270s BC
Decade From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article concerns the period 279 BC – 270 BC.
279 BC
By place
Greece
- An army of Gauls under Brennus invade Greece. A section of the army, commanded by Bolgios, crushes a Macedonian army led by Ptolemy Keraunos, who is killed in the battle. At the narrow pass of Thermopylae, on the east coast of Central Greece, Brennus' forces suffer heavy losses while trying to break through the Greek defence comprising the Phocians and the Aetolians. Eventually Brennus finds a way around the pass but the Greeks escape by sea. Brennus pushes on to Delphi where he is defeated and forced to retreat, after which he dies of wounds sustained in the battle. His army falls back to the river Spercheios where it is routed by Thessalians and Malians. Some of the survivors settle in a part of Asia Minor that will eventually be called Galatia, while some settle in Thrace, founding a short-lived city-state named Tylis.
- With the death of Ptolemy Keraunos, the previous King of Macedonia, Antipater II becomes king again. However, his new reign lasts only a few months before he is killed by his cousin Sosthenes who becomes the new King of Macedonia.
- The Phocians are readmitted into the Amphictyonic League after they have joined in the defence of Delphi against the Gauls.
Roman Republic
- The Carthaginians and the Romans agree to support each other against a common foe. The Carthaginians give Rome money and ships in their fight against Pyrrhus, the king of Epirus.
- Pyrrhus realizes that he cannot capture Rome and suggests peace terms to the Romans. Pyrrhus sends his chief advisor, Cineas, to Rome to negotiate a peace. Cineas demands that the Romans halt their aggression against the Greeks of southern Italy and restore the lands the Romans have taken from the Bruttii, the Apulians, and the Samnites. The Romans reject his demands, largely at the instigation of the former Roman censor, Appius Claudius Caecus.
- In renewed fighting, Pyrrhus of Epirus, leading the combined Tarantine, Oscan, Samnite, and Greek forces, wins a 'Pyrrhic victory' against the Romans led by consul Publius Decius Mus at the Battle of Asculum, called such because his victory comes at a great cost to his own forces. Pyrrhus is reported to have said afterwards, "One more victory against the Romans and we shall be utterly ruined!" Disheartened, Pyrrhus retires to Tarentum and sends Cineas to make renewed peace overtures to Rome. These talks are inconclusive.
Egypt
- The aggression of Ptolemy II of Egypt continues to cause friction with Antiochus as he takes Miletus in south-western Asia Minor from him.
The Balkans
- Scordisci Celts found a city called Singidon (Roman Singidunum) which is today the Serbian city of Belgrade.
China
- General Bai Qi of the State of Qin attacks the State of Chu and captures the cities of Yan and Deng.[1]
- General Lian Po of the State of Zhou defeats an army of the State of Qi.[2]
Births
279 BC
- Chrysippus, Greek Stoic philosopher (approximate date)
277 BC
- Fan Zeng, Chinese adviser during the Chu-Han Contention (d. 204 BC)
276 BC
- Eratosthenes, Greek mathematician, geographer and astronomer (d. 194 BC)
275 BC
- Hamilcar Barca, Carthaginian general, statesman and father of Hannibal (approximate date)
- Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus, Roman dictator, politician and leader (approximate date)
273 BC
271 BC
- Aratus of Sicyon, Greek general (strategos) and statesman (d. 213 BC)
270 BC
- Hamilcar Barca, founder of Barcid Spain and leading Carthaginian general who will fight against Rome in Sicily and Italy, against the Libyans and the mercenary revolt in Africa, and against the Iberians and Celti-Iberians in Spain (d. 228 BC)
- Gnaeus Naevius, was a Roman epic poet and dramatist of the Old Latin period. (d.201 BC)
Deaths
279 BC
- Brennus, leader of the army of Gauls who in 279 BC invaded Macedonia and northern Greece
- Ptolemy Keraunos, king of Macedonia from 281 to 279 BC
278 BC
- Polyaenus of Lampsacus, Greek mathematician and philosopher and friend of Epicurus (b. c. 340 BC)
- Qu Yuan, Chinese poet from southern Chu who lived during the Warring States period. His works are mostly found in an anthology of poetry known as Chu Ci (b. c. 340 BC)
277 BC
- Sosthenes, Macedonian general and king of the Antipatrid Dynasty
275 BC
- Shen Dao, Chinese philosopher from Zhao who also served at the Jixia academy in Qi. He is known for his blend of Legalism and Taoism (approximate date)
273 BC
- Appius Claudius Caecus, Roman politician and consul
- Simeon The Just, Jewish High Priest and one of the last members of the Great Assembly[12]
- Xi of Han, Chinese king of Han (Warring States Period)
272 BC
- Aristotimus, Greek tyrant of Elis (approximate date)
- Bindusara, emperor of the Mauryan Empire (b. c. 320 BC)
- Ptolemy, son of Pyrrhus of Epirus (b. 295 BC)
- Pyrrhus of Epirus, king of the Molossians (from c. 297 BC), Epirus (306–301 and 297–272 BC) and Macedon (288–284 and 273–272 BC); involved in disputes in southern Italy against Rome and in Sicily (b. 318 BC)
270 BC
- Arsinoe II, queen to Lysimachus, the king of Thrace, and later wife of her brother, King Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt (b. c. 316 BC)
- Epicurus, Greek philosopher, author of an ethical philosophy of simple pleasure, friendship, and retirement (b. 341 BC)[13]
- Marcus Valerius Corvus, Roman hero (b. c. 370 BC)
- Manius Curius Dentatus, Roman general, conqueror of the Samnites and victor against Pyrrhus, King of Epirus
- Pyrrho, Greek philosopher from Elis, credited as being the first skeptic philosopher and inspiration for the school known as Pyrrhonism (b. c. 360 BC)
- Euclid of Alexandria, Mathematician, considered the "father of geometry", chiefly known for the Elements treatise, which established the foundations of geometry, has been estimated to die in 270 BC
References
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