Directory

87 BCE

The eight-year-old Liu Fuling becomes emperor, with Huo Guang General-in-Chief and regent. Halley's Comet makes its third confirmed apparition, recorded by Babylonian scribes as being visible in the sky "day beyond day" for about one month. First Mithridatic War: Siege of Athens (87–86 BC) – Sulla arrives in Greece and from Autumn besieges Athens. He orders Lucius Licinius Lucullus to raise a fleet from Rome's allies around the eastern Mediterranean.

Conflict & Security

  • Gnaeus Octavius and Lucius Cornelius Cinna are inaugurated as consuls. With Cinna seeking to enrol the Italians into all the tribes per vim, he is expelled from the city by Octavius and replaced as consul by Lucius Merula. Mobilising against the regime at Rome, Cinna marches on the city, occupies it with the support of Gaius Marius, and regains his consulship. In the aftermath Octavius is killed, Merula is forced to suicide.source
  • First Mithridatic War: Siege of Athens (87–86 BC) – Sulla arrives in Greece and from Autumn besieges Athens. He orders Lucius Licinius Lucullus to raise a fleet from Rome's allies around the eastern Mediterranean.source

Technology & Infrastructure

  • Antikythera mechanism manufactured.source

Science & Discovery

  • Halley's Comet makes its third confirmed apparition, recorded by Babylonian scribes as being visible in the sky "day beyond day" for about one month.source

Culture & Society

  • March 30 – The eight-year-old Liu Fuling becomes emperor, with Huo Guang General-in-Chief and regent.source

Births

  • Lucius Munatius Plancus, Roman consul (approximate date)source

Deaths

  • March 29 – Han Wudi, emperor of the Han dynasty (b. 157 BC)source
  • March 29 – Emperor Wu of Han dies after a 54-year reign in which he leads the Han dynasty (China) through its greatest expansion. The Empire's borders span from modern Kyrgyzstan in the west, to Mongolia in the north, to Korea in the east, and to northern Vietnam in the south.source
  • Lucius Cornelius Merula, Roman politician and priestsource
  • Quintus Ancharius, Roman politician (executed by order of Marius and Cinna)source
  • Publius Licinius Crassus, Roman consul and censor (killed by Marians invading Rome)source
  • Marcus Antonius, Roman consul (executed by order of Marius and Cinna)source
  • Gotarzes I, ruler (shah) of the Parthian Empiresource
  • Gaius Julius Caesar Strabo, Roman politiciansource
  • Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Roman general and politiciansource
  • Apollodorus of Artemita, Greek writersource
  • Gaius Atilius Serranus, Roman consul and senatorsource
  • Lucius Julius Caesar, Roman consul (killed by partisans of Gaius Marius)source