1st century BC

One hundred years, from 100 BC to 1 BC
Millennium
1st millennium BC
Centuries
  • 2nd century BC
  • 1st century BC
  • 1st century AD
Timelines
  • 2nd century BC
  • 1st century BC
  • 1st century AD
State leaders
  • 2nd century BC
  • 1st century BC
  • 1st century AD
Decades
  • 90s BC
  • 80s BC
  • 70s BC
  • 60s BC
  • 50s BC
  • 40s BC
  • 30s BC
  • 20s BC
  • 10s BC
  • 0s BC
Categories:
Births – Deaths
Establishments – Disestablishments
  • v
  • t
  • e
Map of the world in 100 BC, the beginning of the first century BC
Map of the world in 50 BC
Map of the world in 1 AD, shortly after the end of the first century BC

The 1st century BC, also known as the last century BC and the last century BCE, started on the first day of 100 BC and ended on the last day of 1 BC. The AD/BC notation does not use a year zero; however, astronomical year numbering does use a zero, as well as a minus sign, so "2 BC" is equal to "year –1". 1st century AD (Anno Domini) follows.

In the course of the century, all the remaining independent lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea were steadily brought under Roman control, being ruled either directly under governors or through puppet kings appointed by Rome. The Roman state itself was plunged into civil war several times, finally resulting in the marginalization of its 500-year-old Roman Republic, and the embodiment of total state power in a single man—the Roman emperor.

The internal turbulence that plagued Rome at this time can be seen as the death throes of the Roman Republic, as it finally gave way to the autocratic ambitions of powerful men like Sulla, Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Octavian. Octavian's ascension to total power as the emperor Augustus is considered to mark the point in history where the Roman Republic ends and the Roman Empire begins. Some scholars refer to this event as the Roman Revolution. The birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity, took place around the close of this century.

In the eastern mainland, the Han dynasty began to decline and the court of China was in chaos in the latter half of this century. Trapped in a difficult situation, the Xiongnu had to begin emigration to the west or attach themselves to the Han.

Events

90s BC

Sulla's march on Rome in 88 BC was an early step in the Crisis of the Roman Republic.

80s BC

Mithridates VI of Pontus
Coin of Maues

70s BC

Huo Guang
Tigranes the Great

60s BC

50s BC

Map of the world in 50 BC

40s BC

Cleopatra VII and her son Caesarion at the Temple of Dendera
Marcus Junius Brutus

30s BC

Caesar Augustus

20s BC

Livia Drusilla

10s BC

0s BC

Significant people

Pompey the Great
Julius Caesar
Cicero
Cleopatra
Virgil
Sima Qian

Politics (and relatives of political figures)

Religion

Literature, science, and philosophy

Others

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

Sovereign states

See: List of sovereign states in the 1st century BC.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Roman Timeline 1st Century BC". UNRV. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  • Millennia
  • Centuries
  • Decades
  • Years
  • v
  • t
  • e
1st century BC
3rd century BC ← 2nd century BC ← ↔ → 1st century → 2nd century
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
80s BC 89 BC 88 BC 87 BC 86 BC 85 BC 84 BC 83 BC 82 BC 81 BC 80 BC
70s BC 79 BC 78 BC 77 BC 76 BC 75 BC 74 BC 73 BC 72 BC 71 BC 70 BC
60s BC 69 BC 68 BC 67 BC 66 BC 65 BC 64 BC 63 BC 62 BC 61 BC 60 BC
50s BC 59 BC 58 BC 57 BC 56 BC 55 BC 54 BC 53 BC 52 BC 51 BC 50 BC
40s BC 49 BC 48 BC 47 BC 46 BC 45 BC 44 BC 43 BC 42 BC 41 BC 40 BC
30s BC 39 BC 38 BC 37 BC 36 BC 35 BC 34 BC 33 BC 32 BC 31 BC 30 BC
20s BC 29 BC 28 BC 27 BC 26 BC 25 BC 24 BC 23 BC 22 BC 21 BC 20 BC
10s BC 19 BC 18 BC 17 BC 16 BC 15 BC 14 BC 13 BC 12 BC 11 BC 10 BC
0s BC 9 BC 8 BC 7 BC 6 BC 5 BC 4 BC 3 BC 2 BC 1 BC
0s AD 1 AD 2 AD 3 AD 4 AD 5 AD 6 AD 7 AD 8 AD 9
Authority control databases: National Edit this at Wikidata
  • Czech Republic