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Historical map · 100 BC

Map of the Middle East in 100 BC

In 100 BC, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 20 states, empires and other polities in the Middle East. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Parthian Empire, the Ptolemaic Kingdom and Indo-Scythians.

See this map live. The interactive map opens on the Middle East in 100 BC. Zoom in, move the year slider to watch the borders change, or ask the history guide a question and it draws the answer on the map.

OPEN 100 BC ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 100 BC
Atlas map: The Republic Breaks (62 Bc)
FROM THE ATLAS · ROME, CHAPTER 4: THE REPUBLIC BREAKS (62 BC)

States and empires in the Middle East in 100 BC

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Parthian Empire Wikipedia2.2 million km²2.2 million km²239 BC–AD 237
Ptolemaic Kingdom Wikipedia567,000 km²567,000 km²331 BC–28 BC
Indo-Scythians Wikipedia549,000 km²860,000 km²144 BC–AD 282
Kingdom of Kush Wikipedia337,000 km²337,000 km²1000 BC–AD 346
Roman Republic263,000 km²1.2 million km²500 BC–32 BC
Minaeans215,000 km²215,000 km²383 BC–26 BC
Kingdom of Pontus Wikipedia214,000 km²214,000 km²281 BC–AD 67
Kingdom of Armenia Wikipedia132,000 km²132,000 km²326 BC–AD 646
Nabataeans Wikipedia126,000 km²126,000 km²164 BC–AD 105
Seleucid Empire Wikipedia92,000 km²92,000 km²318 BC–64 BC
Kingdom of Cappadocia Wikipedia89,000 km²89,000 km²239 BC–AD 22
Hadhramaut Wikipedia86,000 km²86,000 km²700 BC–AD 305
Himyarite Kingdom Wikipedia74,000 km²74,000 km²110 BC–AD 601
Greek City-States Wikipedia73,000 km²89,000 km²800 BC–AD 83
Cyrenaica Wikipedia70,000 km²116,000 km²331 BC–92 BC
Sabaeans Wikipedia35,000 km²35,000 km²800 BC–AD 282
Kingdom of Bithynia Wikipedia30,000 km²30,000 km²333 BC–67 BC
Kingdom of Sophene Wikipedia17,000 km²17,000 km²256 BC–AD 113
Judea Wikipedia16,000 km²16,000 km²144 BC–AD 5
Qataban Wikipedia12,000 km²12,000 km²350 BC–AD 183

"In the data" gives the first and last year the dataset draws the state under this identity; states often existed earlier or later in another form.

What changed since 200 BC

New on the map: Indo-Scythians, Roman Republic, Kingdom of Armenia, Nabataeans, Himyarite Kingdom, Cyrenaica, Judea.

Gone from the map: Atropatene, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Antigonid Macedonia, Galatia, Kingdom of Pergamon, Paphlagonia, Achaean League, Aetolian League.

What comes next: AD 1

Appear by AD 1: Roman Empire, Kingdom of Axum, Thracian Kingdom, Kingdom of Osroene, Caucasian Albania, Caucasian Iberia, Lazica, Kingdom of Gordyene, Kingdom of Adiabene, Kingdom of Commagene.

Gone by AD 1: Ptolemaic Kingdom, Roman Republic, Minaeans, Seleucid Empire, Cyrenaica, Sabaeans, Kingdom of Bithynia, Qataban.

Read the history of 100 BC

Guided atlas chapters set near this date, each with its own map, causes and consequences:

Questions about this map

Which countries were in the Middle East in 100 BC?

The map data draws 20 states and other polities in the Middle East in 100 BC. The largest by land were the Parthian Empire, the Ptolemaic Kingdom, Indo-Scythians, the Kingdom of Kush and the Roman Republic.

What was the largest empire in the Middle East in 100 BC?

Of the states on this map, the Parthian Empire held the most land in total: about 2.2 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore the Middle East in 100 BC interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 100 BC, zoom into any region, move through the years, and ask the history guide questions: it answers in plain words and draws places, armies and borders on the map.

About these borders

The borders come from Cliopatria (v0.2.1, Seshat Global History Databank, CC BY 4.0), the dataset behind our interactive map, with our audited name and border corrections. It records each state's territory year by year from 3400 BC to 2024. Borders before modern surveys are reconstructions: the data draws a state where it held control, and frontier zones, nomadic realms and loose overlordships are approximate. Areas are measured on an equal-area projection. Read how we make our maps.

Middle East in other years

Other regions in 100 BC