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Events
299 BC
Roman Republic
The Samnites, seizing their chance when Rome is engaged on the Lombard plain, start the third Samnite War with a collection of mercenaries from Gaul, Sabine, and Etruscan allies to help them.
China
The state of Qin attacks eight cities of the state of Chu. Chu then sends an envoy to ask the King of Huai to go to Qin to negotiate peace. Qu Yuan risks his life to go up to the court to persuade the King of Huai not to go to the negotiation.
King Wuling of Zhao abdicates the throne of Zhao to his son.
298 BC[]
Roman Republic
The Samnites defeat the Romans under Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus in the Battle of Camerinum, the first battle of the Third Samnite War.
The Roman armies penetrate into the heart of the Samnite territory and then capture the Samnite cities of Taurasia, Bovianum Vetus and Aufidena.
Sicily
Agathocles, king of Syracuse, assists the Italian Greeks against the Bruttians and supports the Greeks against the Romans.
Egypt
Ptolemy gives his stepdaughter Theoxena in marriage to Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse (in south-eastern Sicily).
Ptolemy finally brings the rebellious region of Cyrene under his control. He places the region under the rule of his stepson Magas.
India
Bindusara succeeds his father Chandragupta Maurya as emperor of the Mauryan Empire.
297 BC[]
Roman Republic
Fabius Maximus Rullianus becomes consul for the fourth time. He defeats the Samnites in a battle near Tifernum.
Bithynia
Zipoetes I assumes the title of basileus (king) in Bithynia.
Greece
Following Cassander's death from illness, Philip IV, Cassander's eldest son, succeeds his father as King of Macedon, but soon after coming to the throne suffers from a wasting disease and dies. Antipater, the next son, rules jointly with his brother Alexander V.
Demetrius Poliorcetes returns to Greece with the aim of becoming master of Macedonia. While Demetrius is in Greece, Lysimachus seizes his possessions in Asia Minor.
Ptolemy decides to support Pyrrhus of Epirus and restores him to his kingdom. At first Pyrrhus reigns with a kinsman, Neoptolemus II of Epirus (who is a son of Cleopatra of Macedonia and a nephew of Alexander the Great), but soon he has him assassinated.
India
Chandragupta Maurya goes to Sravana Belagola near Mysore to live in the way of Jains.
Bindusara his son ascends to the Pataliputra throne.
296 BC[]
Greece
Ptolemy makes peace with Demetrius Poliorcetes, to whom he betrothes his daughter Ptolemais.
Roman Republic
The temple to Bellona is erected at the south end of the prata Flaminia, later the Circus Flaminius, in Rome.
295 BC[]
Roman Republic
The Battle of Sentinum west of Anconum ends in defeat for a formidable coalition of Samnites, Etruscans, Umbri, and their Gallic allies at the hands of the Roman legions commanded by consuls Publius Decius Mus (who is killed in the battle) and Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus. The Romans lose nearly 8,000 men but kill some 25,000 men of the enemy and force peace on the Etruscans.
August 19 – The first temple to Venus, the Roman goddess of love, beauty and fertility, is dedicated by Quintus Fabius Maximus Gurges during the Third Samnite War.
Greece
Athens falls to Demetrius Poliorcetes after a bitter siege, and its tyrant Lachares is killed.
The king of Macedon, Antipater II, murders his mother Thessalonike, accusing her of being too fond of his brother and co-ruler Alexander V.
294 BC[]
Greece
Archidamus IV, king of Sparta, son of Eudamidas I and grandson of Archidamus III, is defeated by Demetrius Poliorcetes of Macedonia in a battle at Mantinea. Sparta is saved only because Demetrius is called away by the threatening activities of his rivals Lysimachus and Ptolemy.
Alexander V of Macedon is ousted by his brother, Antipater II. Therefore Alexander V turns to Demetrius Poliorcetes for help in recovering his throne. However, Demetrius Poliorcetes establishes himself on the throne of Macedonia and then murders Alexander V. Antipater II loses the throne of Macedonia but is able to survive.
Pyrrhus of Epirus exploits the dynastic quarrel in Macedonia involving Alexander V of Macedon, his brother, Antipater II and Demetrius Poliorcetes to take over the frontier areas of Parauaea and Tymphaea, along with Acarnania, Ampholochia, and Ambracia.
Lysimachus concludes a peace with Demetrius Poliorcetes whereby Demetrius Poliorcetes is recognized as ruler of Macedonia.
Egypt
Ptolemy gains control over Cyprus and the Phoenician coastal towns of Tyre and Sidon.
Seleucid Empire
Stratonice, daughter of Demetrius Poliorcetes and wife of Seleucus marries her stepson Antiochus. Seleucus has reportedly instigated the marriage after discovering that his son by his late wife Apama was in danger of dying of lovesickness as he has fallen in love with his beautiful stepmother.
293 BC[]
Roman Republic
The Battle of Aquilonia is fought between the Roman Republic and the Samnites, near the current city of Aquilonia in Campania (in southern Italy). The Romans, led by the consuls Lucius Papirius Cursor and Spurius Carvilius Maximus, are victorious. After the battle, the Samnites flee into the city of Aquilonia and into their camp. The camp is captured and looted by the Romans, while the city is eventually taken, with many of the Samnite survivors being slaughtered in the fighting.
Rome suffers from the plague. The worship of Aesculapius is introduced from Epidaurus to Rome in the hope of averting the plague.
Persia
When an invasion of nomads threatens the eastern possessions of his realm (i.e. between the Caspian Sea and the Aral Sea and the Indian Ocean), Seleucus hands over the government of these lands west of the Euphrates to his son Antiochus. Antiochus is appointed co-regent and commander-in-chief of these territories.
China
The State of Qin, led by commander Bai Qi, wins a decisive victory over the States of Wei and Han in the Battle of Yique. As part of the terms of defeat, Han and Wei are forced to concede land to Qin.
292 BC[]
Greece
Lysimachus tries to extend his influence beyond the Danube River, but he is defeated and taken prisoner by the Getae (Dacian) king Dromichaetes (Dromihete). Eventually, Lysimachus is set free and a peace is agreed between the Getae and Lysimachus. This peace agreement is strengthened further by the marriage of Dromichaetes with Lysimachus' daughter.
While Demetrius Poliorcetes is campaigning in Boeotia, he receives news that Lysimachus, the ruler of Thrace, has been taken prisoner by Dromichaetes. Hoping to seize Lysimachus's territories in Thrace, Demetrius, delegates command of his forces in Boeotia to his son, Antigonus and immediately marches north. However, while he is away, the Boeotians rise in rebellion but are defeated by Antigonus, who bottles them up in the city of Thebes and puts them under siege.
291 BC[]
Greece
Demetrius Poliorcetes joins his son, Antigonus, in the siege of Thebes. As the Thebans defend their city stubbornly, Demetrius forces his men to attack the city at great cost. Demetrius finally takes the city after using siege engines to demolish its walls.
Roman Republic
The Romans storm and take the Samnite city of Venusia.
290 BC[]
Roman Republic
Roman general and consul, Manius Curius Dentatus, gains a decisive victory over the Samnites, thereby ending a war that has lasted 50 years. He also reduces the Sabine insurgents to submission, their territory is annexed and they are granted civitas sine suffragio ("citizenship without the right to vote"). The Samnites are recognised by the Romans as autonomous allies. The Samnites are forced to give up some of their land to the Romans as compensation.
Egypt
Berenice, wife of Ptolemy, is proclaimed queen of Egypt. Ptolemy has the city of Berenice built on the Red Sea in her honor. It becomes a great emporium for Egyptian trade with the East.
Significant people[]
Nan, Zhou dynasty king of China, r. 314–256 BC
Mencius, Chinese Confucian philosopher
Perunar killi, King of the Chola Empire, r. 316-286 BC
Huai, King of Chu, r. 328–299 BC
Qingxiang, King of Chu, r. 299–263 BC
Qu Yuan, poet, scholar, and minister from Chu
Ptolemy I, Pharaoh of Egypt, r. 305–285 BC
Euclid of Alexandria, mathematician and "Father of Geometry"
Onias I High-Priest of Israel, held position 320–280 BC
Neoptolemus II, King of Epirus, r. 302–297 BC
Pyrrhus I, King of Epirus, r. 307–302, 297–272 BC
Pharnavaz I, King of Caucasian Iberia r. 302-237
Énna Aignech, Legendary High-King of Ireland, r. 313-293 BC
Crimthann Coscrach, Legendary High-King of Ireland, r. 293-289 BC
Kōan, Legendary Emperor of Japan, r. 392–291 BC
Kōrei, Legendary Emperor of Japan, r. 291–215 BC
Aktisanes, King of Kush, r. c. 300-290 BC
Cassander, King of Macedon, r. 305–297 BC
Philip IV, King of Macedon, r. 297 BC
Alexander V and Antipater II, co-kings of Macedon r. 297–294 BC
Demetrius I, King of Macedon, r. 294–288 BC
Epicurus, Greek philosopher (founder of Epicureanism)
Chandragupta Maurya, Mauryan dynasty Emperor of India, r. 322–298 BC
Bindusara, Mauryan dynasty Emperor of India, r. 298–272 BC
Chanakya, Mauryan Prime Minister
Zhaoxiang, King of Qin, r. 307–251 BC
Bai Qi, Qin general
Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus, Roman Consul and general, in office 298 BC
Publius Decius Mus, Roman Consul, in office 312, 308, 297, 295 BC
Fabius Maximus Rullianus, Roman Consul, in office 322, 310, 308, 297, 295 BC
Manius Curius Dentatus, Roman Consul, in office 290, 284, 275, 274 BC
Gellius Egnatius, leader of the Samnites during the Third Samnite War
Seleucus I, King of the Seleucid Empire, r. 305–281 BC
Antiochus, Prince, commander of western territories, and future king of the Seleucid Empire
Berossus of Babylon, astronomer, and writer
Megasthenes, traveler, geographer, and Seleucid ambassador to the Mauryan Empire
Areus I (Agaid king) r. 309–265 and Archidamus IV (Eurypontid king) r. 305–275 BC, Co-kings of Sparta
Agathocles, Tyrant of Syracuse, in office 317–289 BC
Lysimachus, King of Thrace and Asia Minor, r. 306-281 BC (Thrace), 301-281 BC (Asia Minor)
Cotys II, King of Odrysian Thrace, r. 300-280 BC
Wuling, King of Zhao, r. 326–299 BC
Huiwen, King of Zhao, r. 299–266 BC
Births[]
295 BC
Apollonius of Rhodes, Greek poet and librarian (approximate date)
Ptolemy, son of Pyrrhus of Epirus (d. 272 BC)
291 BC
Lü Buwei, Chinese politician and chancellor of the Qin State (d. 235 BC)
290 BC
Lucius Caecilius Metellus, Roman consul and Pontifex Maximus (approximate date)
Deaths[]
299 BC
Titus Manlius Torquatus, Roman consul
297 BC
King Cassander of Macedon (one of the diadochoi ("successors"), the Macedonian generals who have fought over the empire of Alexander the Great after his death) (b. c. 358 BC)
Chandragupta Maurya, Emperor of the Maurya Empire in India, r. 322–297 BC (approximate date)[2]
295 BC
Egnatius, Roman military leader of the Samnites
Publius Decius Mus, Roman consul (killed in the Battle of Sentinum)
Thessalonike of Macedon, daughter of king Philip II of Macedon and wife of Cassander (b. 352 BC)
Wuling of Zhao, Chinese king of Zhao (b. 340 BC)
Zhuang Zhou, Chinese philosopher (approximate date)
291 BC
Menander, Athenian dramatist, considered to be a master of Greek New Comedy (b. c. 342 BC)
Dinarchus, Athenian speech writer whose work is generally thought to reflect the gradual decline of Attic oratory (b. c. 361 BC)
290 BC
Megasthenes, Greek historian, diplomat and Indian ethnographer (approximate date)