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55 BC| c. 400 BC–AD c. 250 | Central America [everyday life] | The Late Formative (or pre-Classic) period of Mayan culture takes place in Mexico. By 400 BC, large structures have been built at several sites in the tropical lowland jungle. In the highlands, people begin to put up large clay platforms, some the basis for temples and others for elite houses, flanking open plazas. | | c. 200 BC–AD c. 200 | South America [religion] | During this period the Nazca Lines are drawn in the desert along the south coast of Peru. These are enormous stylized outlines of animals, including a monkey, whale, spider, and hummingbird, and sets of parallel lines, some as long as 20 km/12 mi. They are believed to be a development of Chavín de Huantar art; they may have had religious significance, or they may have been connected with astronomy. | | c. 85 BC–AD c. 52 | East Asia [art] | The earliest known Chinese lacquer (found at Lak Lang in North Korea in modern times) is produced. | | 64 BC–AD c. 52 | Syria, Palestine, Seleucid Kingdom, Rome [treaties] | The Roman general Pompey the Great arrives at Antioch in Syria and dictates terms: King Antiochus XIII of Syria is deposed and the Seleucid dynasty ends. Syria becomes part of the Roman provinces. Hyrcanus II and his brother Aristobulus II, rival claimants for the Hasmonaean throne of Judaea, bring their claims before Pompey. Pompey supports the claim of Hyrcanus, but makes Palestine into a Roman province, appointing Hyrcanus as high priest of the Jews but the Idumean Antipater as governor of Roman Judaea. | | 55 BC | Rome, Asia Minor [philosophy] | Roman orator and writer Marcus Tullius Cicero wishes to retire from public life to concentrate on literary pursuits, publishing his De oratore/The Orator this year and finishing De republica/On the Republic in the following year. However, in 51 BC he is appointed governor of Cilicia, in Asia Minor, and goes reluctantly. | | 9 September 55 BC | Rome, UK [wars] | The Roman statesman and general Julius Caesar sails for Britain with two legions. He is content to do no more than show his superiority in arms, but it is received with popular acclaim in Rome. He lands, despite opposition, probably near modern Walmer, Kent. The Britons return the Roman ambassador Commius but sue for peace. However, when a high tide destroys some of Caesar's ships, they renew the fighting and Caesar, having made his point, recrosses the English Channel. |
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