3rd century BC c.

The 3rd century B.C. C. or III century century a. and. c. (3rd century BC) began on January 1, 300 B.C. C. and ended on December 31, 201 a. C. It is part of the so-called classical period.

In the Mediterranean basin, the first decades of this century were characterized by a balance of power between the Hellenistic kingdoms in the east and the great mercantile power of Carthage in the west. This balance ended when a conflict arose between ancient Carthage and the Roman Republic. In the decades that followed, the Carthaginian Republic was humiliated and then destroyed by the Romans in the First and Second Punic Wars. After the Second Punic War, Rome became the most important power in the western Mediterranean and together with Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt one of the world powers.

Hannibal crosses the Alps during the Second Punic War

In the eastern Mediterranean, the Seleucid Empire and the Ptolemaic Kingdom, successor states to Alexander the Great's empire, fought a series of Syrian wars for control of the Levant. In Greece, the short-lived Macedonian antipatrid dynasty was overthrown and replaced by the Antigonid dynasty in 294 BC. C., a royal house that would dominate the affairs of Hellenistic Greece for about a century until the stalemate of the First Macedonian War against Rome. Macedonia would also lose the Cretan War against the Greek polis of Rhodes and its allies.

In India, Ashoka ruled the Mauryan Empire. The Pandya, Chola and Chera dynasties of classical times flourished in the ancient Tamil country.

The Warring States period in China came to an end, with Qin Shi Huang conquering the other six nation states and establishing the short-lived Qin dynasty—China's first empire—which was followed in the same century by the They have long lasting. dynasty. However, there was a brief interregnum and civil war between the Qin and Han periods known as the Chu-Han dispute, which lasted until 202 BC. C. with the final victory of Liu Bang over Xiang Yu.

The protohistoric period began on the Korean peninsula. In the following century, the Han dynasty would conquer the Gojoseon kingdom of northern Korea. The Xiongnu were at the height of their power in Mongolia. They defeated the Han Chinese at the Battle of Baideng in 200 BC. C., marking the beginning of the forced tributary agreement Heqin and the marriage alliance that would last several decades.

Events

Wars and Politics

Roman Republic

• 264-241 BC: First Punic War. As a result, the Carthaginians lose the islands of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica.
• 218-202 BC: Second Punic War. As a result, the Carthaginians lose the Iberian peninsula.
• 214-205 BC: First Macedonian War. First conflict between the Kingdom of Macedonia and the Roman Republic.

Chinese

• 221 BC: in China Qin dynasty is developed.
• 206 BC: in China the dynasty is developed Western Han.

Culture

• 206 B.C.: in Alexandria, Egypt Bible Hebrew original (now lost) to the Greek. The Bibles current Hebrews are translations of that Greek translation.
• It is founded in Alexandria, the famous Library of Alexandria
• Archimedes develops his hydrostatic studies.
• In Judea the Aramaic language is written Book of Tobitcurrently part of the Bible.
• Statues are created in Tanagra.
• Hellenistic schools in art.
• Greek Philosophy: Hellenistic Schools of Epicureism and Stoicism. The first was founded by Epicuro (f. 270 B.C.) and the second is due to Zenon (f. in 264 B.C.), who taught his classes at Stoa Pecile, from which he derived the name of his philosophical school.
• In India the epic texts of the Mahabharata and Ramayana, attributed to Viasa and Valmiki, respectively.
• The archaic period of Latin literature begins. The comediographer Plauto (254-184 BC).
• In Japan, during this century and the next, Yayoi culture is developed, an agricultural society.

Relevant characters

Aníbal Barca, General Carthaginés.

• Amílcar Barca (275-228 B.C.): Carthaginian military, father of Aníbal Barca.
• Aníbal Barca (247-183 B.C.): Carthaginian military, chief figure of the second Punic war.
• Antiochus III Megas (247-187 BC): Seleucid king.
• Perge Apolonium (262-190 BC): Greek geometry and astronomer.
• Arcesilao (315-240 BC): Greek philosopher and founder of the Platonic Academy.
• Archimedes (287-212 BC): mathematician, physical, engineer, inventor and Greek astronomer.
• Asoka (304-232 BC): Emperor of India.
• Átalo I (269-197 B.C.): king of Pergam and founder of the attacked dynasty.
• Epicide (341-270 BC): Greek philosopher.
• Eratosthenes (276-194 BC): mathematician, astronomer and Greek geographer.
• Euclides (325-265 BC): Greek mathematician and geómetra, nicknamed «The Father of Geometry».
• Philippi V of Macedonia (238-179 BC): King of Macedonia and ally of Carthage.
• Liu Bang (256/247-195 BC): first Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty.
• Plato (254-184 BC): Roman comediagraph.
• Ptolomeo II Filadelfo (308-246 BC): Egyptian pharaoh, second of the Ptolemaica dynasty.
• Scipion African (235-183 BC): Roman military and political.
• Qin Shi Huang (260-210 BC): Chinese emperor, founder of Qin Dynasty.
• Fifth Maximum Fabio (280-203 BC): Roman dictator during the second Punic War.
• Xun Zi (312-230 BC): Chinese philosopher.
• Cythium Zenon (333-264 BC): Greek philosopher.