242 BC - Definition and Overview

Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC

Decades: 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC - 240s BC - 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC

Years: 247 BC 246 BC 245 BC 244 BC 243 BC - 242 BC - 241 BC 240 BC 239 BC 238 BC 237 BC

Events

• First Punic War: In the Battle of the Aegates Islands, the Romans win a decisive naval victory over the Carthaginians.
• Rome establishes the office of praetor peregrinus, responsible for mediating lawsuits involving foreign litigants.

Births

• Antiochus III, Seleucid king

Deaths