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287 BC-285 BC. The Volcae war.
287 BC
The Volcae war 287-285 bc
The Volcae together with several other minor gaul tribes invaded Massalia league lands and siege Agathe, with a big army comprising about forty thousand warriors. The cause for this is explained by Pausanias as greed for loot. Massaliot League mobilise their army with one tagma summoned in the area of emporion and three from the rest areas in Massalia. The tagma of emporion tried to protect Agathe but in the battle outside the city they were vastly outnumber one to eight, leading to a crushing defeat. After some months Agathe felt to the Gauls and plundered severe. Half of the population was killed. Hearing the news that the Volcae have a massive army of nearly forty thousand men, the Massaliotes tried to form an army as big as possible. Diplomats send to Rome and Sequani tribe asking for help.
By place
Roman Republic
286 BC
The Volcae after plundering Agathe area marched to Rhoda and siege it. The army of Massaliot league with the reinforcements from Rome and Sequani, marched and meet the Gauls outside of Rhoda. The thirty one thousands men army of Massaliot League( three tagmata, seven thousands ligurians/celtiberians mercenaries sponsored from the league and both companies, one roman legion and four thousands Sequani) under the command of strategos Orestes won the decisive battle. This was the biggest triumph of Massalia history. The key factor of this victory was the deployment of the roman legion behind the Gauls lines, by sea under strategos Orestes orders. The new formation of tagmata and the better equipment played also important role to the victory. The Massaliots army lost eight thousand men (mostly mercenaries and Sequani) and The Volcae nearly twenty two thousands with another seven thousands sold as slaves. After that the Massaliot army seeking revenge for Agathe, invaded the Volcae lands and marched to Volcae capital, Tolosa.
By place
Greece
285 BC
With the arrival in Tolosa the Greeks meet another army of twenty thousand Gauls. The reinforced thirty thousands army of Massalia was again victorious. The Massaliots army lost six thousands men and the Volcae fifteen thousands. Four more thousands Gauls sold as slaves. After a short siege Tolosa felt to the Massaliots where they found an incredible amount of gold and silver in a sanctuary(Poseidonius version). Tolosa was one of the wealthiest and most important cities in Gaul during the pre-Roman era. Gold and silver mines were nearby, and offerings to its shrines and temples accumulated wealth in the city. The next months after some more small pitch battles the Volcae territory is annexed officially and one tagma left as garrison to Tolosa to control the new territories. There was a big land distribution to the soldiers of this tagma to help settling them in the area. This conquest and the amount of wealth that found there, played a critical role for Massalia to become a major power.
By place
Egypt
The Volcae war 287-285 bc
The Volcae together with several other minor gaul tribes invaded Massalia league lands and siege Agathe, with a big army comprising about forty thousand warriors. The cause for this is explained by Pausanias as greed for loot. Massaliot League mobilise their army with one tagma summoned in the area of emporion and three from the rest areas in Massalia. The tagma of emporion tried to protect Agathe but in the battle outside the city they were vastly outnumber one to eight, leading to a crushing defeat. After some months Agathe felt to the Gauls and plundered severe. Half of the population was killed. Hearing the news that the Volcae have a massive army of nearly forty thousand men, the Massaliotes tried to form an army as big as possible. Diplomats send to Rome and Sequani tribe asking for help.
By place
Roman Republic
- A new law, Lex Hortensia, gives much greater power to the plebeian Assembly compared to the Senate. This law is passed following a threat from plebeian soldiers to secede. In the face of this threat, the Senate yields to plebeian concerns over their lack of political power and over their level of debt to the aristocracy. The law is named after Quintus Hortensius, a plebeian, who is made dictator to settle the controversy.
- Pyrrhus is proclaimed King of Macedonia.
286 BC
The Volcae after plundering Agathe area marched to Rhoda and siege it. The army of Massaliot league with the reinforcements from Rome and Sequani, marched and meet the Gauls outside of Rhoda. The thirty one thousands men army of Massaliot League( three tagmata, seven thousands ligurians/celtiberians mercenaries sponsored from the league and both companies, one roman legion and four thousands Sequani) under the command of strategos Orestes won the decisive battle. This was the biggest triumph of Massalia history. The key factor of this victory was the deployment of the roman legion behind the Gauls lines, by sea under strategos Orestes orders. The new formation of tagmata and the better equipment played also important role to the victory. The Massaliots army lost eight thousand men (mostly mercenaries and Sequani) and The Volcae nearly twenty two thousands with another seven thousands sold as slaves. After that the Massaliot army seeking revenge for Agathe, invaded the Volcae lands and marched to Volcae capital, Tolosa.
By place
Greece
- As Demetrius Poliorcetes and his army are chased across Asia Minor to the Taurus Mountains by the armies of Lysimachus and Seleucus, in Greece his son Antigonus meets with success. Ptolemy's fleet is driven off and Athens surrenders to Antigonus.
- After allowing Pyrrhus of Epirus to remain in possession of Macedonia with the title of king, he is expelled by Lysimachus who declares himself its king in the place of Pyrrhus.
- The new law, Lex Aquilia, is enacted. This is a Roman law which provides compensation to the owners of property injured as a result of someone's fault.
285 BC
With the arrival in Tolosa the Greeks meet another army of twenty thousand Gauls. The reinforced thirty thousands army of Massalia was again victorious. The Massaliots army lost six thousands men and the Volcae fifteen thousands. Four more thousands Gauls sold as slaves. After a short siege Tolosa felt to the Massaliots where they found an incredible amount of gold and silver in a sanctuary(Poseidonius version). Tolosa was one of the wealthiest and most important cities in Gaul during the pre-Roman era. Gold and silver mines were nearby, and offerings to its shrines and temples accumulated wealth in the city. The next months after some more small pitch battles the Volcae territory is annexed officially and one tagma left as garrison to Tolosa to control the new territories. There was a big land distribution to the soldiers of this tagma to help settling them in the area. This conquest and the amount of wealth that found there, played a critical role for Massalia to become a major power.
- Massaliot league mint their first gold coins.
- The great geographer and explorer Pytheas of Massalia died at the age of sixty five.
By place
Egypt
- June 26 – Egypt's Ptolemy I Soter abdicates. He is succeeded by his youngest son by his wife Berenice, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, who has been co-regent for three years.
- A 110 metre tall lighthouse on the island of Pharos in Alexandria's harbour is completed and serves as a landmark for ships in the eastern Mediterranean. Built by Sostratus of Cnidus for Ptolemy II of Egypt, it is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It is a technological triumph and is the archetype of all lighthouses since. A broad spiral ramp leads to the top, where a fire burns at night.
- Sersor
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