12 BC

12 BC - Events. Comet Halley makes an appearance 12 BC - Births. Marcus Valerius Messalla Barbatus, member of the Roman Senate. 12 BC - Deaths. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, statesman, general Propertius, poet Category: 12 BC ...

Including:

• 12 BC - Events
• 12 BC - Births
• 12 BC - Deaths

Read more here: » 12 BC: Encyclopedia - 12 BC

The Ancient Olympic Games were an athletic and religious celebration held in the Greek town of Olympia from (historically) as early as 776 BC to 393 AD. Ancient Olympic Games - Origin. The historical origins of the Ancient Olympic Games are lost in the fog of time, but several legends and myths survive. One of these involved Pelops, king of Olympia and eponymous hero of the Peloponnesus, to whom offerings were made during the games. The Christian Clement of Alexandria asserted that "[The] Olympian games are ...

Including:

• Ancient Olympic Games - Origin
• Ancient Olympic Games - History
• Ancient Olympic Games - Events
• Ancient Olympic Games - Famous athletes

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Cleopatra's Needles are a trio of obelisks in London, Paris (Place de la Concorde) and New York City. Each is made of red granite, stands about 21 metres (68 feet) high, weighs about 180 tons and is inscribed with hieroglyphs. Although the needles are genuine Ancient Egyptian obelisks, they are somewhat misnamed as neither has any connection with queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt. They were originally erected in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis on the orders of Thutmose III, around 1450 BC. The material of which they were cut is granite, br ...

Including:

• Cleopatra's Needle - History of the needles
• Cleopatra's Needle - London
• Cleopatra's Needle - Paris
• Cleopatra's Needle - New York
• Cleopatra's Needle - The inscriptions
• Cleopatra's Needle - New York

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Wang Mang (王莽, pinyin: Wáng Măng) (45 BC–October 6, 23), courtesy name Jujun (巨君), was a Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded Xin (or Hsin) Dynasty (新朝, meaning "new dynasty"), ruling AD 8–23. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow, and historians have traditionally viewed Wang as a "usurper," while some others have portrayed him as a visionary and selfless social reformer. Though a learned Confucian scholar who sought to implement the harmonious society he ...

Including:

• Wang Mang - Early life and career
• Wang Mang - First tenure as the commander of the armed forces
• Wang Mang - Retirement during Emperor Ai's reign
• Wang Mang - Regency and buildup of personality cult
• Wang Mang - As acting emperor
• Wang Mang - Early reign: mistakes
• Wang Mang - Economic policies
• Wang Mang - Deterioration of the relationship with Xiongnu and other vassals
• Wang Mang - Paralysis and corruption of the government
• Wang Mang - Middle reign: agrarian rebellions
• Wang Mang - Late reign: hopelessness
• Wang Mang - Reasons for Wang Mang's failure
• Wang Mang - Personal information

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Roman Mythology Jupiter Mars Quirinus Divus Julius Divus Augustus Juno Vesta Minerva Mercury Vulcan Ceres Venus Diana Lares Fortuna Aeneas Romulus Numa Early Kings Pontifex Maximus Rex Sacrorum Vestal Virgins Flamen Dialis The ...

Including:

• Pontifex Maximus - Etymology
• Pontifex Maximus - Origins duties and development of the Pagan Pontifices
• Pontifex Maximus - Legacy
• Pontifex Maximus - Christian usage
• Pontifex Maximus - The tradition of sovereign as High Priest
• Pontifex Maximus - Popular culture
• Pontifex Maximus - Incomplete list of Pontifices maximi
• Pontifex Maximus - Furthermore

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Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (63 BC-12 BC) was a Roman statesman and general. He was close friend, son-in-law and minister to Octavian, the future emperor Caesar Augustus. He was responsible for most of Octavian’s military triumphs, most notably winning the naval Battle of Actium against the forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa - Early Life. Agrippa was of humble birth, being born in the countryside outside of Rome. He was of the same age as Octavian and the two were close childhood f ...

Including:

• Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa - Early Life
• Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa - Rise in Power
• Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa - Life in Public Service
• Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa - Late Life
• Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa - Legacy

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Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC - 10s BC - 0s BC 0s 10s 20s 30s Years: 19 BC 18 BC 17 BC 16 BC 15 BC 14 BC 13 BC 12 BC 11 BC 10 BC 10s BC - Events and trends. 10s BC - Significant people. Caesar Augustus, Roman Emperor (27 BC - 14 AD). Category: 10s BC ...

Including:

• 10s BC - Events and trends
• 10s BC - Significant people

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The Star of Bethlehem was a star or star-like object that, in the account of Jesus' birth given in the Greek Gospel of Matthew, heralded his arrival and guided the Magi (better known in Christian mythology as the Three Wise Men) to the house where Jesus and his mother were. Main article: Star Prophecy. The messianic "Star Prophecy" that this star appeared to fulfill was of importance to all the contemporary Jewish resistance groups of the period, including those who produced the documents at Qu ...

Including:

• Star of Bethlehem - Narrative in Matthew
• Star of Bethlehem - Proposed explanations for the star
• Star of Bethlehem - The Star Prophecy
• Star of Bethlehem - Partial Source Materials

Read more here: » Star of Bethlehem: Encyclopedia - Star of Bethlehem

The Sibylline Books or Sibyllae were a collection of oracular utterances, set out in Greek hexameters, purchased from a sibyl by the semi-legendary last king of Rome, Tarquinius Superbus, and consulted at momentous crises through the history of the Republic and the Empire. The Sibylline Books should not be confused with the so-called Sibylline Oracles, twelve books of pretended prophesies, written after the fact, or Vaticinia ex eventu (compare additions to the Book of Daniel); t ...

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Herod I, also known as Herod the Great, was a Roman client-king of Judaea (c. 74 BC - March 4 BC in Jerusalem). The details of his biography can best be gleaned from the works of the 1st century AD Jewish historiographer Josephus. To the majority of non-specialist Christians Herod is best known from the Gospel according to Matthew that gives in chapter 2 an account of the events leading up to and including what subsequently has come to be referred to by Christians as the Massacre of the Innocents, of which however no mention in other ...

Including:

• Herod the Great - Biography
• Herod the Great - 30s BC
• Herod the Great - 20s BC
• Herod the Great - 10s BC
• Herod the Great - 0s BC
• Herod the Great - Date of Herod's death
• Herod the Great - Marriages and Children
• Herod the Great - Herod's family trees
• Herod the Great - Achievements
• Herod the Great - Herod in the New Testament
• Herod the Great - After Herod's death

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The Han Dynasty (Traditional: 漢朝; Simplified: 汉朝; Hanyu Pinyin: Hàn cháo;; Wade-Giles: Han Ch'au; 206 BC–AD 220) followed the Qin Dynasty and preceded the Three Kingdoms in China. The dynasty was founded by the Liu family. Han Dynasty - Importance. The Chinese people consider the Han Dynasty to be one of the greatest periods in the entire history of China. As a result, the members of th ...

Including:

• Han Dynasty - Importance
• Han Dynasty - The Emergence
• Han Dynasty - Taoism and Feudal System
• Han Dynasty - Emperor Wu and Confucianism
• Han Dynasty - Beginning of the Silk Road
• Han Dynasty - Rise of landholding class
• Han Dynasty - Interruption of Han rule
• Han Dynasty - Rise and Fall of Eastern Han Dynasty
• Han Dynasty - Sovereigns of Han Dynasty

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Comet Halley, officially designated 1P/Halley, more generally known as Halley's Comet after Edmond Halley. The most standard pronunciation of "Halley" is [hæli] (IPA), to rhyme with "valley". The once-standard alternate pronunciation [heɪli] (to rhyme with "Bailey") led to rock and roll singer Bill Haley naming his band Bill Haley and the Comets. Comet Halley - Composition. The ...

Including:

• Comet Halley - Composition
• Comet Halley - Early history
• Comet Halley - Recent history
• Comet Halley - Dates of perihelia
• Comet Halley - Trivia
• Comet Halley - Halley's Comet in fiction

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The Chinese people consider the reign of the Han Dynasty which lasted for 400 years to be one of the greatest periods in the entire history of China. As a result, the members of the ethnic majority of Chinese people to this day still call themselves "people of Han," in honor of the Liu family and the dynasty they created. During the Han Dynasty, China officially became a Confucian state and prospered domestically: agriculture, handicrafts and commerce flourished, and the population reached 50 million. Meanwhile, the empire extended it ...

See also:

Han Dynasty, Han Dynasty - Importance, Han Dynasty - The Emergence, Han Dynasty - Taoism and Feudal System, Han Dynasty - Emperor Wu and Confucianism, Han Dynasty - Beginning of the Silk Road, Han Dynasty - Rise of landholding class, Han Dynasty - Interruption of Han rule, Han Dynasty - Rise and Fall of Eastern Han Dynasty, Han Dynasty - Sovereigns of Han Dynasty

Read more here: » Han Dynasty: Encyclopedia II - Han Dynasty - Importance

Cleopatra's Needle - London. The London needle is in the City of Westminster, on the Victoria Embankment near the Golden Jubilee Bridges. It was presented to the United Kingdom in 1819 by Mehemet Ali, the Albanian-born viceroy of Egypt, in commemoration of the victories of Lord Nelson at the Battle of the Nile and Sir Ralph Abercromby at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801. Although the British government welcomed the gesture, ...

See also:

Cleopatra's Needle, Cleopatra's Needle - History of the needles, Cleopatra's Needle - London, Cleopatra's Needle - Paris, Cleopatra's Needle - New York, Cleopatra's Needle - The inscriptions, Cleopatra's Needle - New York

Read more here: » Cleopatra's Needle: Encyclopedia II - Cleopatra's Needle - History of the needles

In the Roman Republic, the Pontifex Maximus was the highest office in the polytheistic Roman religion, which was very much a state cult. His was the most important of the Pontifices (plural of Pontifex), positions in the main sacred college (Collegium Pontificum), which he directed. Other members of this priesthood included the Rex Sacrorum (king of the sacred rites), the Flamines (each devoted to a major deity), the Vestales. During the early Republic, the Pontifex Maximus selected the members to hold these posts ...

See also:

Pontifex Maximus, Pontifex Maximus - Etymology, Pontifex Maximus - Origins duties and development of the Pagan Pontifices, Pontifex Maximus - Legacy, Pontifex Maximus - Christian usage, Pontifex Maximus - The tradition of sovereign as High Priest, Pontifex Maximus - Popular culture, Pontifex Maximus - Incomplete list of Pontifices maximi, Pontifex Maximus - Furthermore

Read more here: » Pontifex Maximus: Encyclopedia II - Pontifex Maximus - Origins duties and development of the Pagan Pontifices

The Western half of the Empire had sworn allegiance to Octavian prior to Actium in 30 BC, and after Actium and the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra, the Eastern half of the Empire followed suit, placing Octavian in the position of ruler of the entire Empire. Years of civil war had left Rome in a state of near-lawlessness, but Rome was not prepared to accept the control of Octavian as a despot; however, Octavian could not simply give up his authority without risking further civil wars amoungst the Roman generals, and even if he desired no posit ...

See also:

Augustus, Augustus - Early life, Augustus - Rise to power, Augustus - Octavian becomes Augustus: the creation of the Principate, Augustus - The First Settlement, Augustus - The Second Settlement, Augustus - Reign, Augustus - Succession, Augustus - Augustus's legacy, Augustus - Augustus in popular culture, Augustus - Notes

Read more here: » Augustus: Encyclopedia II - Augustus - Octavian becomes Augustus: the creation of the Principate

The comet returned in 1835, 1910 and 1986. The 1910 approach was notable for several reasons: as well as being the first approach of which photographs exist, it was relatively close, making the comet a spectacular sight. Indeed, on 19 May, the comet transited the Sun's disk, and the Earth actually passed through its tail. At the time the comet's tail was known to contain poisonous cyanogen gas. The popular media picked up this fact and, over the pleas of astronomers, wove sensational tales of mass cyanide poisoning engulfing the planet. In reality the gas is so dilute that the world suffered no ...

See also:

Comet Halley, Comet Halley - Composition, Comet Halley - Early history, Comet Halley - Recent history, Comet Halley - Dates of perihelia, Comet Halley - Trivia, Comet Halley - Halley's Comet in fiction

Read more here: » Comet Halley: Encyclopedia II - Comet Halley - Recent history

The Western half of the Empire had sworn allegiance to Octavian prior to Actium in 30 BC, and after Actium and the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra, the Eastern half of the Empire followed suit, placing Octavian in the position of ruler of the entire Empire. Years of civil war had left Rome in a state of near-lawlessness, but Rome was not prepared to accept the control of Octavian as a despot; however, Octavian could not simply give up his authority without risking further civil wars amongst the Roman generals, and even if he desired no positi ...

See also:

Augustus, Augustus - Early life, Augustus - Rise to power, Augustus - Octavian becomes Augustus: the creation of the Principate, Augustus - The First Settlement, Augustus - The Second Settlement, Augustus - Reign, Augustus - Succession, Augustus - Augustus's legacy, Augustus - Augustus in popular culture, Augustus - Notes, Augustus - Select Bibliography

Read more here: » Augustus: Encyclopedia II - Augustus - Octavian becomes Augustus: the creation of the Principate

The Chinese people consider the Han Dynasty to be one of the greatest periods in the entire history of China. As a result, the members of the ethnic majority of Chinese people to this day still call themselves "people of Han," in honor of the Liu family and the dynasty they created. During the Han Dynasty, China officially became a Confucian state and prospered domestically: agriculture, handicrafts and commerce flourished, and the population reached 50 million. Meanwhile, the empire extended its political and cultural influence over Vietnam, Central Asia, Mongolia, and Korea before it finally collapsed under a combi ...

See also:

Han Dynasty, Han Dynasty - Importance, Han Dynasty - The Emergence, Han Dynasty - Taoism and Feudal System, Han Dynasty - Emperor Wu and Confucianism, Han Dynasty - Beginning of the Silk Road, Han Dynasty - Rise of landholding class, Han Dynasty - Interruption of Han rule, Han Dynasty - Rise and Fall of Eastern Han Dynasty, Han Dynasty - Sovereigns of Han Dynasty

Read more here: » Han Dynasty: Encyclopedia II - Han Dynasty - Importance

Unlike the Modern Olympic Games, only men who spoke Greek were allowed to participate in the Ancient Games. They were to some extent "international", though, in the sense that they included athletes from the various Greek city-states. Additionally, participants eventually came from Greek colonies as well, extending the range of the games to far shores of the Mediterranean and of the Black Sea. In order to be in the games one had to qualify and one's name written down in the lists. It seems that only young people were allowed to ...

See also:

Ancient Olympic Games, Ancient Olympic Games - Origin, Ancient Olympic Games - History, Ancient Olympic Games - Events, Ancient Olympic Games - Famous athletes

Read more here: » Ancient Olympic Games: Encyclopedia II - Ancient Olympic Games - Events