Editing 334 BC

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Refimprove|date=February 2024}}
{{Year nav|-334}}
{{BC year in topic|334}}
[[File:BattleofGranicus.JPG|thumb|The Battle of the Granicus]]
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Year '''334 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 Caudinus and Calvinus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 420 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 334 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 ===

==== Persian Empire ====
* The king of [[Caria]], [[Pixodarus of Caria|Pixodarus]], dies and is succeeded by his son-in-law, [[Orontobates]].
* As the Persian [[satrap]]s have gathered for a war council at [[Zeleia]], Memnon argues that it is preferable for the Persians to avoid a pitched battle and adopt a [[scorched earth]] tactic. [[Arsites]], the satrap of Hellespontine [[Phrygia]], will not allow his land to be burned and agrees with other satraps to reject this cautious advice.

==== Macedonia ====
* King [[Alexander the Great|Alexander III]] of [[Macedon]]ia crosses the [[Dardanelles]], leaving [[Antipater]], who has already faithfully served his father, [[Philip II of Macedon|Philip II]], as his deputy in Greece with over 13,000 men. Alexander himself commands about 30,000 foot soldiers and over 5,000 cavalry, of whom nearly 14,000 are Macedonians and about 7,000 are allies sent by the Greek League.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-the-Great | access-date=February 25, 2024 | date=February 21, 2024 | first=Frank W. | last=Walkbank | title=Alexander the Great | series=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref>
* May &ndash; Alexander wins a major victory against the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persians]] commanded by the Greek mercenary [[Memnon of Rhodes]], in the [[Battle of the Granicus]] near the [[Sea of Marmara]]. A large number of King [[Darius III]]'s Greek mercenaries are massacred, but 2,000 survivors are sent back to Macedonia in chains.
* Alexander accepts the surrender of the Persian provincial capital of [[Sardis]] (and its treasury) and proceeds down the [[Ionia]]n coast.
* At [[Halicarnassus]], Alexander successfully undertakes the first of many sieges, eventually forcing his opponents, the mercenary captain [[Memnon of Rhodes]] and the Persian [[satrap]] of [[Caria]], [[Orontobates]], to withdraw by sea. Alexander leaves Caria in the hands of [[Ada of Caria|Ada]], who was the ruler of Caria before being deposed by her brother-in-law, [[Pixodarus of Caria|Pixodarus]].
* Alexander's victory exposes western [[Asia Minor]] to the Macedonians, and most of the cities in the region hasten to open their gates. The Ionian city of [[Miletus]] defies Alexander and he has to subdue it through a [[Siege of Miletus|siege]].

==== Italy ====
* [[Alexander of Epirus]], at the request of the colony of [[Taras (town)|Taras]] ([[Taranto|Tarentum]]) crosses over into [[Italy]], to aid them against the [[Lucanians]] and [[Bruttii]]. He wins victories over the Italian [[Samnium|Samnite]] tribes.

==== China ====
* The rulers of [[State of Wei|Wei]] and [[State of Qi|Qi]] agree to recognize each other as kings, formalizing the independence of the [[Warring States period|Warring States]] and the powerlessness of the [[Zhou dynasty]].
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== Births ==
* [[Zeno of Citium]], Greek philosopher and the father of [[Stoicism]] (approximate date) (d. c. [[262 BC]])

== Deaths ==
* [[Pixodarus of Caria|Pixodarus]], King of [[Caria]]

== References ==
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[[Category:334 BC| ]]