140s BC

This article concerns the period 149 BC – 140 BC.

Events

149 BC

By place

Roman Republic

The Third Punic War begins. 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

Andriscus, the last king of Macedon, ascends to the throne.

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.

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.
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.

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.

By topic

Astronomy

Hipparchus determines the length of the tropical year.

144 BC

By place

Roman Republic

Quintus Marcius Rex starts construction of the Aqua Marcia aqueduct in Rome.

Parthia

Parthians take Babylonia.

143 BC

By place

Roman Republic

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

142 BC

By place

Syria

Diodotus Tryphon seizes the throne of the Seleucid Empire.

Judea

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

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

Sima Qian, Chinese historian (or 135 BC) (d. 86 BC)

143 BC

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

142 BC

Ptolemy IX, Egyptian pharaoh (d. 81 BC)

141 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)
Tigranes the Great, king of Armenia (d. 55 BC)

Deaths

149 BC

Cato the Elder, Roman statesman (b. 234 BC)
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^{[citation needed]}
Zhou Yafu, Chinese general of the Han Dynasty

141 BC

Jing of Han, Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty (b. 188 BC)
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.

[1] Hooker, Richard (6 June 1999). "Rome: The Punic Wars". Archived from the original on May 28, 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.

[2] "Fourth Macedonian War". Retrieved 29 June 2010.

[3] "E. R. Bevan: The House of Ptolemy • Chap. IX". penelope.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2026-03-02.

[4] Abrecht, Ryan R. (2010). "Scipio Aemilianus". The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195388398. Retrieved 27 December 2025.

[5] Stambaugh, John E. (1988). The Ancient Roman City. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 36. ISBN 0-8018-3574-7.

[6] "Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator | king of Egypt". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 15 January 2021.

[7] Stambaugh, John E. (1988). The Ancient Roman City. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 30. ISBN 0-8018-3574-7.

[8] Badian, Ernst (2012). "Caecilius (RE 94) Metellus Macedonicus, Quintus". The Oxford Classical Dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191735257. Retrieved 23 December 2025.

[9] Morby, John (2014). "Seleucid Kingdom". Dynasties of the World (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191780073. Retrieved 23 December 2025.

[10] Rajak, Tessa (2012). "Hasmoneans". The Oxford Classical Dictionary (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191735257. Retrieved 22 December 2025.

[11] "Sima Qian - China culture". Archived from the original on September 6, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2010.

[12] 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.

[13] Cranston, Edwin (1998). A Waka Anthology: The Gem-Glistening Cup. Stanford University Press. p. 243.

[14] "Cato the Elder". Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved June 29, 2010.

[15] 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.

[16] 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.