View source for 215 BC

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{{BC year in topic|215}}
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Year '''215 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 Albinus/Marcellus/Verrucosus and Gracchus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 539 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 215 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 ===
==== Sardinia ====
* A [[Carthage|Carthaginian]] invasion fleet bound for [[Sardinia]] is delayed by bad weather giving the [[Roman Republic|Romans]] the time to organize an intervention; the Roman general [[Titus Manlius Torquatus (consul 235 BC)|Titus Manlius Torquatus]], one of it original conquerors, is sent to Sardinia with an army. 
* [[Battle of Decimomannu]], the Romans led by Torquatus defeat a combined Sardinian/Carthaginian army ending the Sardinian rebellion and driving off the Carthaginians.
* On its return journey the Carthaginian invasion fleet is harassed by Roman squadrons operating from Sicily.

==== Spain ====
* The Carthaginian general, [[Hannibal]], is denied any reinforcements from Spain for his forces now based in Italy by the activities of the [[Roman Republic|Roman]] general [[Publius Cornelius Scipio (consul 218 BC)|Publius Cornelius Scipio]] and his brother [[Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Calvus]], who, in a battle at [[Dertosa]] near the [[Ebro River]] effectively stop the Carthaginian general, [[Hasdrubal Barca|Hasdrubal's]] attempt to break through to Italy.

==== Roman Republic ====
* The [[Roman Republic|Roman]] law, ''[[Lex Oppia]]'', is instituted by Gaius Oppius, a [[tribune]] of the [[plebs]] during the [[Roman consul|consulship]] of [[Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus]] and [[Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus (consul 215 BC)|Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus]]. The ''Lex Oppia'' is the first of a series of [[sumptuary]] laws introduced in Rome. It not only restricts women's wealth, but also their displaying it.
* The Roman general, [[Marcus Claudius Marcellus]], again repulses an attack by Hannibal on the city of [[Battle of Nola (215 BC)|Nola]].
* Hannibal's forces occupy the cities of [[Heraclea Lucania|Heraclea]] and [[Thurii]]. However, Hannibal is unable to prevent the Romans from besieging [[Capua]].

==== Greece ====
* [[Philip V of Macedon]] and Hannibal negotiate an alliance under which they pledge mutual support and defence. Specifically, they agree to support each other against Rome, and that Hannibal shall have the right to make peace with Rome, but that any peace would include Philip and that Rome would be forced to give up control of [[Corcyra]], [[Apollonia, Illyria|Apollonia]], [[Epidamnus]], [[Hvar|Pharos]], [[Dimale]], [[List of ancient tribes in Illyria|Parthini]] and [[Atintanians|Atintania]] and to restore to [[Demetrius of Pharos]] all his lands currently controlled by Rome.

==== Seleucid Empire ====
* The [[Seleucid]] king, [[Antiochus III the Great|Antiochus III]], crosses the [[Taurus Mountains]], uniting his forces with [[Attalus I Soter|Attalus]] of [[Pergamum]] and, in one campaign, deprives his rebel general, [[Achaeus (general)|Achaeus]], of all his dominions and takes [[Sardis]] (with the exception of the citadel).
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==== China ====
* Emperor [[Qin Shi Huang]] orders the construction of his [[Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor|mausoleum]] to begin(source?), including the famous [[Terracotta Army]].
* In what is claimed to be a preemptive strike, [[Qin dynasty|Qin]] forces under [[Meng Tian]] [[Qin's campaign against the Xiongnu|drive the Xiongnu and other northern peoples from their homeland]] on the [[Ordos Plateau]].<ref>{{cite book|first=Sima|last= Qian|title=Records of the Grand Historian, Section: The First Emperor, Section: Meng Tian.}}</ref>

== Births ==
* [[Antiochus IV Epiphanes]], king of the Seleucid Empire (d. [[164 BC]]) (approximate date)

== Deaths ==
* [[Apollonius of Rhodes]], Greek author (b. [[295 BC]])
* [[Hiero II of Syracuse|Hiero II]], [[tyrant]] of [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]] from [[270 BC]] (b. c. [[308 BC]])
* [[Hieronymus of Syracuse|Hieronymus]], grandson of [[Hiero II of Syracuse]] and tyrant (assassinated) (b. c. [[231 BC]])
* [[Emperor Kōrei]] of Japan, according to legend.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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