140s BC
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This article concerns the period 149 BC – 140 BC.
Events
149 BC
By place
Roman Republic
- The Third Punic War begins.[1] The Romans land an army in Africa to begin the Battle of Carthage.
- Servius Sulpicius Galba is prosecuted for corruption while serving in Spain, but is acquitted after he parades his weeping family members before the tribunal.
- Lucius Calpurnius Piso passes the lex Calpurnia de repetundis which establishes the first permanent criminal court in Rome.
- The turmoil in Spain escalates again with the renewal of the Lusitanian War, under the leadership of Viriathus, and the Celtiberian War.
Macedon
Bithynia
- With Roman help, Nicomedes II overthrows his father Prusias II as king of Bithynia.
148 BC
By place
Ireland
- Corlea Trackway built in County Longford
Roman Republic
- With the defeat of Andriscus in the Battle of Pydna by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus, Macedon is reorganized as a Roman province by 146 BC.
- Construction of the Via Postumia, linking Aquileia and Genua.
- Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus divides Numidia among the three sons of the recently deceased Masinissa.
Hellenistic Egypt
- Demetrius II Nicator, claimant to the Seleucid throne had challenged Alexander Balas, in view of the threat of such an invasion Ptolemy VI Philometor entered Coele-Syria, passing through the cities of Ashdod and Jaffa, to Ptolemais. [3]
147 BC
By place
Ireland
- Corlea Trackway completed.
Roman Republic
- Despite being the five years below the minimum age required, Scipio Aemilianus is elected Consul under popular pressure.[4]
- In Lusitania, Hispania, the Celtic king Viriathus, rallies Lusitanian resistance to Rome.
Syria
- Demetrius II of Syria returns to Syria (approximate date).
- Jonathan Maccabaeus conquers Joppa.
146 BC
By place
Roman Republic
- Roman armies destroy Carthage and Corinth.[5]
Africa
- Spring – Carthage falls to Roman forces under Scipio Aemilianus and the city is completely destroyed. End of the Third Punic War.
Greece
- Achaean War: The Romans conquer the Achaean League and southern Greece becomes a Roman province.
- Battle of Scarpheia: The Romans led by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus defeat an Achaean League force under Critolaus
- Battle of Corinth: The Romans under Lucius Mummius defeat the Achaean League near Corinth. Corinth is destroyed, and the Achaean League dissolved.
By topic
Astronomy
- Hipparchus determines the equinoctial point.
145 BC
By place
Syria
- In the Battle of Antioch, Ptolemy VI Philometor defeats the Seleucid usurper Alexander Balas, but dies in the battle.
Egypt
- Ptolemy VII becomes king of Egypt briefly, then is assassinated by Ptolemy VIII the following year.[6]
By topic
Astronomy
- Hipparchus determines the length of the tropical year.
144 BC
By place
Roman Republic
Parthia
143 BC
By place
Roman Republic
- The Celtiberian War ends when Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus crushes the rebels.[8]
142 BC
By place
Syria
- Diodotus Tryphon seizes the throne of the Seleucid Empire.[9]
Judea
141 BC
By place
Syria and Judea
- The Seleucid garrison negotiates the surrender of Jerusalem. Simon Maccabaeus assumes control of the city. He becomes prince (ruler) of Judea until 135 BC.
- Demetrius II of Syria made prisoner of Mithridates, king of the Parthians. Antiochus VII Sidetes becomes king of the Seleucid Empire in his absence.
Bactria
- Yuezhi refugees appear on the borders of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom.
China
- March 9 – Emperor Wu of Han ("Martial Emperor") starts to rule the Han dynasty.
140 BC
By place
Africa
- Scipio Aemilianus leads a group of Roman ambassadors to Alexandria, where they meet with King Ptolemy VIII.
Judea
- Simon Maccabaeus crowned king of Judea.
Births
145 BC
143 BC
142 BC
- Ptolemy IX, Egyptian pharaoh (d. 81 BC)
141 BC
140 BC
- Huo Qubing, Chinese general of the Han dynasty (d. 117 BC)
- Lucius Licinius Crassus, Roman consul and statesman (d. 91 BC)
- Su Wu, Chinese diplomat and statesman (d. 60 BC)[13]
- Tigranes the Great, king of Armenia (d. 55 BC)
Deaths
149 BC
- Cato the Elder, Roman statesman (b. 234 BC)[14]
- Prusias II, Greek king of Bithynia (b. c. 220 BC)
148 BC
- Liu Rong, Chinese crown prince of the Han dynasty
- Masinissa, king of Numidia (b. c. 238 BC)
- Yuan Ang, Chinese statesman of the Han dynasty
147 BC
- Bo, Chinese empress of the Western Han Dynasty
146 BC
- Critolaus, general of the Achaean League
- Gentius, the last king of Illyria (approximate date)
145 BC
- Alexander Balas (assassinated)
- Ptolemy VI of Egypt (killed in battle) (b. c. 186 BC)
144 BC
- Liu Wu (a.k.a. Prince Xiao of Liang), Chinese prince of the Han dynasty
143 BC
- Jonathan Maccabaeus, Jewish leader of the Maccabees
- Zhou Yafu, Chinese general of the Han Dynasty[15]
141 BC
- Jing of Han, Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty (b. 188 BC)[16]
- Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum, Roman statesman
References
- ↑ Hooker, Richard (6 June 1999). "Rome: The Punic Wars". Archived from the original on May 28, 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
- ↑ "Fourth Macedonian War". Retrieved 29 June 2010.
- ↑ "E. R. Bevan: The House of Ptolemy • Chap. IX". penelope.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
- ↑ Abrecht, Ryan R. (2010). "Scipio Aemilianus". The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195388398. Retrieved 27 December 2025.
- ↑ Stambaugh, John E. (1988). The Ancient Roman City. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 36. ISBN 0-8018-3574-7.
- ↑ "Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator | king of Egypt". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ↑ Stambaugh, John E. (1988). The Ancient Roman City. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 30. ISBN 0-8018-3574-7.
- ↑ Badian, Ernst (2012). "Caecilius (RE 94) Metellus Macedonicus, Quintus". The Oxford Classical Dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191735257. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
- ↑ Morby, John (2014). "Seleucid Kingdom". Dynasties of the World (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191780073. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
- ↑ Rajak, Tessa (2012). "Hasmoneans". The Oxford Classical Dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191735257. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ↑ "Sima Qian - China culture". Archived from the original on September 6, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
- ↑ Howatson, M. C., ed. (2011). "Anto'nius, Marcus". The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191739422. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
- ↑ Cranston, Edwin (1998). A Waka Anthology: The Gem-Glistening Cup. Stanford University Press. p. 243.
- ↑ "Cato the Elder". Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2010.
- ↑ Klein, Esther Sunkyung (2014). "Lǐ Guǎng". In Brown, Kerry (ed.). The Berkshire Dictionary of Chinese Biography. Berkshire Publishing Group. ISBN 9780190214371. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
- ↑ GOLDIN, PAUL R. (2012). "Han Law and the Regulation of Interpersonal Relations: "The Confucianization of the Law" Revisited". Asia Major. 25 (1): 1–31. ISSN 0004-4482. JSTOR 43486137.