The world in the 1st century
In the 1st century (1 to 100 CE), the timeline shows 86 states, empires and colonies and 125 peoples across 12 regions. The most significant include Kingdom of Aksum, Moche (Mochica), Teotihuacan, Parthian Empire and Roman Empire.
Previous: 1st century BCE Next: 2nd century
Events
- Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, Europe. Arminius of the Cherusci destroys three Roman legions under Varus, and Rome gives up the conquest of Germany beyond the Rhine.
- Crucifixion of Jesus, Middle East. Jesus of Nazareth is executed in Jerusalem under the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate, around 30 to 33 CE. His followers spread a new religion across the empire.
- Trung sisters' revolt, Southeast Asia. Trung Trac and Trung Nhi drive out the Han governor and rule as queens for three years, later honoured as Vietnam's national heroines.
- The Periplus describes Azania, Central and Southern Africa. A Greek merchant's guide, the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, calls the East African coast Azania and names Rhapta as its southernmost market for ivory and tortoiseshell.
- Romans destroy the Second Temple, Middle East. Titus captures Jerusalem and burns the Temple, ending the Jewish revolt. Judaism reorganises around rabbis and synagogues.
- Hopewell exchange network at its height, North America. Ohio Hopewell earthworks such as Newark draw obsidian from Yellowstone, copper from Lake Superior and shells from the Gulf of Mexico.
- Nazca Lines drawn, South America. The Nazca begin scraping huge animal figures and straight lines into the desert of southern Peru, many visible in full only from the air.
Central and Southern Africa
- Western Bantu-speaking farmers
- Eastern Bantu-speaking farmers
- Central African forest foragers
- San hunter-gatherers
- Khoisan hunter-gatherers
- Pastoral Neolithic herders
- Khoekhoe herders
- Bantu farmers of the Congo basin
- Urewe culture
- East African hunter-gatherers
- Lower Congo hunter-gatherers
- Great Lakes hunter-gatherers
- Pre-settlement Madagascar
- Coastal Bantu farmers (Kwale ware)
North and West Africa
- Kingdom of Aksum
- Nok culture
- Kingdom of Kush (Meroitic period)
- Roman Africa
- Roman Egypt
- Amazigh (Berber) tribes
- Cushitic-speaking pastoralists
- Medjay, Blemmyes and Beja nomads
- Sahelian cereal farmers
- West African yam and oil palm farmers
- Chadic-speaking farmers
- Sao culture
- Jenne-Jeno (Middle Niger towns)
- Garamantes
- Mauretania
Europe
- Roman Empire
- Gaelic Ireland
- Iron Age Britons
- Roman Hispania
- Sarmatians
- Germanic tribes of Germania
- Roman Gaul
- Roman Britain
- Dacian Kingdom
- Sami people
- Volga Finnic peoples
- Baltic Finnic tribes
- Basques (Vascones)
- Baltic tribes
- Thracians
- Illyrians
- Bosporan Kingdom
- Przeworsk culture
- Old Saxons
- Getae and Dacians
- Roman Macedonia and Achaea
- Odrysian Kingdom
- Pre-Roman Iron Age (Scandinavia)
- Roman Iron Age (Scandinavia)
- Wielbark culture
Middle East
- Parthian Empire
- Kingdom of Saba
- Kingdom of Iberia (Kartli)
- Himyarite Kingdom
- Roman Anatolia
- Roman Syria and Judaea
- Arsacid Armenia
- Palmyra
- Nabataean Kingdom
- Artaxiad Armenia
- Arab Bedouin tribes
- Aramaic-speaking Mesopotamians
- Kingdom of Hadramawt
- Kingdom of Qataban
- Gerrha
- Caucasian Albania
- Lazica (Egrisi)
- Atropatene
- Kingdom of Persis
- Osroene
- Elymais
- Characene
- Kingdom of Cappadocia
- Commagene
- Lycian League
- Herodian Judea
South Asia
- Kushan Empire
- Anuradhapura Kingdom
- Western Satraps
- Satavahana dynasty
- Indo-Greek Kingdom
- Munda-speaking peoples
- Tibeto-Burman hill peoples
- Vedda people
- Eastern Iranian peoples
- Early Cholas
- Early Cheras
- Yaudheya confederacy
- Early Pandyas
- Kuninda Kingdom
- Malava Republic
- Indo-Parthian Kingdom
- Yuezhi in Bactria
- Indo-Scythians
Central and North Asia
- Xiongnu Empire
- Sogdiana
- Kingdom of Khotan
- Saka
- Kushan Empire
- Xianbei state
- Uralic hunter-fishers of western Siberia
- Yukaghir peoples
- Chukchi, Koryak and Itelmen peoples
- Kingdom of Kucha
- Ancient Chorasmia
- Old Bering Sea culture
- Kangju
- Jushi kingdom
- Loulan (Shanshan)
- Wusun
- Tashtyk culture
- Han Protectorate of the Western Regions
East Asia
- Western Han
- Eastern Han
- Silla
- Goguryeo
- Baekje
- Yayoi period
- Formosan Austronesian peoples
- Qiang peoples
- Sushen and Yilou
- Baiyue peoples
- Zhangzhung
- Epi-Jomon culture
- Buyeo
- Gaya confederacy
- Samhan confederacies
- Lelang Commandery
- Xin dynasty
Southeast Asia
- Austronesian peoples
- Austroasiatic rice farmers
- Ban Chiang culture
- Austroasiatic rice farmers of the Mekong
- Austronesian peoples of Sumatra and Malaya
- Austronesian farmers of Java and Wallacea
- Pyu city-states
- Dong Son culture
- Second Chinese domination
- Funan
- First Chinese domination (Han)
- Philippine Negrito foragers
- Orang Asli (Semang and Senoi)
- Dayak peoples of Borneo
- Langkasuka
- Sa Huynh culture
- Plain of Jars culture
- Buni culture
- Trung sisters' kingdom
North America
- Dorset culture
- Adena culture
- Hopewell tradition
- Unangan (Aleut) peoples
- California Archaic hunter-gatherers
- Dene (Northern Athabaskan) peoples
- Locarno Beach and Marpole cultures
- Basketmaker culture
- Early Agricultural period farmers
- Woodland period cultures
- Norton tradition
- Laurel complex
- Plains Woodland cultures
- Fremont culture
Mesoamerica and Caribbean
- Teotihuacan
- Chibchan chiefdoms (Costa Rica and Panama)
- Zapotec state (Monte Albán)
- Saladoid culture
- Tikal (Mutal)
- El Mirador
- Guayabo de Turrialba
- Early farmers of the northern deserts
- Greater Nicoya cultures
- Cholula
- Kaminaljuyu
- Gran Coclé chiefdoms
- Teuchitlán tradition
- Cuicuilco
- Izapa
- Epi-Olmec culture
South America
- Moche (Mochica)
- Paracas culture
- Nazca culture
- Fuegian canoe peoples (Yaghan, Kawésqar)
- Sambaqui shell-mound builders
- Jê peoples
- Patagonian peoples (Tehuelche, Selk'nam)
- Barrancoid culture
- Quimbaya culture
- Zenú culture
- Upano valley settlements
- Formative cultures of northwest Argentina
- Tumaco-La Tolita culture
- San Agustín culture
- Pukara culture
- Recuay culture
- El Molle culture
- Lima culture
Oceania
- Aboriginal Australian peoples
- Papuan farmers and foragers
- Ancestral Polynesian society
- Tasmanian Aboriginal peoples
- Uninhabited
- Uninhabited
- Torres Strait Islanders
- Island Melanesian societies
- Pre-Latte Chamorro
- Fijian chiefdoms
- Eastern Micronesian islanders