Editing 216 BC

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Primary sources|date=February 2024}}
{{Refimprove|date=February 2024}}
{{Year nav|-216}}
{{BC year in topic|216}}
[[File:Battle of Cannae, 215 BC - Initial Roman attack.png|upright=1.35|thumb|[[Battle of Cannae]]: Roman attack (red).]]
[[File:Battle cannae destruction.png|upright=1.35|thumb|Destruction of the Roman army (red).]]
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Year '''216 BC''' was a year of the [[Roman calendar|pre-Julian Roman calendar]]. At the time it was known as the '''Year of the Consulship of Varro and Paullus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 538 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 216 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the [[Anno Domini]] [[calendar era]] became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

== Events ==
<onlyinclude>

=== By place ===

==== Roman Republic ====
* The Carthaginian general, [[Hannibal]], moves his forces southward through Italy and seizes the large army supply depot at [[Cannae]] on the [[Ofanto|Aufidus River]].<ref>Polybius, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Polybius/3*.html#107 3:107.2–3 The Histories]</ref>
* August 2 &ndash; The [[Battle of Cannae]] (east of [[Naples]]) ends in victory for Hannibal<ref name=leglay>{{cite book | title=A History of Rome | edition=Second | first1=Marcel | last1=LeGlay | first2=Jean-Louis | last2=Voisin | first3=Yann | last3=Le Bohec | page=77 | publisher=Blackwell | place=Malden, Massachusetts | year=2001 | isbn=0-631-21858-0}}</ref> whose 50,000-man army defeats a [[Roman Republic|Roman]] force of 86,000 led by [[Roman consul|consul]]s [[Lucius Aemilius Paullus (consul 219 BC)|Lucius Aemilius Paullus]] (who is killed in the battle) and [[Gaius Terentius Varro]].<ref>Livy, ''Ab Urbe Condita'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 22#44|22.44–51]]</ref> 50,000-70,000 Roman troops are killed, making this perhaps the deadliest one-day battle in all history.
* A loan of money and supplies for the Roman army in [[Sicily]] is sought and obtained from [[Hiero II of Syracuse]].<ref name="l2321">Livy, ''Ab Urbe Condita'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 23#21|23.21]]</ref>
* The Roman historian [[Quintus Fabius Pictor]] is sent to [[Delphi]] in [[Ancient Greece|Greece]] to consult the [[Delphi#Oracle|Oracle]] for advice about what Rome should do after its defeat in the Battle of Cannae.<ref name="l2257">Livy, ''Ab Urbe Condita'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 22#57|22.57]]</ref>
* Following Hannibal's victory, many regions begin to defect from Rome, while others are conquered by Hannibal's forces. In [[Apulia]], [[Lucania]], [[Samnium]] and in [[Bruttium]], Hannibal finds many supporters.<ref>Livy, ''Ab Urbe Condita'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 22#61|22.61]]</ref>
* The city of [[Capua]] switches sides to join Hannibal and the Carthaginian army winters there.<ref name="l2257"/>
* After the defeat at Cannae, Roman general, [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus]], commands the remnants of the Roman army at [[Canusium]] and saves the city of [[Battle of Nola (216 BC)|Nola]] and southern [[Campania]] from occupation by Hannibal.<ref name="l2257"/>
* A Roman force of 25,000 led by [[Lucius Postumius Albinus (consul 234 BC)|Lucius Postumius Albinus]] is ambushed by Gauls near [[Litana]] and almost completely wiped out.<ref>Livy, ''Ab Urbe Condita'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 23#24|23.24]]</ref>

==== Spain ====
* [[Hasdrubal Barca|Hasdrubal]] is ordered by the Carthaginian government to march to Italy.<ref>Livy, ''Ab Urbe Condita'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 23#27|23.27]]</ref>
* Roman forces in Spain led by [[Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus]] and [[Publius Cornelius Scipio (consul 218 BC)|Publius Cornelius Scipio]] successfully thwart Hasdrubal's attempt to march to Italy.<ref>Livy, ''Ab Urbe Condita'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 23#29|23.29]]</ref>

==== Syracuse ====
* The [[Carthage|Carthaginian]] fleet ravages the territory of [[Syracuse, Sicily|The Kingdom of Syracuse]].<ref>Livy, ''Ab Urbe Condita'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 22#56|22.56]]</ref>

==== Greece ====
* [[Philip V of Macedon]], still resenting Rome's interference in [[Illyria]]n politics, seizes his opportunity to invade Illyria. Ambassadors from Philip V visit Hannibal at his headquarters in Italy. These actions mark the beginning of the [[First Macedonian War]] between Rome and Macedonia.

==== Egypt ====
* A revolt of the Egyptian peasants is put down by [[Ptolemy IV Philopator|Ptolemy IV]].
</onlyinclude>
== Births ==
* [[Liu Pi, Prince of Wu|Liu Pi]], Chinese prince and general of the [[Han dynasty|Han Dynasty]] (d. [[154 BC]])

== Deaths ==
* August 2
** [[Lucius Aemilius Paullus (consul 219 BC)|Lucius Aemilius Paullus]], Roman [[Roman consul|consul]] and general (killed in the [[Battle of Cannae]])<ref name="l2321"/>
** [[Gnaeus Servilius Geminus]], Roman consul 217 BC (killed in the Battle of Cannae)<ref name="l2249">Livy, ''Ab Urbe Condita'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 22#49|22.49]]</ref>
** [[Marcus Minucius Rufus]], Roman consul 221 BC, Master of the Horse 217 BC (killed in the Battle of Cannae)<ref name="l2249"/>
* [[Gelo, son of Hiero II]]<ref>Livy, ''Ab Urbe Condita'', [[s:From the Founding of the City/Book 23#30|23.30]]</ref>
* [[Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (consul 232 BC)|Marcus Aemilius Lepidus]], Roman consul 232 BC and priest ([[augur]])

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:216 BC| ]]