419 BC

Year 419 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Tribunate of Lanatus, Rutilus, Tricipitinus and Axilla (or, less frequently, year 335 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 419 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

Greece

• Despite the Peace of Nicias still being in effect, Sparta's King Agis II gathers a strong army at Philus and descends upon Argos by marching at night from the north. His allied Boeotian forces fail him, but he is able to conclude a treaty with Argos. In 419 BC, the Argives, at the instigation of Alcibiades, attacked Epidaurus; and Agis with a large force from Lacedaemon set out and marched to the frontier city of Leuctra. No one, Thucydides tells us, knew the purpose of this expedition. It was probably to make a diversion in favour of Epidaurus. <ref>Connop Thirlwall, vol. iii. p. 342</ref>

By topic

Drama

• Euripides' play Andromache is performed.
• Sophocles' play Electra is performed. The play takes its theme from The Libation Bearers by Aeschylus.