Geopolitics & Diplomacy in the 1st century BC

111 sourced entries, 99 BCE to 1 BCE, oldest first. Also see Geopolitics & Diplomacy across every century or everything else in the 1st century BC.

• 99 BCEConsuls: Aulus Postumius Albinus and Marcus Antonius.source
• 98 BCEThe Senate passes the Lex Caecilia Didia, which bans omnibus bills.source
• 96 BCECyrene is left to the people of the Roman Republic by its ruler Ptolemy Apion.source
• 95 BCEAriobarzanes I Philoromaios becomes king of Cappadocia with Roman backing.source
• 95 BCETigranes the Great becomes king of Armeniasource
• 94 BCEConsuls: Gaius Coelius Caldus and Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus.source
• 93 BCERoman consuls: Gaius Valerius Flaccus and Marcus Herennius.source
• 92 BCEIn the first diplomatic contact between Rome and Parthia, Sulla meets with a Parthian envoy, resulting in the parties recognizing the Euphrates as a common frontier.source
• 92 BCEGaius Sentius becomes Roman governor of Macedonia. He serves until 88 BC.source
• 91 BCEConsuls: Sextus Julius Caesar and Lucius Marcius Philippus.source
• 90 BCEThe Lex Iulia grants citizenship to all Italians who did not oppose Rome during the Social War.source
• 90 BCEThe Etruscans are granted Roman citizenship.source
• 90 BCEConsuls: Lucius Julius Caesar and Publius Rutilius Lupus.source
• 89 BCEPompeii is annexed by the Roman Republic.source
• 89 BCELex Pompeia grants Latin rights to cities in Cisalpine Gaul.source
• 89 BCELex Plautia Papiria extends citizenship to all Italians who applied for it within 60 days. The new citizens are enrolled in eight designated tribes, to prevent domination of the assemblies.source
• 88 BCEEmperor Wu of Han makes preparations for the six-year-old Liu Fuling to be made Crown Prince and establishes Huo Guang as the future regent. The emperor executes Fuling's mother Lady Gouyi so that she cannot dominate the state while Fuling is a child emperor.source
• 82 BCEBurebista unifies the Dacian population forming the first (and biggest) unified Dacian Kingdom, on the territory of modern Romania and surroundings. 82 BC is also the starting year of his reign.source
• 81 BCESulla is appointed dictator, executes his political enemies in a series of proscriptions, and implements aristocratic reforms to the Roman government.source
• 81 BCESang Hongyang and 60 Confucian scholars debate over the state monopoly of Iron and Salt.source
• 80 BCEAlexandria comes under Roman jurisdiction.source
• 80 BCEPtolemy XII Auletes succeeds Ptolemy XI Alexander II to the throne of Egypt.source
• 79 BCESulla renounces his dictatorship.source
• 76 BCESalome Alexandra becomes queen of Judea, after the death of her husband, Alexander Jannaeus, until 67 BC.source
• 76 BCEThe Third Dalmatian war ends with the capture of Salona by proconsul Gaius Cosconius and the victory of Rome.source
• 74 BCEPublius Servilius Vatia returns to Rome, where he has triumphed against the pirates in Anatolia, and is given the agnomen Isauricus.source
• 74 BCENicomedes IV, last king of Bithynia bequeaths his kingdom to the Roman Senate upon his death (75/4 BC)source
• 74 BCECyrene becomes a Roman province.source
• 70 BCEThe office of censor is reinstated.source
• 70 BCEPhraates III becomes the king of Parthia.source
• 69 BCEParthians and Romans re-establish Euphrates as a frontier.source
• 69 BCERhodes becomes a bulwark against pirates, the Rhodians are unable to suppress piracy in the Aegean Sea. Delos gets the status of a free port.source
• 68 BCEConsuls: Lucius Caecilius Metellus and Quintus Marcius Rex.source
• 67 BCEAfter his victory at Zela, Mithridates starts consolidating his power in Pontus; restoring his rule over his old kingdom.source
• 67 BCELex Acilia Calpurnia: permanent exclusion from office in cases of electoral corruption.source
• 67 BCEThe lex Gabinia gives Pompey command of the Mediterranean and its coasts for 50 miles inland for three years. He defeats the pirates in three months and pacifies Cilicia.source
• 67 BCEHyrcanus II becomes king of Judea, for first time (until 66 BC), upon the death of his mother, Salome Alexandra.source
• 66 BCEThe alliance between Mithridates VI of Pontus and Tigranes II of Armenia is broken.source
• 65 BCEPompey the Great subjugates the kingdom of Iberia and makes Colchis a Roman province.source
• 65 BCEIn response to the illegal exercise of citizen rights by foreigners, the Roman Senate passes the Lex Papia, which expels all foreigners from Romesource
• 63 BCEPharnaces II becomes King of Pontus.source
• 63 BCEPompey conquers the people of Phonecia, Coele-Syria, and Judea for the Roman Republic.source
• 61 BCEMarcus Pupius Piso Frugi as consul attempts to gain ratification of Pompey's Eastern Settlement.source
• 60 BCECreation of the First Triumvirate, an informal political alliance between Julius Caesar, Pompey the Great and Marcus Licinius Crassus (or 59 BC).source
• 59 BCEConsuls: Gaius Julius Caesar and Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus (known in jest as "the consulship of Julius and Caesar" due to Bibulus' Social withdrawal from public view to "consult the heavens" in an effort to invalidate Caesar's intended legislation).source
• 59 BCEThe First Triumvirate: Caesar, Pompey and Crassus form an unofficial alliance (or 60 BC).source
• 58 BCECyprus becomes a Roman province.source
• 57 BCEKing Vikramaditya establishes the Vikram era.source
• 57 BCEMithridates IV becomes king of Parthia.source
• 57 BCEBak Hyeokgeose becomes the first ruler of the kingdom of Silla (traditional date).source
• 55 BCEConsuls Marcus Licinius Crassus and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus pass the Lex Trebonia.source
• 53 BCEConsuls: Marcus Valerius Messalla and Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus.source
• 51 BCEConsuls: Marcus Claudius Marcellus and Servius Sulpicius Rufus.source
• 50 BCEConsuls: Lucius Aemilius Paullus and Gaius Claudius Marcellus.source
• 50 BCEThe Roman Republic takes control of Judea (approximate date).source
• 48 BCEYuan becomes emperor of the Han Dynasty (until 33 BC).source
• 48 BCEConsuls: Gaius Julius Caesar and Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus. Caesar is named consul for a period of five years.source
• 47 BCEJanuary 13 – Queen Cleopatra VII promotes her younger brother Ptolemy XIV of Egypt to co-ruler.source
• 47 BCEJulius Caesar returns to Rome and is dictator for a year.source
• 46 BCEConsuls: Gaius Julius Caesar, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus.source
• 45 BCEFourth consulship of Gaius Julius Caesar (without colleague).source
• 44 BCEApril – Octavian returns from Apollonia in Dalmatia to Rome to take up Caesar's inheritance, against advice from Atia (his mother and Caesar's niece) and consul Antony.source
• 44 BCEJune – Antony is granted a five-year governorship of northern and central Transalpine Gaul (France) and Cisalpine Gaul (Northern Italy).source
• 44 BCEComosicus succeeds Burebista as king of Dacia.source
• 44 BCEConsuls: Gaius Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.source
• 43 BCEJanuary 7 – Octavian is given imperium, marking the start of his public career.source
• 43 BCENovember 26 – Octavian meets Antony and Lepidus in Bononia and the three enter into an official five-year autocratic pact, the Second Triumvirate (see lex Titia). To cement their reconciliation Octavian agrees to marry Claudia, a daughter of Antony's wife Fulvia by her former husband Publius Clodius Pulcher.source
• 43 BCELugdunum (modern-day Lyon) is founded.source
• 41 BCEConsuls: Lucius Antonius and Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus.source
• 40 BCETreaty of Brundisium: The Triumvirs agrees to divide the Roman Republic into spheres of influence. Gaius Octavian styles himself "Imperator Caesar" and takes control of the Western provinces. Mark Antony is given the Eastern provinces; the River Drin, the boundary between the provinces Illyricum and Macedonia, is to serve as their frontier. Marcus Aemilius Lepidus controls Hispania and Africa. The treaty is cemented by the marriage of Antony and Octavia the Younger.source
• 40 BCEOgiso Igodo dissolves the Ik’edionwere Council (western Africa). establishes the Royal Council with members of the disbanded Ik’edionwere Council and the Odibo-Ogiso group. He names his combined territories, Igodomigodo with its capital at Ugbekun.source
• 38 BCEJanuary 1 – Beginning of the Hispanic era.source
• 37 BCEConsuls: Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and Titus Statilius Taurus.source
• 37 BCEAntony reorganizes Asia Minor under strongmen loyal to him. He raises troops from his allies: Amyntas and Archelaus, kings of Galatia and Cappadocia. The old kingdom of Pontus is restored, from Armenia to the River Halys under Polemon I.source
• 37 BCECaesar Augustus (Octavian) engineers the "Second Pact of Tarentum" which renews the Triumvirate for an additional five years. Mark Antony exchanges 120 ships, for service against Sextus Pompeius. Octavian Caesar donates 1,000 troops from the Praetorian Guard and 20,000 legionaries for the Parthian campaign in Syria.source
• 36 BCEConsuls: Lucius Gellius Poplicola and Marcus Cocceius Nerva.source
• 34 BCEAutumn – The Donations of Alexandria: Antony distributes the eastern kingdoms as a gift to the children of Cleopatra; he declares Caesarion, Caesar's illegitimate son, as co-ruler of Egypt and Cyprus. Alexander Helios receives Armenia and Media; to Cleopatra Selene II he gives the kingdoms of Cyrenaica and Libya. His youngest son Ptolemy Philadelphus receives the Egyptian possessions in Phoenicia, Syria and Cilicia. Antony establishes Cleopatra as a Hellenistic monarch at Alexandria and gives her the title of "Queen of Kings".source
• 33 BCEGaius Julius Caesar Octavian becomes consul for the second time. His partner is Lucius Volcatius Tullus. Octavian delivers a speech; de summa Republica in the Roman Senate, in which he subjects the Donations.source
• 32 BCEGnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Gaius Sosius become consuls of Rome.source
• 31 BCEWinter – Octavian (32 years old) takes court at Samos. After his decisive victory at Actium he builds Nicopolis; the city is populated by Greeks from settlements further inland.source
• 30 BCEOctavian claims Cleopatra's treasure in the mausoleum at the Taposiris Magna (Temple of Isis); he pays the salaries of his veteran legionaries and gives them land in Italy.source
• 29 BCEOctavian Caesar becomes Roman Consul for the fifth time. His partner is Sextus Appuleius. He is granted the title of imperator, and for the third time in Roman history the doors of the Temple of Janus are closed, signalling peace.source
• 28 BCEGaius Julius Caesar Octavian becomes Roman Consul for the sixth time. His partner Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa becomes Consul for the second time.source
• 28 BCEAugustus initiates a census of the Roman Republic for the first time since 69 BC.source
• 27 BCEJanuary 16 – Octavian formally returns full power to the Senate; they give him the titles of Princeps and Augustus. He accepts this honor, having declined the alternative title of Romulus, thus becoming first Roman emperor.source
• 27 BCEGaius Julius Caesar Octavian becomes Roman Consul for the seventh time. His partner Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa becomes Consul for the third time.source
• 27 BCEAgrippa divides Hispania Ulterior into Baetica and Lusitania, and enlarges Hispania Citerior.source
• 26 BCEThe Andhra dynasty replaces the Kanva dynasty, and rules over the eastern part of India.source
• 26 BCEImperator Caesar Augustus becomes Roman Consul for the eighth time. His partner Titus Statilius Taurus becomes Consul for the second time and refounds the old Contestanian Iberian capital of Ilici (Elche), known since then as "Colonia Iulia Ilici Augusta".source
• 25 BCEThe government gives its tributary states 20,000 rolls of silk cloth and about 20,000 pounds of silk floss.source
• 25 BCEThe Roman colony of Emerita Augusta is founded (present-day Mérida).source
• 25 BCEImperator Caesar Augustus becomes Consul for the ninth time. His partner is Marcus Junius Silanus.source
• 24 BCECaesar Augustus becomes Roman Consul for the tenth time. His partner is Gaius Norbanus Flaccus.source
• 23 BCEMa'nu III Saphul becomes ruler of Osroene.source
• 23 BCECaesar Augustus becomes Roman consul for the eleventh time. His co-consul is Aulus Terentius Varro Murena.source
• 19 BCEKing Yuri becomes ruler of the Korean kingdom of Goguryeo.source
• 18 BCEOnjo becomes the first ruler of the Korean kingdom of Baekje (traditional date).source
• 16 BCENoricum is incorporated into the Roman Empire.source
• 16 BCECaesar Augustus reorganizes the German provinces, making Trier their capital.source
• 14 BCECaesar Augustus makes Beeroth (modern Beirut) a colonia, named Colonia Julia Augusta Felix Berytus.source
• 13 BCEThe Ara Pacis Augustae ("Altar of Augustan Peace") is commissioned by the Roman Senate to honor the triumphal return of Emperor Augustus from Hispania and Gaul.source
• 12 BCEMarcus Valerius Messalla Appianus and Publius Sulpicius Quirinius are Roman consuls.source
• 11 BCEMay – Drusus secures the Rhine frontier and builds Roman fortresses near Bonn, Dorsten, Haltern, and Oberaden.source
• 9 BCEPannonia is incorporated into the Roman Empire as a part of Illyria.source
• 8 BCEStrato II, the last Indo-Greek king, rules the eastern Punjab alongside his co-regent son Strato III (r. c. 25 BC – AD 10)source
• 8 BCEAfter 20 years, Emperor Augustus initiates his second census of the Roman Empire.source
• 8 BCEKing Maroboduus becomes ruler of the Marcomanni and fights against the Roman Empire's expansion in Bohemia.source
• 7 BCEMay 7 – Emperor Ai becomes the emperor of Han China.source
• 2 BCETigranes IV and Erato are restored to the throne after deposing Artavasdes III.source
• 1 BCEAulus Caecina Severus was appointed consul by Emperor Augustus, succeeding Cossus Cornelius Lentulus Gaetulicus and Lucius Calpurnius Piso.source
• 1 BCEIn the Satavahana dynasty, Kunatala Satakarni is succeeded by Satakarni II.source