The
tyrant of
Syracuse,
Agathocles, dies after restoring the Syracusan democracy on his death bed by stating that he does not want his sons to succeed him as king. However, the resulting dissension among his family about the succession leads to a renewal of
Carthaginian power in
Sicily.
China
General Sima Cuo of the
State of Qin attacks the
State of Wei, recaptures the city of Yuan and captures the cities of Heyong and Jueqiao.[1]
Athens revolts and Demetrius besieges the city. Pyrrhus takes
Thessaly and the western half of Macedonia and, with the assistance of Ptolemy's fleet, relieves Athens from Demetrius' siege.
After the
Egyptian fleet participates decisively in the liberation of Athens from Macedonian occupation, Ptolemy obtains the protectorate over the League of Islanders, which includes most of the Greek islands in the
Aegean Sea. Egypt's maritime supremacy in the
Mediterranean in the ensuing decades is based on this alliance.
Sicily
Following the death of
Agathocles, some of his disbanded mercenaries seize
Messana in northeast
Sicily and set up a society, calling themselves
Mamertines (Sons of Mars). The city becomes a base from which they will ravage the Sicilian countryside.
King Zhao of Qin and
King Min of Qi take the title "Di", (帝 literally emperor), of the west and east respectively. They swear a covenant and begin planning an attack on the
State of Zhao.
A new law,
Lex Hortensia, gives much greater power to the
Concilium Plebis (Plebeian Council) compared to the Senate. This law is passed following a threat from plebeian soldiers to secede. In the face of this threat, the Senate yields to plebeian concerns over their lack of political power and over their level of debt to the aristocracy. The law is named after
Quintus Hortensius, a plebeian, who is made dictator to settle the controversy.
With the
Lex Hortensia in place, in theory the political distinctions in Rome between the patricians and the plebeians disappear. However, in practice, the coalition of leading plebeian families keep control which means that the patricians are able to largely nullify the power of the assemblies. So Roman government continues to be oligarchic in character.
Greece
The
Macedonians resent the extravagance and arrogance of
Demetrius Poliorcetes and are not prepared to fight a difficult campaign for him. When
Pyrrhus of Epirus takes the Macedonian city of
Verroia, Demetrius' army promptly deserts and goes over to Pyrrhus' side as he is much admired by the Macedonians for his bravery. At this change of fortune,
Phila, the mother of
Antigonus, kills herself with poison.
Demetrius
besieges Athens without success. He leave Antigonus in charge of the war in Greece, assembles all his ships and embarks with his troops to attack
Caria and
Lydia, provinces in
Asia Minor controlled by
Lysimachus.
Agathocles is sent by his father Lysimachus against Demetrius. Agathocles defeats Demetrius and drives him out of his father's provinces.
After allowing
Pyrrhus of Epirus to remain in possession of
Macedonia with the title of king, he is expelled by
Lysimachus who declares himself its king in the place of Pyrrhus.
Roman Republic
The new law,
Lex Aquilia, is enacted. This is a Roman law which provides compensation to the owners of property injured as a result of someone's fault.
China
General Sima Cuo of the
State of Qin attacks the Henei area of the
State of Wei. Wei responds by handing over the major city of
Anyi.[2]
A 110 metre tall
lighthouse on the island of Pharos in
Alexandria's harbour is completed and serves as a landmark for ships in the eastern
Mediterranean. Built by
Sostratus of Cnidus for
Ptolemy II of Egypt, it is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is a technological triumph and is the archetype of all lighthouses since. A broad spiral ramp leads to the top, where a fire burns at night.
The success of Qi has frightened the other states. Under the leadership of Lord Mengchang, who has been exiled in
Wei,
Qin,
Zhao,
Han and
Yan form an alliance. Yan had normally been a relatively weak ally of Qi and Qi feared little from this quarter. Yan's onslaught under general
Yue Yi comes as a devastating surprise. Simultaneously, the other allies attack from the west. Chu declares itself an ally of Qi but contents itself with annexing some territory to its north. Qi's armies are destroyed while the territory of Qi is reduced to the two cities of
Ju and
Jimo. King Min himself is later captured and executed by his own followers.
Lysimachus' wife,
Arsinoe, being keen to gain the succession to the kingdom of
Thrace for her sons in preference to
Agathocles (the eldest son of Lysimachus), intrigues against him with the help of her brother
Ptolemy Keraunos. They accuse him of conspiring with
Seleucus to seize the throne, and Agathocles is put to death. This atrocious deed by Lysimachus and his family arouses great indignation. Many of the cities in Asia Minor revolt and some of his most trusted friends desert him.
Agathocles' widow
Lysandra flees with their children and with Alexander, Agathocles' brother, to the court of Seleucus, who at once invades Lysimachus' territory in Asia Minor.
Following
Demetrius Poliorcetes' death in captivity as a prisoner of
Seleucus, his son
Antigonus assumes the title of King of
Macedonia, though in name only, as King
Lysimachus of
Thrace is in control of Macedonia. Demetrius' remains are given to Antigonus and he is honoured with a grand funeral in
Corinth. After this, Demetrius is interred in the town of
Demetrias which he had founded.
The canal from the
Nile River to the
Red Sea, initially started but not completed by the Egyptian pharaoh
Necho II and repaired by the Persian king
Darius I, is again repaired and made operational by
Ptolemy II.
Ptolemy II enlarges the library at
Alexandria and appoints the grammarian
Zenodotus to collect and edit all the Greek poets.
The city of
Pergamum in
Asia Minor ends its allegiance to
Lysimachus. Its ruler,
Philetaerus, transfers his allegiance, as well as the important fortress of Pergamon and his treasury, to
Seleucus, who allows him a far larger measure of independence than he had hitherto enjoyed.
Roman Republic
The
Battle of Populonia is fought between
Rome and the
Etruscans. The Romans are victorious and, as a result, the Etruscan threat to Rome is sharply diminished.
The
Magna Graecia city of
Thurii appeals to Rome for help against the native Italian tribes. Though the Roman Senate hesitates, the plebeian Assembly decides to respond. Thurii is saved, but
Tarentum, jealous of Rome's interference, attacks and sinks some Roman ships entering its harbour. Roman envoys, sent to protest, are mistreated.
Rome declares war on Tarentum. King
Pyrrhus of Epirus declares his willingness to come to the aid of Tarentum. Tarentum also looks for support from the
Samnites and other Italian tribes in southern
Italy.
Following the Battle of Corupedium, Lysimachus' widow,
Arsinoe, flees to
Cassandrea, a city in northern
Greece, where she marries her half-brother
Ptolemy Keraunos. This proves to be a serious misjudgement, as Ptolemy Keraunus promptly kills two of her sons, though the third is able to escape. Arsinoe flees again, this time to
Alexandria in
Egypt.
Greece
Seleucus takes over Thrace and then tries to seize Macedonia. However, he falls into a trap near
Lysimachia,
Thrace, set by Ptolemy Keraunos, one of the sons of Ptolemy I and Arsinoe II's half brother, who murders Seleucus and takes Macedonia for himself.
Cineas, a
Thessalian serving as chief adviser to King
Pyrrhus of Epirus, after visiting
Rome attempts, without success, to dissuade Pyrrhus from invading southern
Italy.
Seleucid Empire
Seleucus is succeeded as ruler of the
Seleucid empire by
Antiochus, who was already king of the Syrian part of the empire. He is immediately beset by revolts in
Syria (probably instigated by
Ptolemy II of
Egypt) and by independence movements in northern
Anatolia.[4]
Although he has only a few bases in
Greece,
Antigonus II Gonatas lays claim to Macedonia. His claim is disputed by Antiochus I.
Antiochus makes his eldest son, Seleucus, king in the east, but he proves to be incompetent.
Antiochus is compelled to make peace with his father's murderer and King of Macedon,
Ptolemy Keraunos, abandoning, for the time being, his plans to control Macedonia and Thrace.
Nicomedes, King of
Bithynia, is threatened with an invasion from Antiochus who has already made war upon his father,
Zipoites. Antiochus actually invades Bithynia but withdraws again without risking a battle.
Antiochus is unable to bring under his control the Persian dynasties that rule in
Cappadocia.
The
Achaean League is reformed by twelve towns in the northern
Peloponnesus and will later grow to include non-Achaean cities. It has two generals, a federal council with proportional representation of members and an annual assembly of all free citizens. The League achieves a common coinage and foreign policy and the member cities pool their armed forces.
Rhodes, rising in prosperity, becomes head of an Island League and helps to keep the peace and freedom of the Greek islands in the
Aegean Sea.
The
Colossus of Rhodes is completed by the sculptor
Chares of Lindos after twelve years' work. It becomes one of the
seven wonders of the ancient world. The Colossus of Rhodes is a giant statue of the Greek god Helios. It stands 70 cubits tall (over 30 metres or 100 feet), making it the tallest statue of the ancient world.
Roman Republic
Responding to an appeal from
Tarentum, King Pyrrhus of Epirus uses his army of over 20,000 men against the
Romans. In the
Battle of Heraclea he defeats a Roman army led by consul
Publius Valerius Laevinus. Pyrrhus's judicious use of his elephants plays a large part in his victory. Several tribes including the
Lucani,
Bruttii and the
Messapians as well as the
Greek cities of
Crotone and
Locri join Pyrrhus.
Roman commander and statesman,
Gaius Fabricius Luscinus, is sent to negotiate the ransom and exchange of prisoners. Pyrrhus is so impressed by Fabricius refusing to accept a bribe, that Pyrrhus releases the prisoners without the requirement of a ransom. Following his victory, Pyrrhus advances as far north as
Latium.
China
General Sima Cuo of the
State of Qin attacks the
State of Chu, conquering the western region of Qianzhong by marching through the region of
Bashu. This conquest makes it easier for future Qin armies to invade Chu.
Aristarchus of Samos uses the size of the Earth's shadow on the
Moon to estimate that the Moon's radius is one-third that of the Earth. He proposes, for the first time, a heliocentric view of the
Solar System, but is ignored due to the lack of evidence of the Earth's motion.
Herophilus, Alexandrian physician who has been an early performer of public dissections on human cadavers; often called the father of anatomy (b. c.
335 BC)
References
^Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin.
^Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin.
^Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Lian Po.
^
ab"Antiochus I Soter". Encyclopædia Britannica. February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
^Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin, Section: Bai Qi.
The
tyrant of
Syracuse,
Agathocles, dies after restoring the Syracusan democracy on his death bed by stating that he does not want his sons to succeed him as king. However, the resulting dissension among his family about the succession leads to a renewal of
Carthaginian power in
Sicily.
China
General Sima Cuo of the
State of Qin attacks the
State of Wei, recaptures the city of Yuan and captures the cities of Heyong and Jueqiao.[1]
Athens revolts and Demetrius besieges the city. Pyrrhus takes
Thessaly and the western half of Macedonia and, with the assistance of Ptolemy's fleet, relieves Athens from Demetrius' siege.
After the
Egyptian fleet participates decisively in the liberation of Athens from Macedonian occupation, Ptolemy obtains the protectorate over the League of Islanders, which includes most of the Greek islands in the
Aegean Sea. Egypt's maritime supremacy in the
Mediterranean in the ensuing decades is based on this alliance.
Sicily
Following the death of
Agathocles, some of his disbanded mercenaries seize
Messana in northeast
Sicily and set up a society, calling themselves
Mamertines (Sons of Mars). The city becomes a base from which they will ravage the Sicilian countryside.
King Zhao of Qin and
King Min of Qi take the title "Di", (帝 literally emperor), of the west and east respectively. They swear a covenant and begin planning an attack on the
State of Zhao.
A new law,
Lex Hortensia, gives much greater power to the
Concilium Plebis (Plebeian Council) compared to the Senate. This law is passed following a threat from plebeian soldiers to secede. In the face of this threat, the Senate yields to plebeian concerns over their lack of political power and over their level of debt to the aristocracy. The law is named after
Quintus Hortensius, a plebeian, who is made dictator to settle the controversy.
With the
Lex Hortensia in place, in theory the political distinctions in Rome between the patricians and the plebeians disappear. However, in practice, the coalition of leading plebeian families keep control which means that the patricians are able to largely nullify the power of the assemblies. So Roman government continues to be oligarchic in character.
Greece
The
Macedonians resent the extravagance and arrogance of
Demetrius Poliorcetes and are not prepared to fight a difficult campaign for him. When
Pyrrhus of Epirus takes the Macedonian city of
Verroia, Demetrius' army promptly deserts and goes over to Pyrrhus' side as he is much admired by the Macedonians for his bravery. At this change of fortune,
Phila, the mother of
Antigonus, kills herself with poison.
Demetrius
besieges Athens without success. He leave Antigonus in charge of the war in Greece, assembles all his ships and embarks with his troops to attack
Caria and
Lydia, provinces in
Asia Minor controlled by
Lysimachus.
Agathocles is sent by his father Lysimachus against Demetrius. Agathocles defeats Demetrius and drives him out of his father's provinces.
After allowing
Pyrrhus of Epirus to remain in possession of
Macedonia with the title of king, he is expelled by
Lysimachus who declares himself its king in the place of Pyrrhus.
Roman Republic
The new law,
Lex Aquilia, is enacted. This is a Roman law which provides compensation to the owners of property injured as a result of someone's fault.
China
General Sima Cuo of the
State of Qin attacks the Henei area of the
State of Wei. Wei responds by handing over the major city of
Anyi.[2]
A 110 metre tall
lighthouse on the island of Pharos in
Alexandria's harbour is completed and serves as a landmark for ships in the eastern
Mediterranean. Built by
Sostratus of Cnidus for
Ptolemy II of Egypt, it is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is a technological triumph and is the archetype of all lighthouses since. A broad spiral ramp leads to the top, where a fire burns at night.
The success of Qi has frightened the other states. Under the leadership of Lord Mengchang, who has been exiled in
Wei,
Qin,
Zhao,
Han and
Yan form an alliance. Yan had normally been a relatively weak ally of Qi and Qi feared little from this quarter. Yan's onslaught under general
Yue Yi comes as a devastating surprise. Simultaneously, the other allies attack from the west. Chu declares itself an ally of Qi but contents itself with annexing some territory to its north. Qi's armies are destroyed while the territory of Qi is reduced to the two cities of
Ju and
Jimo. King Min himself is later captured and executed by his own followers.
Lysimachus' wife,
Arsinoe, being keen to gain the succession to the kingdom of
Thrace for her sons in preference to
Agathocles (the eldest son of Lysimachus), intrigues against him with the help of her brother
Ptolemy Keraunos. They accuse him of conspiring with
Seleucus to seize the throne, and Agathocles is put to death. This atrocious deed by Lysimachus and his family arouses great indignation. Many of the cities in Asia Minor revolt and some of his most trusted friends desert him.
Agathocles' widow
Lysandra flees with their children and with Alexander, Agathocles' brother, to the court of Seleucus, who at once invades Lysimachus' territory in Asia Minor.
Following
Demetrius Poliorcetes' death in captivity as a prisoner of
Seleucus, his son
Antigonus assumes the title of King of
Macedonia, though in name only, as King
Lysimachus of
Thrace is in control of Macedonia. Demetrius' remains are given to Antigonus and he is honoured with a grand funeral in
Corinth. After this, Demetrius is interred in the town of
Demetrias which he had founded.
The canal from the
Nile River to the
Red Sea, initially started but not completed by the Egyptian pharaoh
Necho II and repaired by the Persian king
Darius I, is again repaired and made operational by
Ptolemy II.
Ptolemy II enlarges the library at
Alexandria and appoints the grammarian
Zenodotus to collect and edit all the Greek poets.
The city of
Pergamum in
Asia Minor ends its allegiance to
Lysimachus. Its ruler,
Philetaerus, transfers his allegiance, as well as the important fortress of Pergamon and his treasury, to
Seleucus, who allows him a far larger measure of independence than he had hitherto enjoyed.
Roman Republic
The
Battle of Populonia is fought between
Rome and the
Etruscans. The Romans are victorious and, as a result, the Etruscan threat to Rome is sharply diminished.
The
Magna Graecia city of
Thurii appeals to Rome for help against the native Italian tribes. Though the Roman Senate hesitates, the plebeian Assembly decides to respond. Thurii is saved, but
Tarentum, jealous of Rome's interference, attacks and sinks some Roman ships entering its harbour. Roman envoys, sent to protest, are mistreated.
Rome declares war on Tarentum. King
Pyrrhus of Epirus declares his willingness to come to the aid of Tarentum. Tarentum also looks for support from the
Samnites and other Italian tribes in southern
Italy.
Following the Battle of Corupedium, Lysimachus' widow,
Arsinoe, flees to
Cassandrea, a city in northern
Greece, where she marries her half-brother
Ptolemy Keraunos. This proves to be a serious misjudgement, as Ptolemy Keraunus promptly kills two of her sons, though the third is able to escape. Arsinoe flees again, this time to
Alexandria in
Egypt.
Greece
Seleucus takes over Thrace and then tries to seize Macedonia. However, he falls into a trap near
Lysimachia,
Thrace, set by Ptolemy Keraunos, one of the sons of Ptolemy I and Arsinoe II's half brother, who murders Seleucus and takes Macedonia for himself.
Cineas, a
Thessalian serving as chief adviser to King
Pyrrhus of Epirus, after visiting
Rome attempts, without success, to dissuade Pyrrhus from invading southern
Italy.
Seleucid Empire
Seleucus is succeeded as ruler of the
Seleucid empire by
Antiochus, who was already king of the Syrian part of the empire. He is immediately beset by revolts in
Syria (probably instigated by
Ptolemy II of
Egypt) and by independence movements in northern
Anatolia.[4]
Although he has only a few bases in
Greece,
Antigonus II Gonatas lays claim to Macedonia. His claim is disputed by Antiochus I.
Antiochus makes his eldest son, Seleucus, king in the east, but he proves to be incompetent.
Antiochus is compelled to make peace with his father's murderer and King of Macedon,
Ptolemy Keraunos, abandoning, for the time being, his plans to control Macedonia and Thrace.
Nicomedes, King of
Bithynia, is threatened with an invasion from Antiochus who has already made war upon his father,
Zipoites. Antiochus actually invades Bithynia but withdraws again without risking a battle.
Antiochus is unable to bring under his control the Persian dynasties that rule in
Cappadocia.
The
Achaean League is reformed by twelve towns in the northern
Peloponnesus and will later grow to include non-Achaean cities. It has two generals, a federal council with proportional representation of members and an annual assembly of all free citizens. The League achieves a common coinage and foreign policy and the member cities pool their armed forces.
Rhodes, rising in prosperity, becomes head of an Island League and helps to keep the peace and freedom of the Greek islands in the
Aegean Sea.
The
Colossus of Rhodes is completed by the sculptor
Chares of Lindos after twelve years' work. It becomes one of the
seven wonders of the ancient world. The Colossus of Rhodes is a giant statue of the Greek god Helios. It stands 70 cubits tall (over 30 metres or 100 feet), making it the tallest statue of the ancient world.
Roman Republic
Responding to an appeal from
Tarentum, King Pyrrhus of Epirus uses his army of over 20,000 men against the
Romans. In the
Battle of Heraclea he defeats a Roman army led by consul
Publius Valerius Laevinus. Pyrrhus's judicious use of his elephants plays a large part in his victory. Several tribes including the
Lucani,
Bruttii and the
Messapians as well as the
Greek cities of
Crotone and
Locri join Pyrrhus.
Roman commander and statesman,
Gaius Fabricius Luscinus, is sent to negotiate the ransom and exchange of prisoners. Pyrrhus is so impressed by Fabricius refusing to accept a bribe, that Pyrrhus releases the prisoners without the requirement of a ransom. Following his victory, Pyrrhus advances as far north as
Latium.
China
General Sima Cuo of the
State of Qin attacks the
State of Chu, conquering the western region of Qianzhong by marching through the region of
Bashu. This conquest makes it easier for future Qin armies to invade Chu.
Aristarchus of Samos uses the size of the Earth's shadow on the
Moon to estimate that the Moon's radius is one-third that of the Earth. He proposes, for the first time, a heliocentric view of the
Solar System, but is ignored due to the lack of evidence of the Earth's motion.
Herophilus, Alexandrian physician who has been an early performer of public dissections on human cadavers; often called the father of anatomy (b. c.
335 BC)
References
^Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin.
^Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin.
^Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Lian Po.
^
ab"Antiochus I Soter". Encyclopædia Britannica. February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
^Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin, Section: Bai Qi.