165

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Year 165 (CLXV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Orfitus and Pudens (or, less frequently, year 918 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 165 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.

Events

By place

Roman Empire

• A Roman military operation under Avidius Cassius is successful against Parthia, capturing Artaxata, Seleucia on the Tigris, and Ctesiphon. The Parthians sue for peace.
• A pandemic known as the Antonine Plague breaks out in Rome after the Roman army returns from Parthia. The plague significantly depopulates the Roman Empire.
• Legio II Italica is levied by emperor Marcus Aurelius.
• Dura-Europos is taken by the Romans.
• The Romans establish a garrison at Doura Europos on the Euphrates, a control point for the commercial route to the Persian Gulf.
• Avidius Cassius takes Nisibis and conquers the north of Mesopotamia.
• Marcus Aurelius creates four legal districts (iuridici) in Italy (5 if Rome is included).

By topic

Religion

• The philosopher Justin of Nablus is executed in Rome as a Christian.
• Discourse to the Greek (Oratio ad Graecos), by the Syrian Tatian, is the first treatise on the evils of paganism in Christian literature.

Births

• Macrinus, Roman emperor (approximate date) (d. 218)
• Mi Zhu, advisor of Liu Bei (d. 221)

Deaths

• Justin Martyr, early apologist for Christianity (b. 100)
• Claudius Ptolemaeus, Greek astronomer (approximate date) (b. c. 90)
• Empress Deng Mengnu, wife of Emperor Huan of Han
• Elpinice (daughter of Herodes Atticus) (b. 142)
• Ma Ping, general of Han Dynasty, father of Ma Teng, grandfather of Ma Chao (b. 126)

References