The world in 200 BC — what happened that year

20 events the sources record for this year, grouped by region.

What happened

China (7)

• At Chang'an, Xiao He built the Weiyang Palace on a magnificent scale; the emperor was angry but soon relented, and he moved the capital from Liyang to Chang'an. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 漢高祖七年二月)
• Returning east, he attacked the remnants of Han Xin, King of Han, at Dongyuan, and passed through the land of Zhao. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 漢高祖八年冬)
• A plot to assassinate Guan Gao, Chancellor of Zhao; the emperor, hearing that the county's name was Boren (meaning 'oppression'), did not stay there and left. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 漢高祖八年冬)
• Gaozu set out to attack King Xin of Han and reached Pingcheng, but was besieged by the Xiongnu for seven days. (Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals 史記卷008 高祖本紀)
• Passing through Zhao and Luoyang, he reached Chang'an; when the Changle Palace was completed, the chancellor and the others moved to Chang'an to handle government affairs. (Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals 史記卷008 高祖本紀)
• Emperor Gaozu personally defeated Han Xin at Tongdi and beheaded his general Wang Xi; Xin fled to the Xiongnu. Manqiu Chen and Wang Huang set up Zhao Li as king and planned new attacks with the Xiongnu. (Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) 資治通鑑 卷011 (원문 단락 #799, -200년))
• Emperor Gao first reached Pingcheng, but his troops had not fully gathered; Modu, with four hundred thousand elite horsemen, surrounded him at Baideng for seven days. By Chen Ping's stratagem, generous gifts were sent to the yanzhi (empress), and the siege was lifted. (Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) 資治通鑑 卷011 (원문 단락 #801, -200년))

West Asia (6)

• The king was not directing the siege himself but was fighting a naval contest with Rhodes and Attalus and attacking Abydos (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 31.14)
• The people of Abydos, seized by frenzy, believed all the fallen had been betrayed and accused one another of oath-breaking (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 31.18)
• Battle of Panium (the passage criticizing Zeno's account) (Polybius, Histories 16.18)
• Philip besieges Abydos by land and sea (Polybius, Histories 16.30)
• The people of Abydos resolve to conquer or die (Polybius, Histories 16.31)
• After the inner wall collapses, the citizens kill their wives and children and the city falls (Polybius, Histories 16.33)

Southern Europe (7)

• Within a few months of making peace with Carthage, the war with King Philip began (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 31.5)
• The Gauls take Placentia by storm, plunder and burn it, leaving only about 2,000 people amid the smoke (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 31.10)
• Reaching Chalcis, Philip saw only smoking ruins and left in haste (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 31.24)
• Attalus visits Athens (200 BC) (Polybius, Histories 16.25)
• Athens votes for war against Philip (Polybius, Histories 16.26)
• Roman envoys warn Philip not to invade Greece (Polybius, Histories 16.27)
• Rhodes decides to keep its friendship with Rome (Polybius, Histories 16.35)

Same events recorded in this year

• Abydos (200 BC) — the same event in Livy, History of Rome and Polybius
• Chang'an (200 BC) — the same event in Book of Han and Records of the Grand Historian
• Pingcheng (201 BC) — the same event in Book of Han and Records of the Grand Historian
• Battle of Tongdi (201 BC) — the same event in Book of Han and Zizhi Tongjian

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