The First Punic War
Rome builds a navy, beats Carthage and wins Sicily
The war began in 264 BC when the Romans landed at Messana and lasted 23 years, mostly on Sicily and at sea: land-bound Rome built its first great fleet. After the Carthaginian fleet was destroyed off the Aegates Islands in 241 BC, Carthage paid a huge indemnity and Sicily became Rome's first province.
Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 3rd century BC
Meanwhile around the world (±25 years)
Middle East
- c. 247 BC Arsaces founds the Parthian kingdom — 17 years later
Africa
- c. 285 BC Library of Alexandria — 21 years earlier
- c. 280 BC–247 BC Lighthouse of Alexandria — 16 years earlier
- c. 250 BC The rise of Djenné-Djenno — 14 years later
Asia
- c. 261 BC Kalinga War — 3 years later
- c. 260 BC The Edicts of Ashoka — 4 years later
Alive at the time
- Archimedes (aged 23)
- Ashoka (aged 40)
- Eratosthenes (aged 12)
- Zeno of Citium (aged 70)
- Xunzi (aged 46)
- Han Fei (aged 16)