Editing 290 BC

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Year nav|-290}}
{{BC year in topic|290}}
[[File:Roman conquest of Italy.PNG|thumb|[[Roman expansion in Italy]] from 500 BC to 218 BC through the [[Latin War]] (light red), [[Samnite Wars]] (pink/orange), [[Pyrrhic War]] (beige), and [[First Punic War|First]] and [[Second Punic War|Second]] [[Punic Wars|Punic War]] (yellow and green). The [[Roman Republic]] in 290 BC is marked with dark and light red, pink and orange.]]
__NOTOC__
Year '''290 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 Rufinus and Dentatus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 464 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 290 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 ====
* [[Third Samnite War]]:
:* [[Lucius Postumius Megellus (consul 305 BC)|Lucius Postumius Megellus]], a consul from the previous year, is publicly tried for having used his office to have 2000 of his soldiers work on his farm. He is condemned by all the tribes and fined 50,000 denarii.
:* The consuls [[Manius Curius Dentatus]] and [[Publius Cornelius Rufinus (consul 290 BC)|Publius Cornelius Rufinus]] invade [[Samnium]] and defeat the [[Samnites]] in several engagements. The Samnites sue for peace, thus ending the Third Samnite War. The Samnites are recognised by the Romans as autonomous allies but are subordinate to Rome and must give up land as compensation.
:* Curius subjugates the [[Sabines]], possibly for their actions or inaction during the Third Samnite War. Their territory is annexed, securing direct Roman access to the Adriatic. The Sabines are granted civitas sine suffragio ("citizenship without the right to vote").
:* Rome founds the colonies of Castrum, Sena and Adria.<ref>{{cite book|first= Titus|last= Livius|title=Ab Urbe Condita, Epitome of Book 11}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first= Dionysius|last= of Halicarnassus|title=Roman Antiquities 16.15-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first= Cassius|last= Dio|title=Roman History 8.37}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first= Aurelius|last= Victor|title=De Viris Illustribus, on Curius Dentatus}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first= Flavius|last= Eutropius|title=Breviarium 2.9}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first= Paulus|last= Orosius|title=History against the Pagans 3.22.11}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first= S. P.|last= Oakley|title=Commentary on Livy, Books VI-X, 4 : Book X}}</ref>

==== Egypt ====
* [[Berenice I of Egypt|Berenice]], wife of [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy]], is proclaimed queen of [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]]. Ptolemy has the city of [[Berenice Troglodytica|Berenice]] built on the [[Red Sea]] in her honour. It becomes a great [[Emporium (antiquity)|emporium]] for Egyptian trade with the East.

==== China ====
* The city of Yuan is returned by the [[State of Qin]] to the [[State of Wei]] in exchange for the cities of Puban and Pishi.<ref>{{cite book|first=Sima|last= Qian|title=Records of the Grand Historian, Section: Basic Annals of Qin}}</ref>
</onlyinclude>

== Births ==
* [[Lucius Caecilius Metellus (consul 251 BC)|Lucius Caecilius Metellus]], Roman consul and [[Pontifex maximus|Pontifex Maximus]] (approximate date) (d. [[221 BC]])

== Deaths ==
* [[Megasthenes]], Greek historian, diplomat and Indian [[List of Graeco-Roman geographers|ethnographer]] (approximate date) (b. c. [[350 BC]])

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:290 Bc}}
[[Category:290s BC]]
[[Category:Years of the 3rd century BC]]