Culture & Society in the 3rd century BC

26 sourced entries, 297 BCE to 200 BCE, oldest first. Also see Culture & Society across every century or everything else in the 3rd century BC.

• 297 BCEBindusara, his son, ascends to the Pataliputra throne.source
• 294 BCEStratonice, daughter of Demetrius Poliorcetes and wife of Seleucus marries her stepson Antiochus. Seleucus has reportedly instigated the marriage after discovering that his son by his late wife Apama was in danger of dying of lovesickness as he has fallen in love with his beautiful stepmother.source
• 280 BCEThe Colossus of Rhodes is completed by the sculptor Chares of Lindos after twelve years' work. A giant statue of the Greek god Helios, it is the last completed of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It stands 70 cubits tall (over 30 metres or 100 feet), making it the tallest statue of the ancient world.source
• 278 BCEPyrrhus is proclaimed king of Sicily. He plans for his son Helenus to inherit the kingdom of Sicily and his other son Alexander to inherit Italy.source
• 278 BCEQu Yuan writes the poem "Lament for Ying" after the fall of the capital of Chu.source
• 275 BCEThe Museum of Alexandria is founded by the Egyptian King Ptolemy II.source
• 264 BCEThree pairs of gladiators face off in the first recorded gladiatorial combat, held at the funeral games in honour of aristocrat Junius Brutus Pera in the Forum Boarium.source
• 250 BCEThe Mauryan Lion Capital of Ashoka, is erected as part of a pillar at Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh in India (approximate date). It is now preserved at the Sarnath Museum in Sarnath.source
• 250 BCEThe Mauryan sculpture Didarganj Yakshi holding a Fly Whisk, from Patna, Bihar in India, is made (approximate date). It is now kept at the Patna Museum in Patna.source
• 246 BCEIn order to secure the Bactrian King Diodotus' friendship, Seleucus II Callinicus arranges the marriage of one of his sisters to King Diodotus.source
• 245 BCEApproximate date – Callimachus produces the Pinakes, a subject index to the Library of Alexandria.source
• 240 BCEThe first Latin tragedy by Livius Andronicus, Achilles, is first produced.source
• 239 BCEQin Prime Minister Lü Buwei publishes the "Spring and Autumn Annals of Lü Buwei" (Lüshi Chunqiu).source
• 238 BCEYing Zheng, having reached adulthood, celebrates his capping ceremony as the king of Qin.source
• 235 BCEA work by the Latin epic poet and dramatist Gnaeus Naevius is performed for the first time.source
• 235 BCEIn Rome, the consul Titus Manlius Torquatus presides over the first ever closing of the gates of the Temple of Janus, signifying peace.source
• 232 BCEFollowing the death of his mentor, Cleanthes of Assos, Chrysippus of Soli succeeds him as the third head of the Stoic school. The many writings of Chrysippus, about the Stoic doctrines, will later earn him the title of Second Founder of Stoicism.source
• 227 BCEThe Macedonian regent, Antigonus III, marries the former king Demetrius II's widow, Phthia, and assumes the crown thus deposing the young Philip V.source
• 222 BCEMithridates II of Pontus gives his daughter Laodice in marriage to the Seleucid king Antiochus III. Another of his daughters, also named Laodice, is married about the same time to general Achaeus.source
• 220 BCEA bronze statue called Gallic Chieftain killing his wife and himself is made (approximate date). A Roman copy after the original statue is today preserved at Museo Nazionale Romano in Rome.source
• 220 BCEA bronze statue called Dying Gallic trumpeter is made (possibly by Epigonus) (230-220 BC). A marble Roman copy after the original statue is today preserved at Museo Capitolino in Rome.source
• 220 BCEArsinoe III marries her brother, King Ptolemy IV of Egypt.source
• 212 BCEAntiochus III gives his sister Antiochia in marriage to King Xerxes of Armenia, who acknowledges Antiochus III's suzerainty and pays him tribute.source
• 200 BCERoman artists begin attempting to produce the illusion of thin slabs of colored marble covering the walls, which are set off by actual architectural moldings and columns, in private houses. These attempts last for 120 years.source
• 200 BCELost-wax casting is known in China and Mesopotamia (approximate date).source
• 200 BCEAlexander the Great, head from a Hellenistic copy of a statue, possibly after a 4th century BC original by Lysippos is made. It is now kept at the Archeological Museum in Istanbul, Turkey.source