View source for 208 BC

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
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{{BC year in topic|208}}
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Year '''208 BC''' was a year of the [[Roman calendar|pre-Julian Roman calendar]]. At the time it was known as the '''Year of the Consulship of Marcellus and Crispinus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 546 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 208 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the [[Anno Domini]] [[calendar era]] became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

== Events ==
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=== By place ===

==== Roman Republic ====
* The [[Roman Republic|Romans]] under [[Scipio Africanus|Publius Cornelius Scipio]] defeat the [[Carthage|Carthaginians]] under their commander [[Hasdrubal Barca]] at [[Battle of Baecula|Baecula]] ([[Bailén|Bailen]]) in [[Baetica]]. As a result, Hasdrubal Barca decides to cross the [[Pyrenees]] with his remaining troops into [[Transalpine Gaul]], with the intention of joining his brother [[Hannibal]] in [[Italy]].
* The Roman general [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus]] is killed in battle while fighting Hannibal near [[Venusia]], [[Apulia]].
* Hannibal destroys a Roman force at the [[Battle of Petelia]].

==== Seleucid Empire ====
* [[Antiochus III the Great|Antiochus III]] advances into [[Bactria]], which is ruled by the [[Greco-Bactrian]] king [[Euthydemus I]], and defeats Euthydemus at the [[Battle of the Arius]]. After resisting a [[Siege of Bactra|siege]] of his capital [[Bactra]] ([[Balkh]]) by the [[Seleucid]]s, Euthydemus obtains an honourable peace by which Antiochus promises Euthydemus' son Demetrius the hand of one of his daughters.

==== China ====
* [[Zhang Han (Qin dynasty)|Zhang Han]] defeats and kills the rebel leader [[Xiang Liang]] in the Battle of Dingtao.
* Qin Prime Minister [[Li Si]] is executed by [[Qin Er Shi]], having been conspired against by the eunuch [[Zhao Gao]], who replaces him as Prime Minister.
* Zhang Han seizes the [[Zhao (state)|Zhao]] capital Handan and besieges its king Zhao Xie in Julu. 
* Xiang Liang's nephew [[Xiang Yu]] seizes control of Liang's army.<ref>{{cite book|first=Hing Ming|last= Hung|title=The Road to the Throne: How Liu Bang Founded China's Han Dynasty|year= 2011|isbn=978-0875868387|pages= 32–54}}</ref>
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== Births ==
* [[Liu Ruyi]], Chinese prince and only son of the first [[Han dynasty|Han]] emperor [[Emperor Gaozu of Han|Liu Bang]] (d. [[194 BC]])
* [[Polybius]], [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] historian, famous for his book called "The Histories" or "The Rise of the Roman Empire", covering in detail the period between [[220 BC|220]] and [[146 BC]] (d. [[120 BC]])

== Deaths ==
* [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus]], Roman general who has captured [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]] during the Second Punic War and has become known as "the sword of Rome" (b. [[268 BC]])
* [[Li Si]], Chinese philosopher and politician (assassinated) (b. [[280 BC]])

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:208 BC| ]]