80 BC

Computers

The Antikythera mechanism, a complex bronze orrery (astronomical computing machine) of great accuracy, based on an intricate system of 24 gears and 13 axles, is built. It contains the first known differential gear and has sometimes been called the first computer. Its existence was revealed in 1901 when it was found by Greek sponge divers in a wreck off the island of Antikythera, although it was not explained until 75 years later by Derek de Solla Price. See also 1900 ce Tools.

Gaius Sergius Orata begins to purchase neglected villas and to install a version of his home heating system, called the hypocausum. The system uses a series of tanks propped up on short brick posts; a fire on one side of each tank warms it, and hot air from the tank circulates beneath the floors, warming the house. Orata also invents the balnae pensiles, raised bathrooms that are heated by means of ducts under the floor. He then resells the villas for vastly more than they cost him to acquire and modify. Similar systems are soon installed at public baths throughout Italy, but Orata is sued by his customers for "price gouging." See also 85 bce Food & agriculture.

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Millennium:	1st millennium BC
Centuries:	2nd century BC – 1st century BC – 1st century
Decades:	110s BC  100s BC  90s BC  – 80s BC –  70s BC  60s BC  50s BC
Years:	83 BC 82 BC 81 BC – 80 BC – 79 BC 78 BC 77 BC

80 BC by topic

Politics

State leaders – Sovereign states

Birth and death categories

Births – Deaths

Establishments and disestablishments categories

Establishments – Disestablishments v • d • e

80 BC in other calendars

Gregorian calendar	80 BC
Ab urbe condita	674
Armenian calendar	N/A
Bahá'í calendar	-1923 – -1922
Bengali calendar	-672
Berber calendar	871
Buddhist calendar	465
Burmese calendar	-717
Byzantine calendar	5429 – 5430
Chinese calendar	子年 (2557/2617) — to — [[Sexagenary cycle|]]年 (2558/2618)
Coptic calendar	-363 – -362
Ethiopian calendar	-87 – -86
Hebrew calendar	3681 – 3682
Hindu calendars
- Vikram Samvat	-24 – -23
- Shaka Samvat	N/A
- Kali Yuga	3022 – 3023
Holocene calendar	9921
Iranian calendar	701 BP – 700 BP
Islamic calendar	723 BH – 722 BH
Japanese calendar
Korean calendar	2254
Thai solar calendar	464
v • d • e

Year 80 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar.

Events

By place

Rome

• Battle of the Baetis River—Democratic rebel forces under Quintus Sertorius defeat the legal Roman forces of Lucius Fulfidias in Spain, starting the Sertorian War, Quintus Metellus Pius takes command on behalf of Sulla.

Egypt

• Ptolemy XII Auletes succeeds Ptolemy XI Alexandros II to the throne of Egypt.
• Alexandria comes under Roman jurisdiction.

By topic

Art

• By 80 BC – Roman artists begin to extend the space of a room visually with painted scenes of figures on a shallow "stage" or with a landscape or cityscape.

Literature

• Meleager publishes his Garland, the earliest known anthology of Greek poetry.

Births

Deaths

• Caecilia Metella Dalmatica

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