240 BC Chr.

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Heads of state

240 BC Chr.
240 BC In other calendars
Buddhist calendar	304/305 (southern Buddhism); 303/304 (alternative calculation according to Buddha's Parinirvana )
Chinese calendar	40th (41st) cycle , year of the metal rooster辛酉 ( at the beginning of the year metal monkey庚申)
Greek calendar	4th year of the 134th / 1st year of the 135th Olympiad
Jewish calendar	3521/22
Roman calendar	from urbe condita DXIV (514)
Seleucid era	Babylon: 71/72 (turn of the year April); Syria: 72/73 (New Year October)

Events

Politics and world events

Western Mediterranean

• The mercenaries rebelling against Carthage conquer Utica and Tunes and defeat the general Hanno . Thereupon the Carthaginians appoint Hamilkar Barkas as their commander, who the mercenaries in the year 240 or 239 BC. In the battle of the Bagradas. Hamilkar also wins the support of the Numidian ruler Naravas, with whose help he succeeds in another victory against the rebels.
• The Roman Lex Hieronica lays down the taxation of the newly acquired province of Sicilia .

Eastern Mediterranean

• The Aitolian League , whose troops had invaded the Peloponnese, makes peace with the Achaean League .
• After the death of the tyrant of Argos , Aristomachus, Aristippus succeeds him. Aratos of Sicyon attacks the city with troops of the Achaean League, but remains unsuccessful.

Asia

• Seleucus II fights his brother and rival Antiochus Hierax in Lydia .

science and technology

• Eratosthenes of Cyrene establishes the system of latitude and longitude for geography . He calculates the circumference of the earth from the different positions of the sun in Alexandria and Syene as 252,000 stages, which is quite close to the actual value.
• First recorded observation of Halley's Comet (in China ).

Culture

• In Rome , for the first time ever, a Greek tragedy and a comedy are being performed in Latin translation by the state : sudden dawn of Roman literature (pre-classical period) and Roman theater; In the same year, Livius Andronicus wrote the first drama in Latin with his Achilles .

religion

• Introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka by Mahinda , the son of Ashoka .

Born

• around 240 BC Chr .: Diogenes of Babylon , Greek philosopher († before 150 BC )
• after 240 BC BC: Ptolemy IV , King of Egypt († 204 BC )

Died

• Poseidippus , Hellenistic epigrammatist (* around 310 BC )
• around 240 BC Chr .: Callimachus of Cyrene , Hellenistic poet (* around 305 BC )
• around 240 BC Chr .: Arkesilaos , Greek philosopher (* around 315 BC )

Web links

Commons : 240 BC Chr.  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files