300s BC (3 events)
297 BC
ID: 3676
Bindusara becomes emperor - extends Mauryan Empire into Deccan, maintains Greek diplomatic relations
ID: 3676
295 BC
ID: 310
Library of Alexandria founded - Ptolemy I creates greatest library of ancient world, 400,000 scrolls
ID: 310
295 BC
ID: 2656
Battle of Sentinum - Rome defeats coalition of Samnites, Gauls, Etruscans, and Umbrians, dominance of Italy assured
ID: 2656
280s BC (5 events)
280 BC
ID: 2657
Pyrrhus invades Italy - Greek king brings war elephants to help Tarentum, defeats Romans at Heraclea
ID: 2657
280 BC
ID: 5373
Celtic raids reach Delphi - Brennus leads 150,000 Gauls to attack sacred site, repelled but demonstrates Celtic military power
ID: 5373
279 BC
ID: 2658
Battle of Asculum - Pyrrhus wins but loses best troops, 'one more such victory and I am lost' - origin of 'Pyrrhic victory'
ID: 2658
278 BC
ID: 3664
Celts settle Galatia - Celtic tribes establish kingdom in central Anatolia (modern Turkey)
ID: 3664
275 BC
ID: 2659
Battle of Beneventum - Romans defeat Pyrrhus using anti-elephant tactics, Greek intervention ends, Rome controls southern Italy
ID: 2659
270s BC (3 events)
269 BC
ID: 3677
Ashoka seizes throne - after 4-year succession war killing brothers, becomes third Mauryan emperor
ID: 3677
264 BC
ID: 2660
First Punic War begins - Rome vs Carthage over Sicily, Romans forced to become naval power
ID: 2660
261 BC
ID: 3678
Kalinga War - 100,000 dead, 150,000 deported, Ashoka horrified by carnage, turns to Buddhism
ID: 3678
260s BC (2 events)
260 BC
ID: 2661
Battle of Mylae - Romans use corvus (boarding bridge) to turn sea battle into land battle, first naval victory
ID: 2661
260 BC
ID: 3679
Ashoka embraces Buddhism - begins rule by dharma, erects pillars with edicts promoting non-violence
ID: 3679
250s BC (7 events)
250 BC
ID: 3680
Buddhist missions sent - Ashoka sends monks to Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Greece, spreading Buddhism
ID: 3680
250 BC
ID: 4819
Septuagint translation begins in Alexandria - 70/72 Jewish scholars translate Hebrew scriptures into Greek under Ptolemy II Philadelphus
ID: 4819
250 BC
ID: 5385
Celtic plank roads built across bogs - sophisticated timber trackways, some 4km long, predating Roman roads
ID: 5385
250 BC
ID: 5389
Entremont sanctuary sculptures - stone heads and skull niches show Celtic head cult, warriors holding severed heads
ID: 5389
250 BC
ID: 5754
Ptolemy II rebuilds canal with locks - engineering marvel allows controlled water flow, Elephants from Africa transported via canal
ID: 5754
247 BC
ID: 4659
Arsaces I founds Parthian Empire - nomadic Parni tribe conquers Parthia, breaks from Seleucids
ID: 4659
241 BC
ID: 2662
First Punic War ends - Carthage pays huge indemnity, Sicily becomes first Roman province
ID: 2662
240s BC (1 events)
232 BC
ID: 3681
Death of Ashoka - Mauryan Empire begins decline under weak successors
ID: 3681
230s BC (2 events)
227 BC
ID: 5321
Carthaginians develop Cartagena silver mines - Hasdrubal founds New Carthage near richest silver deposits in Mediterranean, 40,000 slaves at peak
ID: 5321
221 BC
ID: 4700
Qin Shi Huang unifies China - ends Warring States, standardizes writing, currency, measurements
ID: 4700
220s BC (7 events)
218 BC
ID: 2663
Hannibal crosses Alps - leads 40,000 men and 37 elephants over Alps in winter, arrives in Italy with half his force
ID: 2663
218 BC
ID: 5322
Spanish silver funds Hannibal's war - Cartagena mines produce 300 pounds silver daily, financing invasion of Italy
ID: 5322
217 BC
ID: 2664
Battle of Lake Trasimene - Hannibal ambushes Roman army in fog, 15,000 Romans killed, Fabius becomes dictator
ID: 2664
216 BC
ID: 2665
Battle of Cannae - Hannibal's double envelopment destroys Roman army, 70,000 dead, worst defeat in Roman history
ID: 2665
214 BC
ID: 4701
Great Wall connected - Qin Shi Huang links earlier walls into unified defense system
ID: 4701
213 BC
ID: 4702
Burning of books and burying of scholars - Legalist suppression of Confucian texts
ID: 4702
212 BC
ID: 2666
Fall of Syracuse - Archimedes killed despite orders to spare him, allegedly said 'don't disturb my circles' to Roman soldier
ID: 2666
210s BC (14 events)
210 BC
ID: 4703
Death of Qin Shi Huang - buried with 8000 terracotta warriors near Xi'an
ID: 4703
210 BC
ID: 5355
Romans capture Syracuse silver mines - Sicily becomes major silver source after conquest, funds continued war effort
ID: 5355
207 BC
ID: 2667
Battle of Metaurus - Hasdrubal (Hannibal's brother) defeated and killed, his head thrown into Hannibal's camp
ID: 2667
206 BC
ID: 4704
Liu Bang founds Han Dynasty - establishes 400-year dynasty, makes Confucianism state ideology
ID: 4704
206 BC
ID: 5323
Scipio captures Cartagena mines - Romans seize Spanish silver mines, immediately restart production with 40,000 workers
ID: 5323
205 BC
ID: 5920
Sibylline Books consulted about Hannibal - prophecy says bring Magna Mater from Phrygia, black stone of Cybele brought to Rome
ID: 5920
205 BC
ID: 5962
Rome consults Sibylline Books about Hannibal - prophecy states 'foreign enemy can be defeated if Mother of Mount Ida brought from Pessinus to Rome'
ID: 5962
205 BC
ID: 5963
Roman embassy to King Attalus - five senior senators sail to Pergamon, king grants sacred black stone of Cybele after earthquake shakes temple as sign
ID: 5963
204 BC
ID: 5953
Magna Mater arrives in Rome - black meteorite of Cybele installed on Palatine, eunuch priests (galli) shock Romans with self-castration
ID: 5953
204 BC
ID: 5964
Sacred stone voyages to Rome - black meteorite travels under heavy guard, every port celebrates arrival, mass hysteria of anticipation
ID: 5964
204 BC
ID: 5965
April 204 BC
Miracle at Ostia - ship carrying stone runs aground, Vestal Virgin Claudia Quinta (accused of unchastity) pulls it free with her belt, proving innocence
ID: 5965
204 BC
ID: 5966
April 4, 204 BC
Black stone installed in Temple of Victoria - meteorite placed on Palatine Hill, instant festival Megalesia established, aristocratic women serve as priestesses
ID: 5966
203 BC
ID: 5967
Hannibal abandons Italy - one year after Cybele's arrival, Hannibal withdraws, Romans credit Magna Mater with salvation
ID: 5967
202 BC
ID: 2668
Battle of Zama - Scipio Africanus defeats Hannibal in Africa, Second Punic War ends, Rome dominant in Mediterranean
ID: 2668
200s BC (4 events)
200 BC
ID: 3665
Druidic sanctuaries flourishing - centers of learning, law, and ritual, accused of human sacrifice
ID: 3665
200 BC
ID: 5374
Roman wine trade with Gauls expands - Italian wine cheaper than Greek, Romans export 100,000s of amphorae annually to Gaul
ID: 5374
200 BC
ID: 5386
Celts invent wheeled reaper - Pliny describes Celtic vallus harvesting machine pushed by oxen, not reinvented until 1800s
ID: 5386
200 BC
ID: 5390
Celtic women's high status noted - Romans shocked by female property rights, women warriors, queens leading armies
ID: 5390