3rd century BC

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]?

• The first two Punic Wars between Carthage and Rome over dominance in western Mediterranean

Significant persons:

• Archimedes of Syracuse, mathematician and scientist
• Euclid, mathematician
• Hannibal, military leader of Carthage
• Eratosthenes?, accurately calculates diameter of the Earth