Year 188 (CLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known in the Roman Empire as the Year of the Consulship of Fuscianus and Silanus (or, less frequently, year 941 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 188 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.

• Publius Helvius Pertinax becomes pro-consul of Africa from 188 to 189.

• Queen Himiko (or Shingi Waō) begins her reign in Japan (until 248).

• April 4 – Caracalla (or Antoninus), Roman emperor (d. 217)^[1]
• Lu Ji (or Gongji), Chinese official and politician (d. 219)
• Sun Shao, Chinese general of the Eastern Wu state (d. 241)

• March 17 – Julian, pope and patriarch of Alexandria
• Fa Zhen (or Gaoqing), Chinese scholar (b. AD 100)
• Lucius Antistius Burrus, Roman politician (executed)
• Ma Xiang, Chinese rebel leader (approximate date)
• Publius Atilius Aebutianus, Roman prefect (executed)
• Shusun Tong, Chinese official and ritual specialist
• Qiangqui, Chinese ruler of the southern Xiongnu

• Ab urbe condita
• Roman numerals