280 The Romans defeated at Pandosia by Pyrrhus King of Epirus; Age of Antiochus 1st, surnamed Soter, King of Syria.
274 Romans defeat Pyrrhus; 272, conquer Samnium, after a seventy years’ war.
262 First Punic war begins; continues twenty-six years; 260 Duillius obtains the first naval victory gained over the Carthaginians by the Romans; 256 Regulus defeated by Xantippus; Age of Diodatus.
251 Age of Eratosthenes (mathematician); Callimachus (poet).
249 Asdrubal defeated at Panormus, in Sicily, by Metellus.
246 Arsaces founds the Parthian empire; Age of Hamilcar, a noted Carthaginian General, and father of Hannibal.
242 The Romans defeat the Carthaginians at sea, near the Ægades islands; ends the first Punic war.
231 The Romans take Corsica and Sardinia.
224 The Spartan king Cleomenes III defeated by Antigonus Doson; Colossus, at Rhodes, overthrown by an earthquake; Age of Apollonius (poet), Philopæmen (Achæan General.)
219 Hannibal takes Saguntum; originates the second Punic war, which lasts seventeen years; 218 Crosses the Alps; defeats the Romans, first on the river Ticinus, then on the Trebia; 217 Battle of Thrasimene—his third victory; 216 Battle of Cannæ—his fourth victory; 50,000 Romans slain; Capua declares in his favour.