302 BC facts for kids
| Millennium: | 1st millennium BC |
|---|---|
| Centuries: | 5th century BC – 4th century BC – 3rd century BC |
| Decades: | 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC – 300s BC – 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC |
| Years: | 305 BC 304 BC 303 BC – 302 BC – 301 BC 300 BC 299 BC |
The year 302 BC was a time of big changes in the ancient world. Powerful generals, who used to serve Alexander the Great, were still fighting for control of his vast empire. This year saw important alliances and shifts in power, especially in the lands around the Mediterranean Sea.
Contents
Major Events of 302 BC
The Great Alliance Against Antigonus
In 302 BC, several powerful leaders decided to work together. Their goal was to defeat Antigonus, who was one of the strongest generals trying to rule everything.
- Seleucus, who controlled lands in Babylonia (modern-day Iraq), led his army into Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
- At the same time, Ptolemy, who ruled Egypt, attacked Syria.
- Another powerful general, Lysimachus, also moved his forces into the western part of Asia Minor. This was a coordinated attack from different directions.
Shifting Loyalties and New Leaders
During this time, it was common for leaders and generals to change sides. They would join whoever they thought would win or offer them the best deal.
- Docimus, who was a "regent" (a temporary ruler) of Phrygia, decided to leave Antigonus's side.
- Phoenix, a "strategos" (a military general) from Lycia, also stopped supporting Antigonus. These were important people abandoning Antigonus.
Philetaerus Joins Lysimachus
A Macedonian general named Philetaerus also changed his loyalty. He decided to switch from Antigonus to Lysimachus. This was a big deal because Philetaerus was in charge of something very valuable.
- In exchange for his loyalty, Lysimachus made Philetaerus the guardian of the fortress of Pergamum.
- This fortress held a huge treasure! It contained about 9,000 "talents" of wealth. A talent was a very large unit of weight, often used for precious metals like gold or silver. So, this was a massive amount of money.
