140s BC

This article concerns the period 149 BC – 140 BC.

Events

149 BC

By place

Roman Republic

• 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.
• lex Calpurnia de repetundis
  which establishes the first permanent criminal court in Rome.
• The turmoil in Spain escalates again with the renewal of the
  Celtiberian War
  .

• Macedon, ascends to the throne.^[2]

• 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
  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
  .

By place

Ireland

• Corlea Trackway completed.

Roman Republic

• Siege of Carthage
  .
• In Lusitania, Hispania, the Celtic king Viriathus, rallies Lusitanian resistance to Rome.

Syria

• Demetrius II of Syria returns to Syria
  (approximate date).
• Joppa
  .

By place

Roman Republic

• Roman armies destroy Carthage and Corinth.^[3]

Africa

• Spring –
  Carthage falls to Roman forces under Scipio Aemilianus and the city is completely destroyed. End of the Third Punic War
  .

By place

Syria

• In the
  Battle of Antioch, Ptolemy VI Philometor defeats the Seleucid usurper Alexander Balas
  , but dies in the battle.

• Ptolemy VIII the following year.^[4]

• Hipparchus determines the length of the tropical year.

144 BC

By place

Roman Republic

• aqueduct in Rome.^[5]

• Parthians take Babylonia.

143 BC

By place

Roman Republic

• The
  Celtiberian War ends when Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus
  crushes the rebels.

By place

Syria

• Diodotus Tryphon seizes the throne of the Seleucid Empire.

Roman Republic

• The first stone bridge over the
  Tiber river
  is completed.

Judea

• Simon Maccabaeus succeeds his brother Jonathan as High Priest of Judea until 135 BC
  .

By place

Syria and Judea

• The
  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.

• 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

• Alexandria, where they meet with King Ptolemy VIII
  .

• Simon Maccabaeus crowned king of Judea
  .

145 BC

• Sima Qian, Chinese historian (or 135 BC) (d. 86 BC)^[6]

143 BC

• Marcus Antonius, Roman politician and orator (d. 87 BC)

142 BC

• Ptolemy IX, Egyptian pharaoh (d. 81 BC
  )

• Salome Alexandra, queen and regent of Judea (d. 67 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)^[7]
• Tigranes the Great, king of Armenia (d. 55 BC)

Deaths

149 BC

• Cato the Elder, Roman statesman (b. 234 BC)^[8]
• 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

• 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
  )

• Liu Wu (aka 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

141 BC

• Jing of Han, Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty (b. 188 BC)^[9]
• Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum, Roman statesman

References