Sima Qian · Lucretius Were Sima Qian and Lucretius alive at the same time? Yes. Sima Qian and Lucretius were alive at the same time, from BC to BC. Sima QianChinese historianBorn 145–135 BC · died 87–86 BCLucretius1st-century BC Roman poet and philosopherBorn 94 BC · died 15 October 55 BC, aged 38 or 39 Sima QianCiceroPompeySpartacusJulius CaesarLucretiusCleopatraVirgilAugustus Sima Qian and Lucretius in bold, with some of their best-known contemporaries. Drag across to see the age each reached in any year. Faded ends mark uncertain dates.