Editing 161 BC

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The Year '''161 BC''' was a year of the [[Roman calendar|pre-Julian Roman calendar]]. At the time, it was known as the '''Year of the Consulship of Messalla and Strabo''' (or, less frequently, '''year 593 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]''''') and the '''Third Year of Houyuan'''. The denomination 161 BC 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 ==
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=== by side ===

==== Seleucid Empire ====
* The rebel [[Seleucid]] general and ruler of [[Medes|Media]], [[Timarchus]], who has distinguished himself by defending Media against the emergent [[Parthia]]ns, treats [[Demetrius I Soter|Demetrius I's]] violent accession to the Seleucid throne as the excuse to declare himself an independent king and extend his realm from Media into [[Babylonia]].
* With the restoration of peace in [[Judea]], an internal struggle breaks out between the supporters of [[Judas Maccabeus]] and the [[Hellenistic civilization|Hellenic]] party. The influence of the Hellenic Party all but collapses in the wake of the Seleucid defeat.
* The [[Jew]]ish High Priest [[Menelaus (High Priest)|Menelaus]], who is supported by the Hellenist party, is removed from office and is executed. His successor is a moderate member of the Hellenic party, [[Alcimus]]. However, when Alcimus executes sixty Jews who are opposed to him, he finds himself in open conflict with the [[Maccabees]]. Alcimus flees from [[Jerusalem]] and goes to [[Damascus]] to ask the [[Seleucid]] king, [[Demetrius I Soter|Demetrius I]], for help.
* The Maccabees, led by [[Judas Maccabeus]], and a Seleucid army, led by the Seleucid general [[Nicanor (Seleucid general)|Nicanor]], fight the [[Battle of Adasa]], near [[Beth-horon]]. Maccabeus wins the battle and Nicanor is killed.

==== Egypt ====
* [[Ptolemy VIII Euergetes]], now king of [[Cyrenaica]], convinces the [[Roman Senate]] to back his claim for control of [[Cyprus]], but the [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] king [[Ptolemy VI Philometor]] ignores this threat, and after Ptolemy VIII Euergetes' attempt to conquer the island fails, the Roman Senate disengages from the dispute.

==== Roman Republic ====
* The [[Roman Republic|Roman]] playwright [[Terence]]'s plays ''[[Eunuchus]]'' (The Eunuch) and ''Phormio'' are first performed.<ref>{{cite web | title=Terence | first=W. Geoffrey | last=Arnott | url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Terence | access-date=February 24, 2024 | series=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref>
* Envoys of [[Judas Maccabeus]] conclude a [[Roman-Jewish Treaty|treaty of friendship]] with the [[Roman Senate]].
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* Marcus Pomponius, praetor in 161 BC, obtains a decree of the senate, forbidding philosophers and rhetoricians from living in Rome.

== Births ==
* [[Cleopatra III of Egypt|Cleopatra III]], queen of [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]] from [[142 BC]] (d. [[101 BC]])
* [[Demetrius II Nicator]], king of the [[Seleucid Empire]] from [[145 BC]] and [[129 BC]] (d. [[125 BC]])

== Deaths ==
* [[Nicanor (Seleucid general)|Nicanor]], [[Seleucid]] general

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:161 BC| ]]