View source for 287 BC

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Year nav|-287}}
{{BC year in topic|287}}
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Year '''287 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 Rutilus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 467 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 287 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 ====
* A new law, [[Lex Hortensia]], gives much greater power to the [[Concilium plebis|''Concilium Plebis'']] (Plebeian Council) 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 (dictator)|Quintus Hortensius]], a plebeian, who is made dictator to settle the controversy.
* With the [[Lex Hortensia]] in place, in theory the political distinctions in Rome between the patricians and the plebeians disappear. However, in practice, the coalition of leading plebeian families keep control which means that the patricians are able to largely nullify the power of the assemblies. So Roman government continues to be oligarchic in character.

==== Greece ====
* The [[Macedon]]ians resent the extravagance and arrogance of [[Demetrius Poliorcetes]] and are not prepared to fight a difficult campaign for him. When [[Pyrrhus of Epirus]] takes the Macedonian city of [[Verroia]], Demetrius' army promptly deserts and goes over to Pyrrhus' side as he is much admired by the Macedonians for his bravery. At this change of fortune, [[Phila of Macedonia|Phila]], the mother of [[Antigonus II Gonatas|Antigonus]], kills herself with poison.
* Demetrius [[Siege of Athens (287 BC)|besieges Athens]] without success. He leaves Antigonus in charge of the war in Greece, assembles all his ships and embarks with his troops to attack [[Caria]] and [[Lydia]], provinces in [[Asia Minor]] controlled by [[Lysimachus]].
* [[Agathocles (son of Lysimachus)|Agathocles]] is sent by his father Lysimachus against Demetrius. Agathocles defeats Demetrius and drives him out of his father's provinces.
* Pyrrhus is proclaimed King of Macedonia.
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== Births ==
<gallery>
File:Domenico-Fetti_Archimedes_1620.jpg|Archimedes
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* [[Archimedes|Archimedes of Syracuse]],  [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] [[mathematician]], [[physicist]], [[engineer]], [[astronomer]] and [[Philosophy|philosopher]] (approximate date) (d. c. [[212 BC]])

== Deaths ==
* [[Phila of Macedonia|Phila]], daughter of [[Antipater]], the regent of [[Macedon]]ia
* [[Theophrastus]], [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] [[Peripatetic school|Peripatetic]] philosopher and pupil of [[Aristotle]] (b. c. [[372 BC]])

== References ==
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[[Category:287 BC| ]]