Editing 481 BC

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Year '''481 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 Vibulanus and Fusus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 273 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 481 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 [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian]] King [[Xerxes I of Persia|Xerxes I]] arrives at [[Sardis]] and begins to build up his great army and navy for the invasion of [[Ancient Greece|Greece]]. [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]] contributes 481 ships.

==== Greece ====
* The [[Congress at the Isthmus of Corinth]], under the presidency of [[Sparta]], brings together a number of the Greek city states, who agree to the end of the war between [[Athens]] and [[Aegina]]. They also discuss the threat from the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persians]]. Athens is unwilling to place her forces under Sparta and its king [[Leonidas I|Leonidas]]. [[Gelo]], [[tyrant]] of [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]], wants high command, but Sparta and Athens refuse. However, during the Congress, Gelo has to withdraw due to [[Carthage]]'s plans to invade [[Sicily]]. Finally, Themistocles agrees that Athens' navy serve under a Spartan admiral to achieve the unity of the Greek states. Nevertheless, [[Thebes, Greece|Thebes]] and [[Thessaly]] are unwilling to support Athens against the Persians and [[Crete]] decides to remain neutral.

==== China ====
* The [[Spring and Autumn period]], which had begun in [[722 BC]], ends and compilation of the ''[[Spring and Autumn Annals]]'' ceases.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Loewe |first=Michael |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cHA7Ey0-pbEC&pg=PA545 |title=The Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC |last2=Shaughnessy |first2=Edward L. |date=1999-03-13 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-47030-8 |pages=546 |language=en}}</ref> It gives way to the [[Warring States period]].

==== Rome ====
* The [[Aequi]] [[Roman-Aequian wars#Ongoing hostilities from 485 BC|lay siege]] to [[Ortona, Latium|Ortona]] but are defeated by the Romans.  Tensions between the Roman classes flare during the battle.
* Continuation of [[Roman–Etruscan Wars#The Fabian war with Veii in 483-476 BC|hostilities]] with [[Veii]].  The Veientine army threatens to besiege Rome but nothing notable occurs.
* The tribune [[Spurius Licinius]] unsuccessfully advocates an [[agrarian law]].
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== Births ==
* [[Protagoras]], [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] [[Pre-Socratic philosophy|presocratic]] [[Philosophy|philosopher]] (d. c. [[420 BC]])

== Deaths ==
* [[Sima Niu]], the highest ranking [[Aristocracy|aristocrat]] among the disciples of [[Confucius]]

== References ==
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[[Category:481 BC| ]]