What happened in the 1st century

AD 1–100

21 events　World 6, Europe 4, Asia 5, Latin America 2, Africa 4

Highlights of the 1st century

WorldAD 78: the beginning of the Saka Era used by Hindu Vedic calendars.
EuropeWestern Europe: Celtic, Germanic, Saami and Finnic tribal chiefdom and the Roman Empire
Latin AmericaSouth America: Nazca, Moche civilizations, Tairona tribal chiefdoms
AfricaWest Africa: Gur, Kwa, Soninke and Mande tribal chiefdoms
WorldCentral Asia: Kushan Empire, Sarmatian, Dahae and other Iranian tribal chiefdoms
AD 100AsiaThe Grand Anicut, an ancient dam, is constructed by a Chola king.

AD 78: the beginning of the Saka Era used by Hindu Vedic calendars.
Central Asia: Kushan Empire, Sarmatian, Dahae and other Iranian tribal chiefdoms
Various inventions by Hero of Alexandria, including the steam turbine (aeolipile), water organ, and various other water-powered machines.
South Asia: Kushan Empire, Western Satraps, Satavahana Empire, Dravidian Kingdoms, Kingdom of Kalinga, Indo-Parthian Kingdom, Zhangzhung
Southeast Asia: Mandala of city-states, Kingdom of Funan
Western Asia: Roman and Parthian Empires, Sabaean and Arabian Kingdoms

Western Europe: Celtic, Germanic, Saami and Finnic tribal chiefdom and the Roman Empire
Eastern Europe: Roman Empire, Dacian, Sarmatian, Venedae and Balt tribal chiefdoms
North Africa: Roman Empire, Garamantes, Mauri, Libyan and Gaetulian tribal chiefdoms
Codex, the first form of the modern book, appears in the Roman Empire.

c. AD 80: although Philo of Byzantium described the saqiya chain pump in the early 2nd century BC, the square-pallet chain pump was innovated in China during this century, mentioned first by the philosopher Wang Chong around AD 80. Wang Chong also accurately described the water cycle in meteorology, and argued against the mainstream 'radiating influence' theory for solar eclipses, the latter of which was accepted by many, including Zhang Heng.
c. AD 23: the Chinese astronomer Liu Xin dies, he documented 1080 different stars, among other achievements.
East Asia: Han dynasty, Yamatai, Xiongnu and Xianbei tribal chiefdoms, Three Kingdoms of Korea (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla)
AD 31: the Han dynasty Chinese engineer and statesman Du Shi (d. AD 38) from Nanyang invented the first-known hydraulic-powered bellows to heat the blast furnace in smelting cast iron. He used a complex mechanical device that was powered by the rushing current against a waterwheel, a practice that would continue in China.
AD 100The Grand Anicut, an ancient dam, is constructed by a Chola king.