The world in 209 BC — what happened that year

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

What happened

China (12)

• Chen She (Chen Sheng) rose at Qi, reached Chen and proclaimed himself King of Chu; he then sent Wu Chen, Zhang Er and Chen Yu into the land of Zhao. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 秦二世元年七月)
• The elders of Pei killed the magistrate, opened the gates to welcome Liu Bang, and set him up as Duke of Pei; he raised the red banner and gathered three thousand men. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 秦二世元年九月)
• Xiang Liang, with his nephew Xiang Yu, raised troops at Wu. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 秦二世元年九月(是月))
• The Duke of Pei struck Huling and Fangyu, then returned to defend Feng and defeated Ping, the Supervisor of Sichuan Commandery, who had surrounded it. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 秦二世二年十月)
• The Duke of Pei advanced on Xue and defeated the army of Zhuang, Administrator of Sichuan Commandery. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 秦二世二年十一月)
• Yong Chi, persuaded by Wei's overtures, handed Feng over to Wei and sided with it; the Duke of Pei attacked Feng but could not take it. (Book of Han (Hanshu), Imperial Annals 漢書卷001 秦二世二年十二月)
• In the seventh month, the garrison soldier Chen Sheng and others rose in rebellion in the old land of Chu; at Chen Chen became King of Chu and called his state 'Zhangchu'. (Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals 史記卷006 秦始皇本紀)
• Two months after Chen Sheng's cavalry, Xiang Liang killed Yin Tong, Commandant of Kuaiji, and raised eight thousand soldiers of Wuzhong. (Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals 史記卷007 項羽本紀)
• When the magistrate of Pei changed his mind and closed the gates, Liu Ji shot a letter wrapped in silk over the wall; the elders killed the magistrate, welcomed Liu Ji and made him Duke of Pei. (Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji), Annals 史記卷008 高祖本紀)
• The Second Emperor, with Li Si, toured the eastern commanderies; from Jieshi along the sea to Kuaiji, he had the names of his ministers carved beside his father's stone inscriptions, and then returned. (Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror) 資治通鑑 卷007 (원문 단락 #555, -209년))

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West Asia (1)

• Description of the palace at Ecbatana in Media and Antiochus' advance (Polybius, Histories 10.27)

Southern Europe (14)

• Until the citadel surrendered, every adult male encountered in the town was massacred (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 26.46)
• In the harbor 63 transports were captured with grain, weapons, bronze and more (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 26.47)
• When Tarentum fell, Hannibal said that Rome too has its Hannibal and that we lost it by the same trick (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 27.16)
• At the request of the Gortynians he goes to Crete and becomes their general (Plutarch's Parallel Lives Plut. Philopoemen 13)
• Fabius recaptures Tarentum (Plutarch's Parallel Lives Plut. Fabius 22.3)
• Marcellus overtakes Hannibal at Canusium and presses him despite his camp moves (Plutarch's Parallel Lives Plut. Marcellus 25.2)
• Fabius retakes Tarentum (Polybius, Histories 10.1)
• Scipio and Laelius march on New Carthage (Polybius, Histories 10.9)
• Siege of New Carthage — a simultaneous attack by land and sea (Polybius, Histories 10.12)
• The fall and sack of New Carthage (Polybius, Histories 10.15)

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Same events recorded in this year

• Carthago Nova (209 BC) — the same event in Livy, History of Rome and Polybius
• Chen (209 BC) — the same event in Book of Han and Records of the Grand Historian
• Pei (209 BC) — the same event in Book of Han and Records of the Grand Historian
• Wu (209 BC) — the same event in Book of Han and Records of the Grand Historian
• Battle of Xi (208 BC) — the same event in Records of the Grand Historian and Zizhi…
• Taras/Tarentum/Neptunia (209 BC) — the same event in Plutarch's Parallel Lives and…

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