290s BC

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During the 290s BC, Hellenistic civilization begins its emergence throughout the successor states of the former Argead Macedonian Empire of Alexander the Great, resulting in the diffusion of Greek culture throughout the Levant and advances in science, mathematics, philosophy, etc. Meanwhile, the Roman Republic is embroiled in war against the Samnites, the Mauryan Empire continues to thrive in Ancient India, and the Kingdom of Qin in Ancient China, the one which in the future will conquer its adversaries and unite China, begins to emerge as a significant power during the Warring States period.

Contents

Events

299 BC

This section is transcluded from 299 BC. (edit | history)

By place

Roman Republic
  • The consul Marcus Fulvius Paetinus sacks the Umbrian city of Nequinum, which Rome had been besieging since the previous year.
  • Third Samnite War:
  • A coalition of raiders from Cisalpine and Transalpine Gaul invade Etruria and are paid off by the Etruscans.
  • Rome accuses the Etruscans of seeking to ally with the Gauls against Rome, and the consul Marcus Valerius Corvus ravages Etruria, destroying villages in an attempt to provoke the Etruscans into battle.
  • The Samnites invade Lucania after the latter refuses to join them in alliance. The Lucanians suffer several defeats and lose multiple towns. [1] [2] [3]
China

298 BC

This section is transcluded from 298 BC. (edit | history)

By place

Roman Republic
Sicily
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
China

297 BC

This section is transcluded from 297 BC. (edit | history)

By place

Roman Republic
Bithynia
Greece
India

296 BC

This section is transcluded from 296 BC. (edit | history)

By place

Roman Republic
  • The consul Lucius Volumnius Flamma Violens and the proconsuls Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus and Publius Decius Mus devastate the lands of Samnium.
  • The Samnite noble Gellius Egnatius leads an army into Umbria and makes an alliance with the majority of the Etruscan city-states and some of the Umbrian cities.
  • Following the departure of Gellius, the Romans in Samnium attack walled positions. Volumnius captures three forts, Decius captures the town of Murgantia, and Fabius captures the city of Romulea and the town of Ferentinum.
  • The Samnite-Etruscan coalition campaigns against the consul Appius Claudius Caecus in Etruria and inflicts several defeats on the Romans.
  • Volumnius orders Fabius to march into Lucania, where he stamps out pro-Samnite disturbances against the ruling class.
  • Volumnius joins Appius in Etruria and they defeat the Samnite-Etruscan coalition in a battle, killing 6900 and capturing 2120.
  • Volumnius launches a surprise attack against a Samnite column that had been raiding Campania. He frees 7400 Campanian prisoners, kills 6000 Samnites, and captures 2500 Samnites, including the general Statius Minacius and four military tribunes.
  • Gellius has a powerful warband of Semnones reinforce the anti-Roman coalition, which is also joined by yet more cities of the Umbrians. [9]
  • The temple to Bellona is erected at the south end of the prata Flaminia, later the Circus Flaminius, in Rome. [10]
Greece

295 BC

This section is transcluded from 295 BC. (edit | history)

By place

Roman Republic
Greece

294 BC

This section is transcluded from 294 BC. (edit | history)

By place

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.
Roman Republic
  • On a road connecting Roman and Samnite territory, the Samnites attack and nearly capture the camp of consul Marcus Atilius Regulus, who retreats to Sora and is joined by consul Lucius Postumius Megellus. The combining of consular armies prompts the Samnite army to withdraw to Samnium.
  • Postumius storms the Samnite city of Milionia, and several other towns, including Fertrum, are abandoned by their inhabitants and occupied by Postumius.
  • Without senatorial permission, Postumius marches to Etruria, wins an engagement against the Volsinii and storms the town of Rusellae. The cities of Volsinii, Perusia, and Arretium sue for peace with Rome and obtain truces for forty years.
  • Atilius marches to Apulia to relieve Luceria from a Samnite siege but is intercepted by the Samnites near the city. After an initial defeat, he attacks and overcomes the smaller Samnite army while it is on the march. He then wins an engagement against the Volcentes.
  • After an unsuccessful attempt to capture the Roman colony of Interamna, a Samnite army raids the surrounding countryside only to be attacked by Atilius, who recovers the booty.
  • Against precedent, Postumius has the Comitia Centuriata vote him a triumph despite senatorial opposition. [13] [14] [15]
Egypt
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.
China

293 BC

This section is transcluded from 293 BC. (edit | history)

By place

Roman Republic
  • Lucius Postumius Megellus, a consul of the previous year, avoids prosecution after he is appointed legate to consul Spurius Carvilius Maximus.
  • The consul Carvilius captures the city of Amiternum, and consul Lucius Papirius Cursor captures the city of Duronia.
  • On the same day that Carvilius storms the major Samnite city of Cominium, Papirius, aided by former consuls Lucius Volumnius Flamma Violens and Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus, defeats the 'Linen Legion' in the Battle of Aquilonia and captures the city of Aquilonia during the Samnite retreat. The Samnites suffer 20,340 killed and 3870 captured in the Battle of Aquilonia and 4880 killed and 11,400 captured in the Siege of Cominium.
  • Carvilius captures the towns of Velia, Palumbinum, and, after an initial defeat, Herculaneum, and after heavy fighting, Papirius captures the city of Saepinum.
  • Due to renewed hostility among some of the Etruscans, who are joined by the Falisci, Carvilius marches to Etruria, storms the town of Troilum and captures five forts. The Falisci then sue for peace and receive a one-year truce. [17] [18] [19]
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

292 BC

This section is transcluded from 292 BC. (edit | history)

By place

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.
Roman Republic
China

291 BC

This section is transcluded from 291 BC. (edit | history)

By place

Greece
Roman Republic
  • The proconsul Q. Fabius Maximus Gurges and legate Q. Fabius Maximus Rullianus besiege the Samnite town of Cominium Ocritum, but the consul Lucius Postumius Megellus orders Fabius Gurges to relinquish his command and evacuate Samnium, despite the fact that the Senate had appointed Fabius proconsul to campaign against the Samnites.
  • Fabius Gurges celebrates a triumph, at which the Samnite general Gavius Pontius is beheaded.
  • Postumius captures Cominium Ocritum, the major city of Venusia and other towns, killing 10,000 and capturing 6200. At the proposal of Postumius, the Senate sends 20,000 colonists to occupy Venusia, the largest Roman colony to date. However, angered by the various crimes of Postumius, the Senate does not choose him as one of the leaders of the colony and denies him a triumph.
  • Postumius celebrates a triumph on his own authority and dismisses his army before the consuls for the following year can take over. [26] [27] [28]
China

290 BC

This section is transcluded from 290 BC. (edit | history)

By place

Roman Republic
  • Lucius Postumius Megellus, a consul from the previous year, is publicly tried for having used his office to have 2000 of his soldiers work on his farm. He is condemned by all the tribes and fined 50,000 denarii.
  • The consuls Manius Curius Dentatus and Publius Cornelius Rufinus invade Samnium and defeat the Samnites in several engagements. The Samnites sue for peace, thus ending the Third Samnite War. The Samnites are recognised by the Romans as autonomous allies but are subordinate to Rome and must give up land as compensation.
  • Curius subjugates the Sabines. Their territory is annexed, securing direct Roman access to the Adriatic. The Sabines are granted civitas sine suffragio ("citizenship without the right to vote").
  • Rome founds the colonies of Castrum, Sena and Adria. [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35]
Egypt
China

Significant people

Births

Transcluding articles: 299 BC, 298 BC, 297 BC, 296 BC, 295 BC, 294 BC, 293 BC, 292 BC, 291 BC, and 290 BC

295 BC

291 BC

290 BC

Deaths

Transcluding articles: 299 BC, 298 BC, 297 BC, 296 BC, 295 BC, 294 BC, 293 BC, 292 BC, 291 BC, and 290 BC

299 BC

297 BC

295 BC

291 BC

290 BC

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">300s BC (decade)</span> Decade

This article concerns the period 309 BC – 300 BC.

This article concerns the period 289 BC – 280 BC.

This article concerns the period 219 BC – 210 BC.

Year 310 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rullianus and Censorinus. The denomination 310 BC 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">298 BC</span> Calendar year

Year 298 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Barbatus and Centumalus. The denomination 298 BC 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.

Year 297 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rullianus and Mus. The denomination 297 BC 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.

Year 296 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Violens and Caecus. The denomination 296 BC 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.

Year 295 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. It was known in the Roman Republic as the Year of the Consulship of Rullianus and Mus. The denomination 295 BC 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.

Year 294 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Megellus and Regulus. The denomination 294 BC 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.

Year 293 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cursor and Maximus. The denomination 293 BC 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.

Year 292 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gurges and Scaeva. The denomination 292 BC 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.

Year 291 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Megellus and Brutus. The denomination 291 BC 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">290 BC</span> Calendar year

Year 290 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rufinus and Dentatus. The denomination 290 BC 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.

Year 283 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Dolabella and Maximus. The denomination 283 BC 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samnite Wars</span> Three wars between the Roman Republic and the Samnites in Central Italy, 343–290 BC

The First, Second, and Third Samnite Wars were fought between the Roman Republic and the Samnites, who lived on a stretch of the Apennine Mountains south of Rome and north of the Lucanian tribe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus</span> Roman general and statesman

Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus was one of the two elected Roman consuls in 298 BC. He led the Roman army to victory against the Etruscans near Volterra. A member of the noble Roman family of Scipiones, he was the father of Lucius Cornelius Scipio and Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Asina and great-grandfather of Scipio Africanus.

The Battle of Sentinum was the decisive battle of the Third Samnite War, fought in 295 BC near Sentinum, in which the Romans overcame a formidable coalition of Samnites, Etruscans, and Umbrians and Senone Gauls. The Romans won a decisive victory that broke up the tribal coalition and paved the way for the Romans' complete victory over the Samnites. The Romans involved in the battle of Sentinum were commanded by consuls Publius Decius Mus and Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus.

Publius Decius Mus, of the plebeian gens Decia, was a Roman consul in the years 312 BC, 308 BC, 297 BC and 295 BC. He was a member of a family that was renowned for sacrificing themselves on the battlefield for Rome.

Aulus Cornelius Cossus Arvina was a Roman politician and general who served as both consul and Magister Equitum twice, and Dictator once in the mid 4th century BC.

References

  1. ↑ of Megalopolis, Polybius. Histories 2.19.1-4.
  2. ↑ Livius, Titus. Ab Urbe Condita 10.9-11.
  3. ↑ of Halicarnassus, Dionysius. Roman Antiquities 16.11.
  4. ↑ Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin.
  5. ↑ Livius, Titus. Ab Urbe Condita 10.11-12.
  6. ↑ of Halicarnassus, Dionysius. Roman Antiquities 16.11-14.
  7. ↑ Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin.
  8. ↑ Livius, Titus. Ab Urbe Condita 10.14-15.
  9. ↑ Livius, Titus. Ab Urbe Condita 10.16-21.
  10. ↑ Platner and Ashby, A Topographical Dictionary of Rome. Oxford University Press, 1926. p. 82.
  11. ↑ of Megalopolis, Polybius. Histories 2.19.5-6.
  12. ↑ Livius, Titus. Ab Urbe Condita 10.25-31.
  13. ↑ Livius, Titus. Ab Urbe Condita 10.32-37, 47.
  14. ↑ Triumphales, Fasti. 294 BC.
  15. ↑ Zonaras, John. Epitome of Histories 7.26.
  16. ↑ Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin, Section: Bai Qi.
  17. ↑ Livius, Titus. Ab Urbe Condita 10.38-47.
  18. ↑ Dio, Cassius. Roman History 8.29.
  19. ↑ Zonaras, John. Epitome of Histories 7.26.
  20. ↑ Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin, Section: Bai Qi.
  21. ↑ Dio, Cassius. Roman History 8.30.
  22. ↑ Eutropius, Flavius. Breviarium 2.9.
  23. ↑ Orosius, Paulus. History against the Pagans 3.22.
  24. ↑ Zonaras, John. Epitome of Histories 7.26.
  25. ↑ Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin, Section: Bai Qi.
  26. ↑ Livius, Titus. Ab Urbe Condita, Epitome of Book 11.
  27. ↑ of Halicarnassus, Dionysius. Roman Antiquities 16.15-18.
  28. ↑ Dio, Cassius. Roman History 8.32.
  29. ↑ Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin, Section: Bai Qi.
  30. ↑ Livius, Titus. Ab Urbe Condita, Epitome of Book 11.
  31. ↑ of Halicarnassus, Dionysius. Roman Antiquities 16.15-18.
  32. ↑ Dio, Cassius. Roman History 8.37.
  33. ↑ Victor, Aurelius. De Viris Illustribus, on Curius Dentatus.
  34. ↑ Eutropius, Flavius. Breviarium 2.9.
  35. ↑ Orosius, Paulus. History against the Pagans 3.22.11.
  36. ↑ Qian, Sima. Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin.
  37. ↑ "Maurya". Livius. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012.
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