The world in the 1st century

1–100World Heritage

The Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo, located south of Rousse in Bulgaria, are a complex of churches, chapels and monasteries hewn out of solid rock, completely different from other monasteries in Bulgaria. The churches contain beautiful and well-preserved medieval frescoes of exceptional value. In 1979, the complex was inscribed as one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

1–100

After the Great Fire of Rome, Nero built a vast landscaped complex in the heart of the city, known as the Domus Aurea. Covering the Esquiline and Palatine hills among other areas, it featured pavilions, baths, fountains, and an artificial lake, and its opulent decoration and grandiose design became a model for imperial Roman architecture under later emperors such as Domitian, Trajan, and Hadrian.

1–100

Around the 1st century, Emperor Vespasian built the Temple of Peace (also known as the Forum of Vespasian) in Rome, dedicated to the goddess Pax. It commemorated the end of civil strife and the victory over Jerusalem. Part of the Imperial Fora, it was damaged by Alaric I in 410 and never restored.

1–100

The Palace of Domitian was built as the official residence of Roman emperor Domitian in the late 1st century AD and was subsequently used by later emperors. Its remains sit on Palatine Hill in Rome.

1–5Germania

The immensum bellum was a rebellion of Germanic tribes against Roman expansion east of the Rhine in the early 1st century AD. The uprising broke out in 1 AD and was eventually suppressed by Tiberius in 4–5 AD. It formed part of the Augustan Germanic Wars, reflecting Rome's efforts to bring the area between the Rhine and the Elbe under its control.

1–100World Heritage

The Pont du Gard is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built in the 1st century AD in what is now southern France. This three-level structure carried water over 50 km to the city of Nîmes. It is one of the best-preserved Roman aqueduct bridges and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985 for its exceptional preservation, historical importance, and architectural ingenuity.

66–74Judaea

In 66 CE, a large-scale Jewish revolt erupted in the Roman province of Judaea, later known as the First Jewish–Roman War or Great Jewish Revolt. Led by lower-class groups like the Zealots and Sicarii, it opposed Roman rule and the Herodian client regime. This first of three major rebellions led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, mass displacement, and the dissolution of the Jewish polity.

1–100

The Garni Temple is a classical colonnaded structure in the village of Garni, Armenia. It is the best-known symbol of pre-Christian Armenia and the only largely preserved Hellenistic building in the former Soviet Union. Considered an eastern outpost of the Greco-Roman world, it collapsed in an earthquake in 1679 and was reconstructed between 1968 and 1975.

1–100World Heritage

Al-Khazneh was carved by the Nabataeans into the sandstone cliffs of Petra. It is one of the most elaborate rock-cut tombs in the ancient city.

17

In AD 17, a severe earthquake struck Lydia in the Roman province of Asia, destroying at least twelve cities. The event was recorded by Roman historians Tacitus and Pliny the Elder, and Greek historians Strabo and Eusebius. Pliny described it as "the greatest earthquake in human memory". Sardis, the former Lydian capital, suffered the most damage and never fully recovered.

58–63Kingdom of Armenia

In 58 CE, Rome and Parthia went to war over control of Armenia, a key buffer state. Armenia had been a Roman client kingdom since Augustus, but in 52/53 the Parthians installed their own candidate, Tiridates, on the throne. The war saw early Roman successes under Corbulo, followed by a Parthian counter-offensive that defeated the Romans in 62. In 63, the conflict ended with the Treaty of Rhandeia, under which Tiridates accepted Roman suzerainty and was crowned by Nero.

70

In 70 CE, during the First Jewish–Roman War, Titus led Roman forces in a prolonged siege of Jerusalem. After several months the defenses fell, the Second Temple was destroyed, and much of the city was laid waste. The capture of Jerusalem proved decisive against the revolt and had lasting political, religious, and cultural repercussions.

1–100

Lafia is the administrative centre and largest city of Nasarawa State, Nigeria, situated at the intersection of the Port Harcourt trunk railway and the Makurdi–Jos road, making it a key transport hub. It serves as the headquarters of the Lafia Emirate Council. Indigenous groups include the Fulani and Kanuri, with a significant Hausa population. A federal university was established in 2010. Lafia became the state capital upon the creation of Nasarawa State in 1996.

1–100

Ilorin was founded around the 1st century CE, later becoming the capital of Kwara State in western Nigeria. A historically Yoruba city, it remains a major administrative, economic, and cultural hub in the region.

1–100

Ikeja is a city in the West African country of Nigeria and the capital of Lagos State. It is located in the southwestern part of the country, at an elevation of about 39 meters and covering an area of approximately 46 square kilometers. As an industrial and shipping hub in the region, the city hosts Murtala Muhammed International Airport. Its population was around 861,300 in 2015.

100–600Axum, Tigray Region, EthiopiaWorld Heritage

Aksum, a town in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia, was the capital of the Aksumite Empire. In 1980, UNESCO inscribed the Aksum Archaeological Site as a World Heritage Site.

1–100Koumbi Saleh

The Ghana Empire (also known as Wagadu) was an ancient western-Sahelian empire that emerged roughly in the later first millennium AD, centered in present-day southeast Mauritania and western Mali. While early complex societies existed earlier, the empire's exact founding is uncertain; scholars commonly place its rise around the 8th century. Through early camel domestication, it gradually dominated trans-Saharan trade, extending its influence to North Africa and the Middle East.

1–100World Heritage

Timgad was founded by the Roman Emperor Trajan around AD 100 on the northern slopes of the Aurès Mountains as a military colony. It features a square layout with orthogonal design based on the cardo and decumanus, making it an outstanding example of Roman town planning. The site was later inscribed on the World Heritage List.

1–100

Chatsworth Community Church, located in the Chatsworth section of Los Angeles, California, is a designated Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. As a religious heritage site, it reflects the historical significance of early community development in the area.

1–100Bagram

In the early 1st century, the Yuezhi founded the Kushan Empire in the Bactrian territories, a syncretic Central Asian state.

1–100

White Horse Temple was established around the 1st century AD in Luoyang. Traditionally regarded as the first Buddhist temple in China, it is considered the 'cradle' and 'origin' of Chinese Buddhism. The temple is situated east of the old city, by the Mang Hill and the Luo River.