295 BCE

The first temple to Venus, the Roman goddess of love, beauty and fertility, is dedicated by Quintus Fabius Maximus Gurges. The Samnites defeat the propraetor Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus in Umbria in the Battle of Camerinum. The consuls Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus and Publius Decius Mus march to Sentinum in Umbria. Facing a coalition army of Samnites, Semnones, Etruscans and Umbrians, they order the propraetors Gnaeus Fulvius Maximus Centumalus and Lucius Postumius Megellus, who were initially tasked with defending Rome, to raid Etruria as far as Clusium. This provokes the Etruscans to march to their homeland's defence, taking the Umbrians with them. In the subsequent Battle of Sentinum against the Samnites and Semnones, Decius is killed in an act of Devotio, and Fabius wins the battle. Gellius Egnatius, the mastermind behind the coalition, is cut down in the fighting, along with 25,000 Samnites and Semnones killed and 8000 captured.

In the 290s BC, the 3rd century BC.

Conflict & Security

  • The Samnites defeat the propraetor Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus in Umbria in the Battle of Camerinum.source
  • Athens falls to Demetrius Poliorcetes after a bitter siege, and its tyrant Lachares flees into exile.source
  • The consuls Quintus Fabius Maximus Rullianus and Publius Decius Mus march to Sentinum in Umbria. Facing a coalition army of Samnites, Semnones, Etruscans and Umbrians, they order the propraetors Gnaeus Fulvius Maximus Centumalus and Lucius Postumius Megellus, who were initially tasked with defending Rome, to raid Etruria as far as Clusium. This provokes the Etruscans to march to their homeland's defence, taking the Umbrians with them. In the subsequent Battle of Sentinum against the Samnites and Semnones, Decius is killed in an act of Devotio, and Fabius wins the battle. Gellius Egnatius, the mastermind behind the coalition, is cut down in the fighting, along with 25,000 Samnites and Semnones killed and 8000 captured.source
  • The proconsul Lucius Volumnius Flamma Violens defeats a Samnite army at Mt Tifernus and invades Samnium.source
  • A force of Samnite fugitives are defeated by the Paeligni.source
  • Volumnius and the praetor Appius Claudius Caecus (who is given command over Decius' army) defeat a Samnite army in the Stellate Plains, killing 16,300 and capturing 2700.source
  • Fulvius defeats a united force of Etruscans from Clusium and Perusia, and Fabius marches into Etruria and inflicts a further defeat on the Perusians.source

Religion & Belief

  • August 19 – The first temple to Venus, the Roman goddess of love, beauty and fertility, is dedicated by Quintus Fabius Maximus Gurges.source

Crime & Justice

  • The king of Macedon, Antipater II, murders his mother Thessalonike, accusing her of being too fond of his brother and co-ruler Alexander V.source

Births

  • Apollonius of Rhodes, Greek poet and librarian (approximate date)source
  • Ptolemy, son of Pyrrhus of Epirus (died 272 BC)source

Deaths

  • Gellius Egnatius, Roman military leader of the Samnitessource
  • Zhuang Zhou, Chinese philosopher (approximate date)source
  • Wuling of Zhao, Chinese king of Zhao (born 340 BC)source
  • Publius Decius Mus, Roman consul (killed in the Battle of Sentinum)source
  • Thessalonike of Macedon, daughter of king Philip II of Macedon and wife of Cassander (born 352 BC)source