Puneet Varma (Editor)

163 BC

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Year 163 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gracchus and Thalna (or, less frequently, year 591 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 163 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

Contents

Egypt

  • The Egyptian king Ptolemy VI Philometor is restored to his throne through the intervention of the citizens of Alexandria. However, the Romans intervene and decide to partition the Ptolemaic realm, ordering Ptolemy VIII Euergetes into Cyrenaica and giving Ptolemy VI Cyprus and Egypt. The two brothers accept the Roman partition.

    • Seleucid Empire

  • In the turmoil following the death of Antiochus IV, the governor of Media, Timarchus becomes the independent ruler of Media, opposing Lysias who is acting as regent for young king Antiochus V Eupator.
  • Lysias tries to make peace with the Jews in Judea. He offers them full religious freedom if they will lay down their arms. Even though the Chasidim consent, Judas Maccabeus argues for full political as well as religious freedom.

    • Roman Republic

  • The Roman playwright Terence's play Heauton Timorumenos ("The Self-Tormentor") is first performed.

    • Births

  • Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, Roman politician, who, as a plebeian tribune, will cause political turmoil in the Republic through his attempts to legislate agrarian reforms; his political ideals will eventually lead to his death at the hands of supporters of the conservative faction (Optimates) of the Roman Senate (d. 132 BC)
  • Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, Roman politician and ambassador (d. 89 BC)

    • Deaths

  • Zhang Yan, known formally as Empress Xiaohui, empress of the Chinese Han Dynasty (b. 202 BC)
  • Xin Zhui, Chinese noblewoman

    • References

    163 BC Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA