Editing 212 BC (section)

==== Roman Republic ====
* [[Publius Licinius Crassus Dives (consul 205 BC)|Publius Licinius Crassus Dives]] is elected "[[pontifex maximus]]" over more distinguished candidates, despite never having held any major offices. He will hold this position until his death.
* The [[Roman Republic|Roman]] soldiers billeted in [[Taranto|Tarentum]] so alienate the citizens of the city that conspirators admit the Carthaginian general [[Hannibal]] to the city. The conspirators then defeat the Roman contingent in it. Hannibal keeps control of his troops so that looting is limited to Roman houses. The citadel in Tarentum remains under Roman control, which denies Hannibal the use of the harbour.
* The Roman [[consul]]s, [[Appius Claudius Pulcher (consul 212 BC)|Appius Claudius Pulcher]] and [[Quintus Fulvius Flaccus (consul 237 BC)|Quintus Fulvius Flaccus]], besiege [[Capua]] with eight [[Roman legion|legions]]. [[Hanno, son of Bomilcar|Hanno]] moves to [[Benevento|Beneventum]] to try to help the inhabitants of Capua, but he is defeated by the Romans.
* The Capuans then send an appeal for help to Hannibal. In response, Hannibal sends 2,000 [[Numidia]]n cavalry as reinforcements to Capua. The combined Carthaginian forces defeat the Roman force led by Flaccus and Pulcher, the latter of whom will soon die of wounds he has sustained.
* The [[Battle of the Silarus]] is fought between Hannibal's army and a Roman force led by [[praetor]] Marcus Centenius Penula. The Carthaginians are victorious, effectively destroying Centenius Penula's army.
* The [[Battle of Herdonia (212 BC)|Battle of Herdonia]] is fought between Hannibal's Carthaginian army and Roman forces who are laying siege to Herdonia led by praetor Gnaeus Fulvius Flaccus, brother of the consul, Quintus Fulvius Flaccus. The Roman army is destroyed, leaving [[Apulia]] free of Romans for the year.
* After a two year siege, Roman general, [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus]], gradually forces his way into [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]] and takes it in the face of strong Carthaginian reinforcements and despite the use of engines of war designed by the Greek mathematician and scientist [[Archimedes]] (such as the [[Claw of Archimedes]]).
* Although Marcellus wishes to spare the lives of the Syracusans, he is unable to prevent the sack of the city by his soldiers, which includes the killing of [[Archimedes]]. Marcellus carries off the art treasures of Syracuse to Rome, the first recorded instance of a practice which is to become common.
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