor after winning a bidding war with Sulpicianus. [564]
193 AD
The name Byzantium was changed to Augusta Antonina by Emperor Septimius Severus. [722]
March 28, 193 AD
Assassination of Pertinax [202]
March 28, 193 AD
Death of Pertinax, killed by the Praetorian Guard. [564]
66 days after March 28, 193 AD
Death of Didius Julianus, killed by soldiers of Septimius Severus. [564]
194 AD
Severus and Clodius Albinus share the consulship [202]
197 AD
Clodius Albinus declares himself emperor [202]
200 AD
Use of women in gladiatorial combat banned by Emperor Septimius Severus. [1139]
2nd century AD
Greek grammarian Athenaeus of Naucratis gives a recipe for lagana. [1288]