165

Millennium:	1st millennium
Centuries:	1st century – 2nd century – 3rd century
Decades:	130s  140s  150s  – 160s –  170s  180s  190s
Years:	162 163 164 – 165 – 166 167 168

Year 165 (CLXV) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar.

Roman Empire

• Avidius Cassius is successful against Parthia. They take Artaxata, Seleucia on the Tigris, and Ctesiphon. The Parthians ask for peace.
• A pandemic known as the Antonine Plague breaks out in Rome.
• Dura-Europos is taken by the Romans.
• The Romans make a garrison at Doura Europos on the Euphrates.
• Avidius Cassius takes Nisibis. He conquers the north of Mesopotamia.
• Marcus Aurelius creates four legal districts in Italy.

Religion

• The philosopher Justin of Nablus is executed in Rome as a Christian.
• Discourse to the Greek (Oratio ad Graecos), by the Syrian Tatian, is the first treatise on the evils of paganism in Christian literature.

Births

• Macrinus, Roman emperor (approximate date)

Deaths

• Justin Martyr, early apologist for Christianity
• Claudius Ptolemaeus, Greek astronomer (approximate date)
• Empress Deng Mengnu, wife of Emperor Huan of Han
• Elpinice (daughter of Herodes Atticus)