The First Century Before the Common Era

The first century before the common era (sometimes abbreviated as BCE) was the period beginning in the year 100 before the common era and ending in the year 1 before the common era. In the history of Europe and the Mediterranean, this period is characterized as a time when the Roman Republic moved from a system of competing individual leaders within a senate structure to a system ruled by a single head of state.

During this period, long-distance trade connecting the Mediterranean, the Middle East, India, and China expanded significantly. Trade routes by land and sea carried goods, technology, and ideas, and they strengthened the relations between major states.

Rome and the Change of System

The Roman Republic went through civil wars and ongoing struggles for leadership. Military commanders with popular and military support seized power in ways that departed from senate tradition. By the end of the century, a system was established in which a single person, Augustus, held supreme power, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire. The change was not instantaneous but occurred gradually over many years, during which the former titles of institutions were preserved.

Egypt and the Middle East

The Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt ended during this century, with the country coming under Roman rule. To the east, the Parthian Empire maintained borders and rivalry with Rome, particularly over Mesopotamia and Armenia. Wars and treaties between the two powers shaped the political boundary that would persist for centuries.

Asia and Africa

China, under the Han Dynasty, maintained a centralized administration and developed western trade routes for silk. India comprised several states whose coastal ports engaged in maritime trade. The coasts of East Africa and the Horn of Africa participated in trade across the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, exporting frankincense, myrrh, and other goods.