Editing 242 BC

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{{BC year in topic|242}}
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Year '''242 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 Catulus and Albinus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 512 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 242 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 ===
==== Roman Republic ====
* The [[Roman Republic|Roman]] [[consul]] and commander, [[Gaius Lutatius Catulus]], blockades the [[Sicily|Sicilian]] cities of [[Lilybaeum]] and [[Drepanum]] with a fleet of 200 ships.

==== Egypt ====
* The destruction of the [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] fleet by the [[Macedon]]ians ends the naval supremacy of the [[Ptolemies]] but does not force them to relinquish their territories in [[Syria]] and the [[Aegean Sea]].

==== China ====
* The [[State of Qin|Qin]] general Meng Ao annexes 20 towns and cities from the [[State of Wei]], conquering the cities of Suanzao, Yan, Xu, Changping, Yongqiu and Shanyang. He then establishes the Dongjun Commandery.
* The [[State of Zhao|Zhao]] general Pang Nuan defeats the army of the [[State of Yan]] and kills its general Chu Xin.<ref>{{cite book|first=Sima|last= Qian|title=Records of the Grand Historian, Section: The First Emperor}}</ref>
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== Births ==
* [[Antiochus III the Great]], Seleucid king of Hellenistic Syria (d. [[187 BC]])<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>

== Deaths ==
* [[Devi (wife of Ashoka)|Maharani Devi]], Mauryan empress and wife of [[Ashoka]] (approximate date)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:242 BC| ]]