2nd century AD - Definition and Overview

(1st century - 2nd century - 3rd century - other centuries)

Events

• Roman Empire governed by the "Five Good Emperors" (96–180) – Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius.
• The kingdom of Aksum emerges.

Significant persons

• Cai Lun, Chinese inventor
• Galen, medical writer
• Saint Irenaeus
• Pliny the Younger
• Plutarch
• Ptolemy
• Trajan
• Hadrian
• Antoninus Pius
• Marcus Aurelius
• Commodus
• Septimius Severus

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

• Cai Lun invents paper (c. 105)
• Ptolemy compiles a catalogue of all stars visible to the naked eye.

Decades and years