The world: 2nd century BC

200–101 BC

Events in this period 3

1. c. 130 BC · China · Economy

   Silk Road

   The Silk Road was a network of Asian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 km (4,000 mi) on land, it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the Eastern and Western worlds. The name "Silk Road" was coined in the late 19th century, but some 20th- and 21st-century historians instead prefer the term Silk Routes, on the grounds that it more accurately describes the intricate web of land and sea routes connecting Central, East, South, Southeast, and West Asia as well as East Africa and Southern Europe. In fact, some scholars criticise or even dismiss the idea of silk roads and call for a new definition or alternate term. According to them, the literature using this term has "privileged the sedentary and literate empires at either end of Eurasia" thereby ignoring the contributions of steppe nomads. In addition, the classic definition sidelines prominent civilisations such as India and Iran.

2. 149 BC – 146 BC · Africa · War

   Third Punic War

   The Third Punic War was the third and last of the Punic Wars fought between Carthage and Rome. The war was fought entirely within Carthaginian territory, in what is now northern Tunisia. When the Second Punic War ended in 201 BC one of the terms of the peace treaty prohibited Carthage from waging war without Rome's permission. Rome's ally, King Masinissa of Numidia, exploited this to repeatedly raid and seize Carthaginian territory with impunity. In 149 BC Carthage sent an army, under Hasdrubal, against Masinissa, the treaty notwithstanding. The campaign ended in disaster as the Battle of Oroscopa ended with a Carthaginian defeat and the surrender of the Carthaginian army. Anti-Carthaginian factions in Rome used the illicit military action as a pretext to prepare a punitive expedition.

3. 109 BC – 108 BC · Korea · War

   Han conquest of Old Chosŏn

   The Han conquest of Old Chosŏn was a campaign launched by Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty against Wiman Chosŏn between 109 and 108 BCE. It resulted in the fall of Old Chosŏn and the establishment of the Four Commanderies of Han in the northern half of the Korean Peninsula.

Descriptions are the opening paragraph of each Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0). Open an event for the full text and a link to the source.

Still under way

• Punic Wars264 BC – 146 BC

Around the same time

• Qin unifies China221 BC
• Crucifixion of Jesusc. 30
• Maurya Empire322 BC
• Library of Alexandriac. 285 BC
• Han dynasty202 BC
• Assassination of Julius Caesar44 BC
• Battle of Gaugamela331 BC
• Battle of the Hydaspes326 BC
• First Punic War264 BC – 241 BC
• Kalinga War261 BC
• Battle of Changping260 BC
• Second Punic War218 BC – 201 BC

Other maps for this period

• War mapsPunic Wars
• Inventions mapRoman concrete
• Inventions mapAstrolabe