23 events the sources record for this year, grouped by region.
What happened
China (12)
Han Xin was enfeoffed as King of Chu (Huaibei, capital Xiapi) and Peng Yue as King of Liang (capital Dingtao). (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 漢高祖五年正月)
With the support of more than three hundred feudal kings and ministers, the King of Han ascended as emperor north of the Fan River at Dingtao. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 漢高祖五年二月)
The emperor made Luoyang his capital in the west and in the fifth month disbanded the soldiers and sent them home. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 漢高祖五年五月)
On the advice of the soldier Lou Jing and the urging of Zhang Liang, the emperor drove his carriages west that very day and made Chang'an his capital. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 漢高祖五年(五月 이후))
King Zang Tu of Yan rebelled; the emperor campaigned in person and captured Zang Tu at Ji in the ninth month. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 漢高祖五年七月)
Following Chen Ping's stratagem, pretending to tour Yunmeng, he gathered the feudal lords at Chen and seized the King of Chu, Han Xin. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 漢高祖六年十二月)
The King of Han pursued Xiang Yu to Guling, but Han Xin and Peng Yue did not come, and Chu heavily defeated Han; by Zhang Liang's plan, when land was promised, the two men joined. (Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals 史記卷007 項羽本紀)
Xiang Yu's army camped at Gaixia was surrounded by Han troops in several layers, and at night Chu songs rose from all sides; Xiang Yu was startled and sang 'My strength uproots mountains' (the Gaixia Song). (Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals 史記卷007 項羽本紀)
Xiang Yu lost his way at Yinling; at Dongcheng only twenty-eight horsemen remained, and after fighting at Wu River he refused a boat and cut his own throat. (Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals 史記卷007 項羽本紀)
At the urging of the feudal lords and great officers, the King of Han ascended the throne as emperor north of the Si River, and the world was settled. (Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals 史記卷008 高祖本紀)
Valerius Antias reports that after Hannibal was defeated in the first battle, with 12,000 killed and 1,700 captured, he came to Scipio with ten envoys (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 30.29)
Hannibal reminds the soldiers of their sixteen years of victories in Italy and the Roman generals they cut down (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 30.32)
The enemy were beaten, encircled and killed, and those who scattered and fled were hunted down by the cavalry (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 30.35)
Scipio utterly defeats Hannibal and breaks Carthage's pride (Plutarch's Parallel Lives Plut. Fabius 27.1)
The Carthaginians urge Hannibal to fight a decisive battle; Hannibal is at Zama (Polybius, Histories 15.5)
The Battle of Zama begins — confusion among the elephants (Polybius, Histories 15.12)