172 BC

Millennium:	1st millennium BC
Centuries:	3rd century BC 2nd century BC 1st century BC
Decades:	190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC
Years:	175 BC 174 BC 173 BC 172 BC 171 BC 170 BC 169 BC

172 BC in various calendars

Gregorian calendar	172 BC CLXXII BC
Ab urbe condita	582
Ancient Egypt era	XXXIII dynasty, 152
- Pharaoh	Ptolemy VI Philometor, 9
Ancient Greek era	152nd Olympiad (victor)¹
Assyrian calendar	4579
Balinese saka calendar	N/A
Bengali calendar	−764
Berber calendar	779
Buddhist calendar	373
Burmese calendar	−809
Byzantine calendar	5337–5338
Chinese calendar	戊辰年 (Earth Dragon) 2526 or 2319     — to — 己巳年 (Earth Snake) 2527 or 2320
Coptic calendar	−455 – −454
Discordian calendar	995
Ethiopian calendar	−179 – −178
Hebrew calendar	3589–3590
Hindu calendars
- Vikram Samvat	−115 – −114
- Shaka Samvat	N/A
- Kali Yuga	2929–2930
Holocene calendar	9829
Iranian calendar	793 BP – 792 BP
Islamic calendar	817 BH – 816 BH
Javanese calendar	N/A
Julian calendar	N/A
Korean calendar	2162
Minguo calendar	2083 before ROC 民前2083年
Nanakshahi calendar	−1639
Seleucid era	140/141 AG
Thai solar calendar	371–372
Tibetan calendar	阳土龙年 (male Earth-Dragon) −45 or −426 or −1198     — to — 阴土蛇年 (female Earth-Snake) −44 or −425 or −1197

Year 172 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Laenas and Ligus (or, less frequently, year 582 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 172 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

Greece

• Eumenes II of Pergamum travels to Rome to warn the Roman Senate of the danger from Perseus of Macedon. On his return from Rome, Eumenes II is nearly killed at Delphi and Perseus is suspected of being the instigator.

Seleucid Empire

• Since the reign of the Seleucid king, Antiochus III, the Jewish inhabitants of Judea enjoy extensive autonomy under their high priest. However, they are divided into two parties, the orthodox Hasideans (Pious Ones) and a reform party that favours Hellenism. Antiochus IV supports the reform party because of the financial support they provide him with. In return for a considerable payment, he has permitted the high priest, Jason, to build a gymnasium in Jerusalem and to introduce the Greek mode of educating young people. Jason's time as high priest is brought to an abrupt end when he sends Menelaus, the brother of Simon the Benjamite, to deliver money to Antiochus IV. Menelaus takes this opportunity to "outbid" Jason for the priesthood, resulting in Antiochus IV confirming Menelaus as the High Priest.

Carthage

• The peace treaty at the end of the Second Punic War requires that all border disputes involving Carthage be arbitrated by the Roman Senate and requires Carthage to get explicit Roman approval before going to war. As a result, envoys from Carthage appear before the Roman Senate to request resolution of a boundary dispute with Numidia. The dispute is decided in Numidia's favour.

Deaths

• Quintus Fulvius Flaccus, Roman consul and general
• Xiahou Ying, Chinese official and minister coachman