Emperor Wu of Han
156 BC – 87 BC · 69 years · Chang'an · Asia
Reigned 54 years, made Confucianism state doctrine, defeated the Xiongnu and greatly expanded China's borders.
Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 2nd century BC
Portrait: Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Contemporaries around the world
Europe
- Julius Caesar — Roman general and dictator, 56 years younger
- Cicero — Roman orator and statesman, 50 years younger
- Pompey the Great — Roman general and statesman, 50 years younger
- Spartacus — gladiator, leader of a slave revolt, 53 years younger
Middle East
- Mithridates VI Eupator — king of Pontus, enemy of Rome, 21 years younger
Asia
- Sima Qian — Chinese historian, 11 years younger
- Zhang Qian — Han diplomat and explorer, 8 years older
The world in their lifetime
- 149 BC–146 BC Third Punic War — aged 7, Africa
- c. 138 BC–126 BC Zhang Qian's mission to the West — aged 18, Asia