阴金蛇年 (female Iron-
Snake) −152 or −533 or −1305 — to — 阳水马年 (male Water-
Horse) −151 or −532 or −1304
The west Mediterranean in 279 BC.
Year 279 BC was a year of the
pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Publius Sulpicius Saverrio and
Publius Decius Mus (or, less frequently, year 475 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 279 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the
Anno Dominicalendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for many years.
Events
By place
Greece
An army of
Gauls under
Brennusinvade Greece. A section of the army, commanded by
Bolgios, crushes a
Macedonian army led by
Ptolemy Keraunos, who is killed in the battle. At the narrow pass of
Thermopylae, on the east coast of
Central Greece, Brennus' forces suffer heavy losses while trying to break through the Greek defence comprising the
Phocians and the
Aetolians. Eventually Brennus finds a way around the pass but the Greeks escape by sea. Brennus pushes on to
Delphi where he is defeated and forced to retreat, after which he dies of wounds sustained in the battle. His army falls back to the river
Spercheios where it is routed by
Thessalians and
Malians. Some of the survivors settle in a part of
Asia Minor that will eventually be called
Galatia, while some settle in
Thrace, founding a short-lived city-state named
Tylis.
With the death of Ptolemy Keraunos, the previous King of Macedonia,
Antipater II becomes king again. However, his new reign lasts only a few months before he is killed by his cousin
Sosthenes who becomes the new King of Macedonia.
The Phocians are readmitted into the
Amphictyonic League after they have joined in the defence of Delphi against the Gauls.
Roman Republic
The
Carthaginians and the
Romans agree to support each other against a common foe. The Carthaginians give Rome money and ships in their fight against
Pyrrhus, the king of
Epirus.
Pyrrhus realizes that he cannot capture Rome and suggests peace terms to the Romans. Pyrrhus sends his chief advisor,
Cineas, to Rome to negotiate a peace. Cineas demands that the Romans halt their aggression against the
Greeks of southern
Italy and restore the lands the Romans have taken from the
Bruttii, the
Apulians, and the
Samnites. The Romans reject his demands, largely at the instigation of the former Roman censor,
Appius Claudius Caecus.
In renewed fighting, Pyrrhus of Epirus, leading the combined
Tarantine,
Oscan, Samnite, and
Greek forces, wins a '
Pyrrhic victory' against the Romans led by consul
Publius Decius Mus at the
Battle of Asculum, called such because his victory comes at a great cost to his own forces. Pyrrhus is reported to have said afterwards, "One more victory against the Romans and we shall be utterly ruined!" Disheartened, Pyrrhus retires to
Tarentum and sends Cineas to make renewed peace overtures to Rome. These talks are inconclusive.
Egypt
The aggression of
Ptolemy II of
Egypt continues to cause friction with
Antiochus as he takes
Miletus in south-western Asia Minor from him.