View source for 331 BC

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
{{Refimprove|date=February 2024}}
{{Year nav|-331}}
{{BC year in topic|331}}
[[File:Battle gaugamela decisive.png|thumb|The Battle of Gaugamela]]
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Year '''331 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 Potitus and Marcellus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 423 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 331 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 ===

==== Macedonia ====
[[File:Alexander the Great is portrayed at the Battle of Gaugamela.jpg|thumb|Alexander the Great is portrayed at the Battle of Gaugamela (331 BCE) on a mosaic found on the floor of the House of the Faun in Pompeii. He is astride his famous horse Bucephalos and wears a breastplate decorated with the head of Medusa.]]
* Late January &ndash; [[Alexander the Great]] travels with a small bodyguard (among them is the future Egyptian ruler [[Ptolemy I Soter]]) along the coastal road of [[Ancient Egypt|Egypt]] and reaches the settlement of [[Mersa Matruh|Paraetonium]] on the borders of [[Cyrenaica]]. There, he receives a delegation of emissaries from [[Cyrene, Libya|Cyrene]], who grants him a number of gifts including fine horses and chariots. Alexander concludes a treaty of peace and alliance with them. He turns inland from the Mediterranean and travels through the [[Libyan Desert]] to the [[Siwah Oasis]], which he reaches in late February. Alexander consults the famous oracle and is pronounced the son of [[Zeus]]-[[Amun#Greece|Ammon]] as his true father.
* Alexander departs from Egypt and leads his forces towards [[Phoenicia]]. He leaves [[Cleomenes of Naucratis]] as the ruling [[nomarch]] to control Egypt.
* [[October 1]] – Alexander is victorious in the [[Battle of Gaugamela]] (near ancient [[Ninevah]]) over the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian]] King [[Darius III]]. Alexander pursues the defeated Persian forces to [[Erbil|Arbela]], Darius moves his [[Bactria]]n cavalry and Greek mercenaries into [[Medes|Media]].
* For the first time, Alexander encounters [[war elephant]]s after the battle in Darius' camp. In the capital, Susa, Alexander gains access to huge treasures amounting to 50,000 gold [[Talent (weight)|talents]] (equivalent of today circa 77 billion [[USD]]).

==== Greece ====
* From [[Thapsacus]] on the [[Euphrastes River]], Alexander led the Greek army toward the [[Tigris River]], leading to a victory over the Persians on October 31 at [[Gaugamela]], after which Darius fled and escaped.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-the-Great | access-date=February 25, 2024 | date=February 21, 2024 | first=Frank W. | last=Walkbank | title=Alexander the Great | series=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref> 
* While Alexander is fighting in Asia, [[Agis III]] of [[Sparta]], profiting from the Macedonian king's absence from [[Greece]], leads some of the Greek cities in a revolt. With Persian money and 8,000 Greek mercenaries, he holds [[Crete]] against Macedonian forces. In the [[Peloponnesus]] he routs a force under the Macedonian general [[Coragus]] and, although [[Athens]] stays neutral, he is joined by [[Ancient Elis|Elis]], [[Achaea (ancient region)|Achaea]] (except Pellene) and [[Arcadia (ancient region)|Arcadia]], with the exception of [[Megalopolis, Greece|Megalopolis]], the staunchly anti-Spartan capital of Arcadia, which Agis III's forces besiege.
* [[Alexander the Great|Alexander]]'s regent [[Antipater]] leads the Macedonians to victory over King [[Agis III]] in the [[Battle of Megalopolis]].

==== Italy ====
* [[Alexander of Epirus]] takes [[Heraclea (Lucania)|Heraclea]] from the [[Lucanians]], and Terina and Sipontum from the [[Bruttii]].
* [[Taranto|Tarentum]] turns against Alexander of Epirus when they realize that he intends to create a kingdom of his own in southern [[Italy]]. Alexander is defeated and killed in the [[Battle of Pandosia]] on the banks of the [[Acheron]].

==== Roman Republic ====
* The [[Gaul|Gallic]] tribe of the [[Senones]] and the [[Roman Republic|Romans]] conclude a peace and enter upon a period of friendly relations which lasts the rest of the century.
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== Births ==
*

== Deaths ==
* [[Alexander I of Epirus]], Aeacid dynasty king of [[Epirus]] (b. c. [[370 BC]])
* [[Vahe]], legendary king of [[Kingdom of Armenia (antiquity)|Armenia]] and last of the [[Hyke dynasty]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:331 BC| ]]