Editing 220 BC

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Year nav|-220}}
{{BC year in topic|220}}
[[File:Europe map 220BC.PNG|thumb|220 BC.]]
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Year '''220 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 Laevinus/Catulus and Scaevola/Philo''' (or, less frequently, '''year 534 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 220 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 ==
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=== By place ===
==== Greece ====
* Together with fellow [[Illyria]]n, [[Scerdilaidas]], [[Demetrius of Pharos]] attacks Illyrian cities under [[Roman Republic|Roman]] protection and leads a [[Piracy|piratical]] [[Squadron (naval)|squadron]] into [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] waters. They unsuccessfully attack [[Pylos]], an [[Achaea]]n town on the [[Messenia]]n coast, in the [[Peloponnesus]] of Greece.
* Scerdilaidas and the Aetolians invade Achaea. With the help of [[Cynaethe|Cynaethan]] traitors, they attack, seize and burn Cynaetha, a town in the north of [[Arcadia (ancient region)|Arcadia]].
* Rome strikes again against the Illyrian pirates precipitating the [[Second Illyrian War]].
* Demetrius seeks refuge with [[Philip V of Macedon]], who is very resentful of the Roman interference. Rome occupies Demetrius' chief fortresses, [[Hvar|Pharos]] and Dimillos.
* [[Aratus of Sicyon]] counters [[Aetolia]]n aggression by obtaining the assistance of the Hellenic League now under the leadership of [[Philip V of Macedon]]. In the resulting [[Social War (220–217 BC)|Social War]], the Hellenic League of Greek states is assembled in [[Corinth]] at Philip V's instigation. He then leads the Hellenic League in battles against [[Aetolia]], [[Sparta]] and [[Ancient Elis|Elis]].
* The [[Gortys|Gortynians]] occupy [[Matala, Crete|Matala]], on the island of [[Crete]].

==== Seleucid Empire ====
* [[Antiochus III the Great]] defeats [[Molon]] at the [[Tigris River]], defeating and killing. Antiochus goes on to conquer [[Atropatene]].<ref name=antIII>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antiochus-III-the-Great | access-date=February 26, 2024 | title=Antiochus III the Great | first=Hans | last=Volkmann | date=February 13, 2024 | series=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref>
* Meanwhile, the birth of a son to Antiochus III and [[Laodice III|Laodice]] (daughter of [[Mithridates II of Pontus|Mithridates II]], king of [[Kingdom of Pontus|Pontus]]) leads Hermeias to consider getting rid of the king so that he can rule under the name of the infant son. Antiochus discovers the scheme and arranges the assassination of Hermeias.

==== Anatolia ====
* Antiochus III's commander in [[Anatolia]], [[Achaeus (general)|Achaeus]], having recovered all the districts which [[Attalus I Soter|Attalus]] of [[Pergamum]] has gained, is accused by [[Hermeias]], the chief minister of Antiochus, of intending to revolt. In self-defence, Achaeus assumes the title of king and rules over the Anatolian parts of the [[Seleucid]] kingdom.

==== Egypt ====
* [[Arsinoe III of Egypt|Arsinoe III]] marries her brother, King [[Ptolemy IV Philopator|Ptolemy IV]] of Egypt.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Dodson|first=Aidan|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/59265536|title=The complete royal families of Ancient Egypt|date=2004|publisher=Thames & Hudson|others=Dyan Hilton|isbn=0-500-05128-3|location=London|oclc=59265536}}</ref>

==== Roman Republic ====
* During his censorship, the Roman political leader, [[Gaius Flaminius (consul 223 BC)|Gaius Flaminius]], builds the [[Circus Flaminius]]<ref>{{cite book | page=25 | first=John E. | last=Stambaugh | place=Baltimore | year=1988 | publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press | title=The Ancient Roman City | isbn=0-8018-3574-7}}</ref> on the [[Campus Martius]] and constructs the [[Via Flaminia]] from Rome to [[Ariminum]] ([[Rimini]]).

==== Iberian Peninsula ====
* [[Hannibal]] campaigns against the [[Vaccaei]], he storms the Vaccaen strongholds of [[Salamanca|Helmantice]] and Arbucala. 
* On his return home, laden with many spoils, a coalition of Hispanic tribes, led by the [[Carpetani]], attack his army at the river [[Tagus]], here Hannibal wins his first independent victory.

==== China ====
* [[Qin Shi Huang]] begins a system of tree-lined roads to interconnect all parts of [[China]], and begins to join regional walls to form the beginnings of the [[Great Wall]] (Wan li chang cheng).<ref>{{Citation|last=Dumitru|first=Adrian George|title=Some thoughts about Seleucid Thrace in the 3rd century BC|date=2015-11-30|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/j.ctvr43k44.46|work=The Danubian Lands between the Black, Aegean and Adriatic Seas|pages=293–298|publisher=Archaeopress Publishing Ltd|doi=10.2307/j.ctvr43k44.46 |isbn=978-1-78491-193-5|access-date=2021-05-27}}</ref>
* Around this time, Prime Minister [[Li Si]] publishes ''[[Cangjiepian]]'', a primer on the new [[Orthography|orthographic]] standard for all of China, the [[Small Seal Script]].

=== By topic ===
==== Art ====
* A bronze statue called ''Gallic Chieftain killing his wife and himself'' is made (approximate date). A Roman copy after the original statue is today preserved at [[Museo Nazionale Romano]] in [[Rome]].
* A bronze statue called ''Dying Gallic trumpeter'' is made (possibly by [[Epigonus]]) ([[230 BC|230]]-220 BC). A marble Roman copy after the original statue is today preserved at [[Museo Capitolino]] in [[Rome]].
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== Births ==
* [[Attalus II Philadelphus]], king of [[Pergamon]] (d. [[138 BC]])<ref>{{cite web | access-date=February 27, 2024 | url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Attalus-II-Philadelphus | title=Attalus II Philadelphus | date=February 13, 2024 | series=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref>
* [[Pacuvius]], Roman tragic [[Latin poetry|poet]] and writer (d. c. [[130 BC]])
* [[Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus (consul 177 BC)|Tiberius Gracchus the Elder]], father of the Roman political reformer Tiberius Gracchus (approximate date) (d. [[154 BC]])

== Deaths ==
* [[Conon of Samos]], Greek mathematician and astronomer whose work on [[conic section]]s (curves of the intersections of a right circular cone with a plane) serves as the basis for the fourth book of the Conics of [[Apollonius of Perga]] (b. c. [[280 BC]])
* [[Molon]], general of the Seleucid king [[Antiochus III the Great|Antiochus III]] who has rebelled against his rule
* [[Hermeias]], the [[favourite]] and chief minister of the Seleucid king [[Seleucus III Soter|Seleucus III]] and, for a short time, chief minister to Antiochus III

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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