# 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.

### 147 BC
#### By place
###### Ireland

* Corlea Trackway completed.

###### Roman Republic

* Scipio Aemilianus takes command of the 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).
* Jonathan Maccabaeus conquers Joppa.

###### Greece

* Macedonia becomes a part of the Roman Empire.

### 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.

###### 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.

### 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 (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)
* Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Corculum, Roman statesman