History by century · The 100s
The 2nd century
In the 100s, 180 recorded states existed somewhere in the world. 49 were founded and 16 came to an end. The great powers of the age included the Roman Empire, the Kushan Empire and the Han Dynasty.
Great powers
Profiles of the 2nd century, ranked by their military, territorial, economic and historical weight in the Institute’s analysis and by how strong they were in these hundred years.
Roman Empire27 BCE – 476 CEScore 9.2/10 · at its peak c. 117 CE
Kushan Empire30 CE – 375 CEScore 5.5/10 · at its peak c. 150 CE
Han Dynasty206 BCE – 220 CEScore 7.5/10
Roman Egypt30 BCE – 641 CEScore 6.4/10 · at its peak c. 130 CE
Africa Proconsularis146 BCE – 439 CEScore 5.6/10 · at its peak c. 193 CE
Xianbei206 BCE – 235 CEScore 3.5/10 · at its peak c. 177 CE
Hispania Tarraconensis27 BCE – 472 CEScore 4.8/10 · at its peak c. 122 CE
Teotihuacan100 BCE – 550 CEScore 5.3/10
Satavahana dynasty100 BCE – 220 CEScore 4.5/10 · at its peak c. 130 CE
Parthian Empire247 BCE – 224 CEScore 5.0/10
Roman Britain43 CE – 410 CEScore 4.3/10
Sarmatians300 BCE – 375 CEScore 3.1/10 · at its peak c. 135 CE
Key events
People
Marcus AureliusPerson · 121–180
TertullianPerson · c. 155 – c. 220
SuetoniusPerson · c. 69–after 122
Simon bar KokhbaPerson · d. 135
ApuleiusPerson · c. 124 – after 170
ArrianPerson · c. 86–c. 160
NahapanaPerson · 1st–2nd century CE
Dong ZhuoPerson · d. 192
Gautamiputra SatakarniPerson · 2nd century CE
KanishkaPerson · r. c. 127–150
Rudradaman IPerson · 2nd century CE
Suro of Geumgwan GayaPerson · r. 42–199 CE (traditional)
Works and ideas
Hadrian's WallWork / monument · 122
AlmagestWork / monument · c. 150
Pyramid of the MoonWork / monument · c. 100–450
Antonine WallWork / monument · 142
Kanishka stupaWork / monument · 2nd century CE
Rabatak inscriptionWork / monument · early 2nd century CE
Hadrian's VillaWork / monument · c. 118–138
Huaca de la LunaWork / monument · c. 100–800 CE
States founded 49
- Aksumite Empire 100 CE – 940 CE
- Auteini 100 CE – 200 CE
- Brigantes (Ireland) 100 CE – 200 CE
- Caereni 100 CE – 200 CE
- Carnonacae 100 CE – 200 CE
- Cauci 100 CE – 200 CE
- Coriondi 100 CE – 200 CE
- Cornavii (Caithness) 100 CE – 200 CE
- Creones 100 CE – 200 CE
- Darini 100 CE – 200 CE
- Decantae 100 CE – 200 CE
- Eblani 100 CE – 200 CE
- Epidii 100 CE – 200 CE
- Erdini 100 CE – 200 CE
- Galindians 100 CE – 1283 CE
- Gangani (Britain) 100 CE – 200 CE
- Gangani (Ireland) 100 CE – 200 CE
- Halin 100 CE – 832 CE
- Iverni 100 CE – 200 CE
- Kingdom of Dhanyawadi 100 CE – 370 CE
- Langkasuka 100 CE – 1474 CE
- Lima culture 100 CE – 650 CE
- Lugi 100 CE – 200 CE
- Manapii 100 CE – 200 CE
- Moche 100 CE – 800 CE
- Nagnatae 100 CE – 200 CE
- Robogdii 100 CE – 200 CE
- Smertae 100 CE – 200 CE
- Sudovians 100 CE – 1283 CE
- Taexali 100 CE – 200 CE
- Usdiae 100 CE – 200 CE
- Vacomagi 100 CE – 200 CE
- Velabri 100 CE – 200 CE
- Venicones 100 CE – 200 CE
- Vennicnii 100 CE – 200 CE
- Voluntii 100 CE – 200 CE
- Paratarajas 125 CE – 300 CE
- Kingdom of Lazica 130 CE – 697 CE
- Bar Kokhba state 132 CE – 136 CE
- Carpi 140 CE – 318 CE
States that came to an end 16
- Aorsi 200 BCE – 100 CE
- Audumbara 200 BCE – 100 CE
- Cherusci 53 BCE – 100 CE
- Gerrha 400 BCE – 100 CE
- Kingdom of Herod Agrippa 37 CE – 100 CE
- Mahameghavahana dynasty 200 BCE – 100 CE
- Tagaung Kingdom 850 BCE – 100 CE
- Decapolis (Levant) 63 BCE – 106 CE
- Kingdom of Dacia 82 BCE – 106 CE
- Nabataean Kingdom 168 BCE – 106 CE
- Bar Kokhba state 132 CE – 136 CE
- Amphictyonic League 595 BCE – 150 CE
- El Mirador 600 BCE – 150 CE
- Northern Xiongnu 48 CE – 155 CE
- Kingdom of Qataban 650 BCE – 175 CE
- Zhongjia 197 CE – 199 CE
On this day
- 11 August 117Hadrian is proclaimed Roman Emperor
- 25 February 138Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius as his heir
- 7 March 161Marcus Aurelius becomes Roman Emperor
- 22 June 168 BCERome defeats Macedon at Pydna
- 31 December 192Emperor Commodus is assassinated
- 1 June 193Emperor Didius Julianus is killed as Severus nears Rome
- 28 March 193Praetorians murder Pertinax and auction the empire
- 9 April 193Danube legions proclaim Septimius Severus emperor
- 19 February 197Septimius Severus defeats Clodius Albinus at Lugdunum
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). The 2nd century. In The Epoch Institute. https://the-epoch-institute.org/centuries/2nd-century
- MLA
- “The 2nd century.” The Epoch Institute, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/centuries/2nd-century. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “The 2nd century.” The Epoch Institute. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/centuries/2nd-century.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘The 2nd century’, The Epoch Institute. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/centuries/2nd-century (Accessed: ).