Editing 330 BC

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{{BC year in topic|330}}
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Year '''330 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 Crassus and Venno''' (or, less frequently, '''year 424 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 330 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 ==

=== By place ===

==== Macedonian Empire ====
* [[January 20]] &ndash; [[Alexander the Great]] defeats the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persians]], led by satrap [[Ariobarzanes, Satrap of Persis|Ariobarzanes]], at the [[Persian Gates]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Bloedow |first1=Edmund F. |last2=Loube |first2=Heather M. |date=1997-02-01 |title=Alexander the Great "Under Fire" at Persepolis |url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1524/klio.1997.79.2.341/html |journal=Klio |language=de |volume=79 |issue=2 |pages=341–353 |doi=10.1524/klio.1997.79.2.341 |issn=2192-7669}}</ref> In this battle, Ariobarzan, supported by only 700 [[Immortals (Achaemenid Empire)|Persian Immortals]], holds the vast Macedonian army of 17,000 men at bay for 30 days. At the end, his troops are surrounded by Alexander's army, because of a Persian shepherd, who leads it around the Persian defenses. However, instead of surrendering, Ariobarzan and his 700 Immortals fight to the last man. Some historians consider him to be the [[Leonidas I|Leonidas]] of Persia.
* [[January 30]] &ndash; After gaining the Pass of the Persian Gates, Alexander enters [[Persepolis]]. There he ceremonially burns down the palace of [[Xerxes I]], as a symbol that the Panhellenic war of revenge is at an end.
* Before continuing his pursuit of [[Darius III]], who has retreated into [[Bactria]], Alexander assembles all the Persian treasure and entrusts it to [[Harpalus]], who is to hold it at [[Ecbatana]] as chief treasurer. [[Parmenion]] is also left behind in [[Medes|Media]] to manage communications between Alexander and the rest of his rapidly growing lands.
* Alexander appoints [[Atropates]] as the satrap of [[Medes|Media]] while [[Mithrenes]] is appointed by Alexander as satrap of [[Armenia]].
* Crossing the [[Elburz Mountains]] to the [[Caspian Sea]], Alexander seizes Zadracarta in [[Hyrcania]] and receives the submission of a group of satraps and Persian notables, some of whom he confirms in their offices. He then travels westward and defeats the Mardi, a [[mountain people]] who inhabit the Elburz Mountains. He also accepts the surrender of Darius' Greek mercenaries.
* In [[Aria (satrapy)|Aria]], Alexander's army defeats the satrap [[Satibarzanes]], who initially offers to submit, only to later revolt.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bosworth |first=A. B. |date=1983 |title=A Missing year in the history of Alexander the Great |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-hellenic-studies/article/abs/missing-year-in-the-history-of-alexander-the-great/906F1936E4261E6DC7560205206E417F |journal=The Journal of Hellenic Studies |language=en |volume=101 |pages=17–39 |doi=10.2307/629841 |jstor=629841 |issn=2041-4099}}</ref> Alexander then founds the town of [[Alexandria in Ariana|Alexandria of the Arians]] (modern [[Herat]]).
* At Phrada, in [[Drangiana]], [[Philotas]], [[Parmenion]]'s son and commander of the elite Macedonian [[companion cavalry]], is implicated in an alleged plot against Alexander's life. He is condemned by the army, and executed. A secret message is sent by Alexander to Cleander, Parmenion's second in command, who obediently kills Parmenion at [[Ecbatana]] in Media for fear that he will rise up in revolt at the news of his son's death. All of Parmenion's adherents are now eliminated and men close to Alexander are promoted.

==== Persian Empire ====
* [[July 17]] &ndash; King [[Darius III]] is deposed and killed by [[Bessus]], the [[satrap]] of [[Bactria]]. Bessus assumes the kingship as Artaxerxes V.<ref name=darIII/>

==== Macedonia ====
* Alexander's regent in [[Macedon]]ia, [[Antipater]], makes peace with the [[Thrace|Thracians]] (with whom he has been warring) and then marches south with a large force of over 40,000 men. He wins a hard-fought [[Battle of Megalopolis]] in Arcadia against [[Agis III]] of [[Sparta]] and his Greek mercenaries. Agis III is killed, and Spartan resistance is broken.{{Citation Needed|date=June 2022}}
* [[Aeschines]] continues to try to prevent [[Demosthenes]] from being awarded a golden crown for his services to [[Athens]]. The case, which has begun in [[336 BC]], finally concludes with the overwhelming defeat of Aeschines, largely because of Demosthenes' brilliant speech for [[Ctesiphon (orator)|Ctesiphon]] (''[[On the Crown]]'').<ref>{{Cite web |last=Henderson |first=Jeffrey |title=De Corona |url=https://www.loebclassics.com/view/demosthenes-orations_xviii_de_corona/1926/pb_LCL155.5.xml |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Loeb Classical Library |language=en}}</ref>
* Following his defeat in the courts by Demosthenes, Aeschines leaves Athens for [[Rhodes]], to teach [[rhetoric]].

==== Roman Republic ====
* The Italian cities of [[Fondi]] and [[Privernum]], led by [[Vitruvius Vaccus]], launch a failed revolt against [[Rome]].

=== By topic ===

==== Art ====
* [[Lysippos]] makes a bronze statue called ''The scraper'' ([[Apoxyomenos]]) (approximate date). A Roman copy after the original statue is today kept at [[Musei Vaticani]] in [[Rome]].

== Births ==

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== Deaths ==
* [[Agis III]], Eurypontid king of [[Sparta]] (killed in battle)
* [[Darius III of Persia|Darius III]], king of [[Achaemenid Empire|Persia]], was killed in [[Bactria]] (b. c. [[380 BC]])<ref name=darIII>{{cite web | access-date=February 25, 2024 | url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Darius-III | title=Darius III | series=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref>
* [[Kidinnu]], Chaldean astronomer and mathematician
* [[Parmenion]] (also Parmenio), Macedonian general (murdered) (b. c. [[400 BC]])
* [[Philotas]], Macedonian officer and son of Parmenio (executed)
* [[Theopompus]] of [[Chios]], Greek historian and rhetorician (b. c. [[380 BC]])

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:330 BC| ]]