278 BC

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Events

By place

eleucid Empire

* After their defeats in Greece, the Gauls move into Asia Minor. The Seleucid king Antiochus wins a major battle over the Gauls leading to his being given the title of Soter (Greek for "saviour"). The Gauls settle down to become the "Galatians" and are paid 2,000 talents annually by the Seleucid kings to keep the peace.
* Antigonus concludes a peace with Antiochus who surrenders his claim to Macedonia. Thereafter Antigonus II's foreign policy is marked by friendship with the Seleucids.
* Nicomedes I becomes the first ruler of Bithynia to assume the title of king. He founds the city of Nicomedia, which soon rises to great prosperity.

icily

* The Carthaginians seize an opportunity to interfere in a quarrel between Syracuse and Agrigentum and besiege Syracuse. The Syracusans ask for help from Pyrrhus. At the same time, the Macedonians, whose king, Ptolemy Keraunos, has been killed by invading Gauls, ask Pyrrhus to ascend the throne of Macedonia. Pyrrhus decides that Sicily offers him a greater opportunity and transfers his army there.
* On his arrival in Sicily, Pyrrhus' forces win battles against the Carthaginians across Sicily. Pyrrhus conquers most of those parts of Sicily governed by Carthage except for Lilybaeum (Marsala).
* Pyrrhus 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.

China

* Shouchun (modern Shou County) in central Anhui becomes a centre for refugees from the state of Chu after its heartland in the modern Hubei province is overrun by the powerful state of Qin in the west.
* Qu Yuan writes the poem "Lament for Ying" after the fall of the capital of Chu.

Births

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Deaths

* Polyaenus of Lampsacus, Greek mathematician and philosopher and friend of Epicurus (b. c. 340 BC)
* Qu Yuan, Chinese poet from southern Chu who lived during the Warring States Period. His works are mostly found in an anthology of poetry known as Chu Ci (b. c. 340 BC)