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.
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.
Tiberinus was the ninth king of Alba Longa, according to the traditional history of Rome handed down by Titus Livius. He was the successor of Capetus, the eighth king of Alba Longa. The Alban kings claimed descent from Aeneas, a Trojan prince who brought a remnant of the Trojan populace to Italy following the sack of Troy, and settled in Latium. Alba was built by Ascanius, the son of Aeneas and Lavinia, and founder of the Alban royal line. The Alban kings, including Tiberinus, bore the cognomenSilvius, after the son of Ascanius, who was said to have been born in the woods.
Appius Claudius Pulcher was a Roman general and politician of the 3rd century BC, active in the Second Punic War.
Marcus Livius Salinator was a Roman general and politician who fought in the Second Punic War, most notably during the Battle of the Metaurus.
Gaius Maenius was a Roman statesman and general who was elected consul in 338 BC and appointed dictator twice, in 320 BC and 314 BC.
The Battle of Numistro was fought in 210 BC between Hannibal's army and one of the Roman consular armies led by consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus. It was the fourth time they met in a battle. Previous encounters were located around the walls of Nola (Campania) in 216, 215, and 214 and had been favourable for the Roman side.
Publius Decius Mus, son of Quintus, of the plebeian gens Decia, was a Roman consul in 340 BC. He is noted particularly for sacrificing himself in battle through the ritual of devotio, as recorded by the Augustan historian Livy.
Octavius Mamilius was princeps of Tusculum, an ancient city of Latium. He was the son-in-law of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the seventh and last king of Rome. According to tradition, the gens Mamilia was descended from Mamilia, reputedly a granddaughter of Ulysses (Odysseus) and Circe. Titus Livius described Octavius as head of one of the most distinguished families of Latium, and thus an important ally of Tarquinius.
Quintus Aulius Q. f. Q. n. Cerretanus was twice consul in the Second Samnite War, first in 323 BC with Gaius Sulpicius Longus, when he had the conduct of the war in Apulia, and a second time in 319 with Lucius Papirius Cursor, when he conquered the Ferentani and received their city into surrender.
The gens Aurunculeia was a plebeian family at Rome. None of the members of this gens ever obtained the consulship; the first who obtained the praetorship was Gaius Aurunculeius, in 209 BC.
The gens Blossia, also spelled Blosia, was a Roman family of Campanian origin, which came to prominence during the Second Punic War. The most famous member of the gens is probably Gaius Blossius, an intimate friend of Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, whom he urged to bring forward his agrarian law. He fled from Rome after the murder of Gracchus, and eventually took his own life for fear of falling into the hands of his enemies.
The gens Hostilia was an ancient family at Rome, which traced its origin to the time of Romulus. The most famous member of the gens was Tullus Hostilius, the third King of Rome; however, all of the Hostilii known from the time of the Republic were plebeians. Several of the Hostilii were distinguished during the Punic Wars. The first of the family to obtain the consulship was Aulus Hostilius Mancinus in 170 BC.
The gens Calavia was a distinguished Campanian family of Roman times. Several members of this gens were involved in the events of the Samnite Wars and during the Second Punic War. The most famous of its members was undoubtedly Pacuvius Calavius, the chief magistrate of Capua during Hannibal's invasion of Italy, and son-in-law of Publius Claudius Pulcher.
Ovius and Novius Calavius, brothers, were the sons of Ofilius Calavius, a Campanian nobleman during the Second Samnite War. They conspired to mount an insurrection against the Romans, but when their conspiracy was discovered, and steps taken to prevent their plan from coming to fruition, they did away with themselves rather than face arrest.
Pacuvius Calavius was the chief magistrate of Capua during the Second Punic War. In the aftermath of the Battle of Lake Trasimene, he prevented the people of Capua from surrendering the city to Hannibal. When the Capuans finally capitulated, he dissuaded his son from a rash attempt on the life of the Carthaginian general.
Sthenius and Pacuvius Ninnius Celer were brothers, and members of the noble Capuan house of the Ninnii Celeres, during the Second Punic War. Following the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC, Hannibal advanced upon the city of Capua, which opened its gates to him, as defeat otherwise seemed inevitable. There he made his winter quarters, and lodged in the house of the brothers Sthenius and Pacuvius.
The gens Verginia or Virginia was a prominent family at ancient Rome, which from an early period was divided into patrician and plebeian branches. The gens was of great antiquity, and frequently filled the highest honors of the state during the early years of the Republic. The first of the family who obtained the consulship was Opiter Verginius Tricostus in 502 BC, the seventh year of the Republic. The plebeian members of the family were also numbered amongst the early tribunes of the people.
The gens Ofilia, also spelled Ofillia and Ofellia, was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Its most illustrious member was doubtless the jurist Aulus Ofilius, a friend of both Caesar and Cicero.
Marcus Foslius Flaccinator was a Roman politician who served as Magister Equitum two or perhaps three times, and as Roman consul once in the late 4th century BC. Foslius was a member of the gens Foslia, which despite being of Patrician stock was fairly irrelevant. Indeed, previous to this Foslius, no member of the Foslii ever held the consulship and the family only had one recorded magistracy, that being of Consular Tribune, which was held by another Marcus Foslius Flaccinator in 433 BC. The consul Marcus Foslius Flaccinator was the son of a Gaius Foslius and grandson of Marcus Foslius; however nothing is known about these two individuals and their names are only known through fillation.