2nd century
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
"A little beyond this, we got into a sea, not of water, but of milk; and upon it we saw an island full of vines; this whole island was one compact well-made cheese ... The vines have grapes upon them, which yield not wine, but milk." --A True Story (2nd century) by Lucian |
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The 2nd century is the period from 101 to 200 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era. It is considered part of the Classical era, epoch, or historical period
Early in the century, the Roman Empire attained its greatest expansion under the emperor Trajan, but after his death became primarily defensive for the rest of its history. Much prosperity took place throughout the empire at this time, ruled as it were by the Five Good Emperors, a succession of just and able rulers. This period also saw the removal of the Jews from Jerusalem during the reign of Hadrian after Bar Kokhba's revolt. The last quarter of the century saw the end of the period of peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana at the death of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, last of the "Five Good Emperors", and the accession of his ineffective and deranged son Commodus.
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Literature
- True History by Lucian of Samosata
- The Golden Ass by Apuleius
Events
- 122 – 132: Hadrian's Wall across Britain.
- 144: Marcion, rejected by Church of Rome, founds Marcionism.
- 180 – 192: Commodus, Roman Emperor.
- A certain Herakleitos makes a copy of The Unswept Floor, a 2nd-century BC mosaic by Sosus of Pergamon. It is now kept at Musei Vaticani, Museo Gregoriano Profano, ex Lateranese, Rome.
- c. 2nd or 3rd century – Standing Buddha, from Gandhara (Pakistan), is made. Kushan period. It is now kept at Lahore Museum, Lahore.
Significant people
- Cai Lun, the inventor of paper and the papermaking process.
- Trajan, Roman Emperor.
- Hadrian, Roman Emperor.
- Dr Abascantus, Doctor.
- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor.
- Commodus, Roman Emperor, claimed to be Hercules reincarnated.
- Galen, medical writer.
- Ignatius, third bishop of Antioch, author of letters.
- Irenaeus, second bishop of Lyon, author of Against the Heresies.
- Juvenal Roman satirical poet.
- Lucian of Samosata (c. 125 – after CE 180), rhetorician and satirist who wrote in the Attic Greek language.
- Montanus, Christian heretic.
- Nagarjuna, founder of Madhyamaka Buddhism.
- Pliny the Younger.
- Plutarch, Greek historian.
- Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna.
- Ptolemy, Greek astronomer, astrologer and geographer.
- Septimius Severus, Roman Emperor.
- Suetonius, Roman historian.
- Valentinius, Gnostic philosopher.
Inventions, discoveries, introductions
- Cai Lun of China invents paper (c. 105).
- Ptolemy compiles a catalogue of all stars visible to the naked eye.