Editing 312 BC

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Year '''312 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 Corvus and Mus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 442 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 312 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 ===
====Cyrenaica====
* The people of [[Cyrene, Libya|Cyrene]] in the [[Cyrenaica]] rise up in a revolt against [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy]], putting the Ptolemaic garrison, which occupies their citadel, under siege. After they execute Ptolemy's envoys, who came to bade them to cease their sedition, he sends Agis (one of his generals) with an army and Epaunetus (another general) with a fleet to put down the rebellion. Agis storms the city, captures the rebels, and sends the ringleaders to Alexandria.<ref name="Diod79">{{cite book|last=Siculus|first=Diodorus|title=Library|url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/19E*.html#79|volume=XIX|chapter=79}}</ref><ref>Diod. XIX 79,1–3</ref>

====Cyprus====
* After putting down the revolt in Cyrene, Ptolemy sails to [[Cyprus]] with a great force. He arrests the rulers of [[Kition]], [[Lapethus]], [[Kyrenia]], and [[Marion, Cyprus|Marion]] for being too friendly towards [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]] and/or too hostile towards himself, he then establishes his friend [[Nicocreon of Cyprus|Nicocreon of Salamis]] as [[strategos]] (governor-general) of Cyprus .<ref name=Diod79/><ref>Diod. XIX 79,4–5</ref>

==== Syria/Mesopotamia/Babylonia ====
* [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy]] raids [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]]' territories in [[Cilicia]] and Syria, and then sails back to Egypt.<ref>Diod. XIX 79,6–7</ref>
* At the end of the year, [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy]] invades [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]]' territories in  Palestine with an army of 18,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry. The resulting [[Battle of Gaza (312 BC)|Battle of Gaza]] leads to a triumph for Ptolemy over [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]]' son, [[Demetrius Poliorcetes|Demetrius]].<ref>Diod. XIX 80–86</ref>
* [[Demetrius Poliorcetes|Demetrius]] rallies the remnants of his army at [[Tripoli, Lebanon|Tripolis]] and summons reinforcements from the garrisons of upper Syria and [[Cilicia]]; he also writes his father,  [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]], and urges him to send help. Meanwhile [[Ptolemy I Soter|Ptolemy]] captures [[Acre, Israel|Acre]], [[Jaffa|Joppa]], [[Samaria]] and [[Sidon]], and starts to besiege [[Tyre, Lebanon|Tyre]].<ref>Diod. XIX 84,4–86,1</ref>
*[[Seleucus I Nicator|Seleucus]] ceases his service to Ptolemy and returns to his former province, Babylonia. This event takes place on October 1 and becomes the starting point of the [[Seleucid era]].<ref name="Diod986">{{cite book|last=Siculus|first=Diodorus|title=Library|url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/19E*.html#86|volume=XIX|chapter=86}}</ref>

==== Asia Minor ====
* At the start of the year, [[Asander]] ([[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]]' governor of [[Caria]]) rebels, forcing Antigonus (wintering with his main army in [[Phrygia]]) to invade Caria. Calling all his forces from their winter quarters, he divides them into four columns: the first is sent to take [[Miletus]]; the second, under his nephew [[Ptolemy (nephew of Antigonus I Monophthalmus)|Ptolemy]], campaigns through central Caria from east to west; a third marches to and takes [[Theangela]]; Antigonus himself with the main army campaigns from north to south capturing [[Tralles]], [[Iasus, Caria|Iasus]] and [[Kaunos]]. Caria is taken in the space of weeks.<ref>Diod. XIX 64,3–6.</ref>
* Antigonus sends his nephew [[Telesphorus (general)|Telesphoros]] with an army of 5,000 infantry and 500 cavalry to mainland [[Hellenistic Greece|Greece]] to carry on the war against Cassander.<ref>Diod. XIX 64.</ref>

==== Greece/Macedon/Thrace ====
* The people of [[Epirus]] elevate [[Aeacides]]' brother, [[Alcetas II of Epirus|Alcetas]], to the kingship.<ref>Diod. XIX 88, 89; Plut. ''Pyrr. 3''.</ref>
* [[Alcetas II of Epirus|Alcetas]] advances on the Macedonian garrison of [[Acarnania]] under [[Lyciscus of Macedon|Lyciscus]], a general of [[Cassander]]. Three battles are fought and a defeated Alcetas flees to a fortress in Epirus. Cassander marches the main Macedonian field army into Epirus and forces Alcetas to ally with him.<ref>Diod. XIX 88; Plut. ''Pyrr. 3''.</ref>
* [[Cassander]] marches on [[Apollonia (Illyria)|Apollonia]], which people had driven out his garrison with the help of the [[Illyrians]], but the Appolonians and Illyrians defeat him in battle, driving him out of western Greece for the time being.
* The people of Epirus, tired of Alcetas (who ruled Epirus harshly), rose up and murdered him and his sons.
* [[Telesphorus (general)|Telesphorus]] arrives in to the [[Peloponnese]] and starts expelling [[Cassander]]'s garrisons. He successfully liberates all cities and towns that are being held for Cassander by [[Polyperchon]] and his son [[Alexander (son of Polyperchon)|Alexander]]; all except [[Sicyon]] and [[Corinth]] who are being defended by Polyperchon and Alexander themselves.<ref>Diod. XIX 64,1–2.</ref>
* [[Cassander]] sails against the city of [[Oreus]] on [[Euboea]] with a fleet of 30 ships. He blockades its port trying to force the city's surrender.
*  [[Telesphorus (general)|Telesphorus]] comes to the aid of Oreus from the [[Peloponnese]] with 20 ships and 1,000 infantry, while  [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonid]] admiral [[Medius of Larissa|Medius]] sails to relieve Oreus with a 100 ships from [[Asia Minor]]; they break Cassander's blockade.
* [[Cassander]] receives reinforcements from Athens (under Thymochares the Sphettian, descendant of [[Thymochares]]) and defeats Telesphoros' squadron.<ref>Diod. XIX 64,6–8</ref>
* [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]] sends his nephew [[Ptolemy (nephew of Antigonus I Monophthalmus)|Ptolemy]], whom he has made [[strategos|Strategos of Greece]], with 5,000 infantry, 500 cavalry and 150 warships (he had recalled and reinforced Medius' fleet) to take command of all Antigonid forces and affairs in Greece.<ref>Diod. XIX 77,2–4</ref>
* [[Cassander]] abandons the siege of Oreus, concentrating his forces at [[Chalcis]] to counter [[Ptolemy (nephew of Antigonus I Monophthalmus)|Ptolemy]] who has landed at Bathys in [[Boeotia]] and has been reinforced by the Boeotian League with 2,200 infantry and 1,300 cavalry.<ref>Diod. XIX 77,4–5</ref>
* Antigonus marches his main field army to the [[Hellespont|Hellespontine region]] threatening to invade Europe and attack Macedon, forcing Cassander to retreat to Macedon to prepare its defences.<ref>Diod. XIX 77,4–6</ref>
* [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]] arrives at the [[Propontis]] and tries to negotiate an alliance with [[Byzantium]], but the city, at the urging of [[Lysimachus]], remains neutral; without it Antigonus gives up on the idea of crossing over into Europe.<ref>Diod. XIX 77,6–7</ref>
* The [[Corcyraeans]] come to the aid of [[Apollonia (Illyria)|Apollonia]] and [[Epidamus]] and help the Apollonians and the people of Epidamus to remove the garrisons Cassander put there. They free Apollonia, but give the city of Epidamus to the Illyrian king [[Glaucias of Taulantii|Glaucias]].<ref>Diod. XIX 78,1</ref>
* [[Ptolemy (nephew of Antigonus I Monophthalmus)|Ptolemy]] captures [[Chalcis]], removes Cassander's garrison, but does not install a garrison of his own. [[Eretria]] and [[Carystus]], both on [[Euboea]] as well, join Antigonus' alliance. Ptolemy crosses over to mainland Greece and captures [[Oropos]], again removing Cassander's garrison, he then hands it over to Antigonus' ally, the [[Boeotian League]]. After Oropos he invades [[Attica]] putting pressure on [[Athens]] to negotiate a truce. From Attica he marches on [[Thebes, Greece|Thebes]], captures it and removes Cassander's garrison. He moves on to [[Phocis]], drives out Cassander's garrisons in that region as well, and moves into [[Opuntian Locris]], where he besieges [[Opus, Greece|Opus]].<ref>Diod. XIX 78,2–5</ref>
* [[Telesphorus (general)|Telesphorus]], who had been subordinated to Antigonus' other nephew [[Ptolemy (nephew of Antigonus I Monophthalmus)|Ptolemy]] considered this an insult and ends his friendship with [[Antigonus I Monophthalmus|Antigonus]] through betrayal.<ref name=Diod1987>{{cite book|last=Siculus|first=Diodorus|title=Library|url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/19E*.html#87|volume=XIX|chapter=87}}</ref>
* [[Telesphorus (general)|Telesphorus]] enters [[Elis (city)|Elis]], fortifies its citadel, and enslaves the city. He then marches on [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]] and plunders its sacred precinct collecting 500 talents; with his booty Telesphorus stars hiring mercenaries.<ref name=Diod1987/>
* [[Ptolemy (nephew of Antigonus I Monophthalmus)|Ptolemy]] soon restores the situation and persuades Telesphorus to give up his revolt.<ref>Diod. XIX 87,1–3</ref>

==== Sicily ====
* [[Agathocles of Syracuse|Agathocles]], tyrant of [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]], increased the size of his forces until they surpassed the [[Carthage|Carthaginian]] garrison forces on the island.<ref>Diod. XIX 106,1</ref>
* [[Carthage]], concerned with Agathocles' increasing powers, decided to send 130 warships and 14,200 soldiers under the command of a general named Hamilcar (son of Gisco, grandson of [[Hanno I the Great|Hanno the Great]]).<ref>Diod. XIX 106,2</ref>
* Hamilcar's fleet was caught by several storms which sank 60 warships and destroyed 200 transports.<ref>Diod. XIX 106,3</ref>
* After landing on Sicily, Hamilcar gathered the remnants of his army, he also started to hire mercenaries, enlist those Sicilians opposed to Agathocles and enroll soldiers from the Carthaginian garrisons already on Sicily. In this way he was able to muster a large army.<ref>Diod. XIX 106,5</ref>
* Agathocles, fearing [[Gela]] would turn against him, took over the city, executed 4,000 leading Geloans he suspected of treason, and confiscated their property.<ref>Diod. XIX 107</ref>

==== Italy ====
* The [[Second Samnite War]] continues: there are rumours of a mobilisation of the [[Etruscans]]; since the [[Roman consul|consul]] Marcus Valerius Maximus Corvus is campaigning in [[Samnium]] and his consular colleague [[Publius Decius Mus (consul 312 BC)|Publius Decius Mus]] is to ill to lead an army, the people appoint [[Gaius Sulpicius Longus]] as [[Roman dictator|dictator]]. Sulpicius appoints [[Gaius Junius Bubulcus Brutus]] as his [[Magister Equitum]] (Second-in-command). Sulpicius ' mission is to defend against the Etruscan invasion which never materialize; Sulpicius and Brutus remain in camp at Rome until the end of the campaigning season.<ref>Livy VIII 9.29</ref>
* The [[Roman censor]], [[Appius Claudius Caecus]], a [[Patrician (ancient Rome)|patrician]], enters office and begins construction of the [[Appian Way]] (the [[Via Appia]]) between [[Rome]] and [[Capua]]. He also embarks on a program of political reform, including the distribution of the landless citizens of Rome among the tribes, which at this time constitute basic political units. Appius also admits sons of freedmen into the [[Roman Senate]]. He also asserts the right of freed slaves to hold office.
* Rome gets its first pure drinking water as engineers complete the first aqueduct into the city, the [[Aqua Appia]].
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== Births ==
*

== Deaths ==
*[[Peithon (son of Agenor)]]

==Sources==
===Ancient Sources===
* [[Diodorus Siculus]], [[Bibliotheca historica|Bibliotheca Historica]], volume XIX.
* [[Livy]], [[History of Rome (Livy)|Ab Urbe Condita]] (History of Rome), volume VIII.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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