165

Year 165 (CLXV) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.

 Events 
 By place 
 Roman Empire 
Avidius Cassius is successful against Parthia.  They take Artaxata, Seleucia on the Tigris, and Ctesiphon. The Parthians ask for peace.
 A pandemic known as the Antonine Plague breaks out in Rome.
 Dura-Europos is taken by the Romans.
 The Romans make a garrison at Doura Europos on the Euphrates.
 Avidius Cassius takes Nisibis.  He conquers the north of Mesopotamia. 
 Marcus Aurelius creates four legal districts in Italy.

 By topic 
 Religion 
 The philosopher Justin of Nablus is executed in Rome as a Christian. 
 Discourse to the Greek (Oratio ad Graecos), by the Syrian Tatian, is the first treatise on the evils of paganism in Christian literature.

 Births 
 Macrinus, Roman emperor (approximate date)

 Deaths 
 Justin Martyr, early apologist for Christianity
 Claudius Ptolemaeus, Greek astronomer (approximate date)
 Empress Deng Mengnu, wife of Emperor Huan of Han
 Elpinice (daughter of Herodes Atticus)