128 BC

128 BC in various calendars
Gregorian calendar	128 BC; CXXVIII BC
Ab urbe condita	626
Ancient Egypt era	XXXIII dynasty, 196
- Pharaoh	Ptolemy VIII Physcon, 18
Ancient Greek era	163rd Olympiad (victor)¹
Assyrian calendar	4623
Balinese saka calendar	N/A
Bengali calendar	−720
Berber calendar	823
Buddhist calendar	417
Burmese calendar	−765
Byzantine calendar	5381–5382
Chinese calendar	壬子年 (Water Rat); 2570 or 2363; — to —; 癸丑年 (Water Ox); 2571 or 2364
Coptic calendar	−411 – −410
Discordian calendar	1039
Ethiopian calendar	−135 – −134
Hebrew calendar	3633–3634
Hindu calendars
- Vikram Samvat	−71 – −70
- Shaka Samvat	N/A
- Kali Yuga	2973–2974
Holocene calendar	9873
Iranian calendar	749 BP – 748 BP
Islamic calendar	772 BH – 771 BH
Javanese calendar	N/A
Julian calendar	N/A
Korean calendar	2206
Minguo calendar	2039 before ROC; 民前2039年
Nanakshahi calendar	−1595
Seleucid era	184/185 AG
Thai solar calendar	415–416
Tibetan calendar	阳水鼠年; (male Water-Rat); −1 or −382 or −1154; — to —; 阴水牛年; (female Water-Ox); 0 or −381 or −1153

Millennium:	1st millennium BC
Centuries:	3rd century BC; 2nd century BC ; 1st century BC;
Decades:	140s BC; 130s BC; 120s BC ; 110s BC; 100s BC;
Years:	131 BC; 130 BC; 129 BC; 128 BC ; 127 BC; 126 BC; 125 BC;

Year 128 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Octavius and Rufus (or, less frequently, year 626 Ab urbe condita) and the First Year of Yuanshuo. The denomination 128 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

By place

Roman Republic

Cn. Octavius and T. Annius Rufus are this year's consuls

Bactria

The Greco-Bactrian kingdom is overrun by the Tokhari.

Parthia

Artabanus II becomes king of Parthia (approximate date)

China

In response to Han incursions, in 128 or 127 the Xiongnu invade northern China. They kill the governor of Liaoxi, defeat the governor of Yuyang, capture 2000 of the inhabitants of Liaoxi and Yuyang and defeat the Han general Han Anguo. Han Anguo and his cavalry force are surrounded in their camp but the arrival of relief forces coming from Yan causes the Xiongnu army to withdraw. The Xiongnu also invade Yanmen and kill or capture 1000 people.^[1]^[2]
The Han general Wei Qing, with an army of 30,000 cavalrymen, defeats a Xiongnu army north of Yanmen. The Han general Li Xi attacks the Xiongnu further to the east, riding out of Dai Prefecture.^[3]
Having spent a year in Greater Yuezhi, the Han diplomat Zhang Qian begins his return journey to China, having failed to persuade Yuezhi's king to form an alliance against the Xiongnu. Passing by the Pamir, Kunlun, Altun and Qilian Mountains, he and his retinue are then captured by the Xiongnu and taken into custody.^[4]

By topic

Arts and sciences

Limenius composes the Second Delphic Hymn.

Births

Liu Ju, Chinese prince of the Han dynasty (d. 91 BC)

Deaths

Liu Fei, Chinese prince of the Han dynasty (b. 169 BC)
Phraates II, king of Parthia (approximate date)

References

^ Hung, Hing Ming (2020). The Magnificent Emperor Wu: China's Han Dynasty. pp. 139–140. ISBN 978-1628944167.
^ Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Xiongnu, Section: Wei Qing & Huo Qubing.
^ Hung, Hing Ming (2020). The Magnificent Emperor Wu: China's Han Dynasty. p. 140. ISBN 978-1628944167.
^ Hung, Hing Ming (2020). The Magnificent Emperor Wu: China's Han Dynasty. p. 146. ISBN 978-1628944167.

[1] Hung, Hing Ming (2020). The Magnificent Emperor Wu: China's Han Dynasty. pp. 139–140. ISBN 978-1628944167.

[2] Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Xiongnu, Section: Wei Qing & Huo Qubing.

[3] Hung, Hing Ming (2020). The Magnificent Emperor Wu: China's Han Dynasty. p. 140. ISBN 978-1628944167.

[4] Hung, Hing Ming (2020). The Magnificent Emperor Wu: China's Han Dynasty. p. 146. ISBN 978-1628944167.

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