Pyrrhus of Epirus is generally considered one of the greatest generals of Antiquity. But if Fate had decided otherwise, he would have died at a young age. Pyrrhus had been born in 319 BCE as the son of King Aiakides of Epirus. Two years later the Molossians, one of the…
Summary The consul Quintus Calpurnius Piso pillages the territories of Pallantia, but does not attack Numantia; Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus is elected consul for the next year to end the Numantine War; A Syrian slave called Eunus leads a slave revolt on Sicily, the so-called First Servile War; Eunus…
Summary A serious epidemic hits Rome and the rest of Italy; The Romans once again elect duumviri navales to protect their coast and allies against Illyrian and Ligurian pirates; The praetor Marcus Pinarius defeats the rebellious Corsi on Corsica and the Ilienses on Sardinia; The Ligurian Ingauni besiege the proconsul…
Summary Illyrians under Queen Teuta start raiding Greek coastal areas. Roman and Italian ships are attacked as well, prompting a Roman intervention (230 BCE); The Romans win an easy victory over the Illyrians during the First Illyrian War (229-228 BCE). The Illyrians were a loose coalition of tribes, who usually…
Summary Gaius Flaminius is elected censor and has the Circus Flaminius and the Via Flaminia built (220 BCE); Rome’s former ally Demetrios of Faros resumes his piratical activities, prompting a Roman campaign against the Illyrians (219 BCE); The Second Illyrian War ends in a decisive Roman victory. The consul Lucius…