View source for 203 BC

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2011}}
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{{BC year in topic|203}}
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Year '''203 BC''' was a year of the [[Roman calendar|pre-Julian Roman calendar]]. At the time it was known as the '''Year of the Consulship of Caepio and Geminus''' (or, less frequently, '''year 551 ''[[Ab urbe condita]]'''''). The denomination 203 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the [[Anno Domini]] [[calendar era]] became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

== Events ==
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=== By place ===
==== Carthage ====
* The [[Roman Republic|Roman]] general, [[Scipio Africanus|Publius Cornelius Scipio]], while undertaking peace negotiations with the [[Carthage|Carthaginians]] at [[Utica, Tunisia|Utica]], makes a surprise attack on the Carthaginian camp and destroys it. Then, sweeping down on the forces that the Carthaginians and their allies, the [[Numidia]]ns, are trying to [[Muster (military)|muster]] on the Great Plains near the upper [[Medjerda River|Bagradas River]] (in modern [[Tunisia]]), he smashes that army in the [[Battle of the Great Plains]]. The [[Numidia]]n king, [[Syphax]], and the Carthaginian leader, [[Hasdrubal Gisco]], manage to escape separately.
* The Roman general, [[Gaius Laelius]], and Rome's Numidian ally, [[Masinissa]], follow Syphax towards [[Cirta]], the Numidian capital. In the pursuit, Syphax is captured after his badly wounded horse throws him off. He is delivered to Scipio and is made a prisoner of the Romans, dying in the Italian town of [[Alba Fucens]] later in the year.
* Masinissa becomes king of both the Massyli and the Massaesyli tribes in Numidia and remains a loyal ally to the Romans.
* [[Hasdrubal Gisco]] persuades the Carthaginians to raise a new army and to send for [[Hannibal]] to return home from Italy. Hannibal finally leaves Italy and returns to Carthage.
* The Carthaginian general, [[Mago Barca]], is defeated and wounded by the Romans in the [[Battle of Insubria]]. He dies of his wounds on the return voyage to Carthage.
* A preliminary [[armistice]] between Carthage and Rome is declared and the Carthaginian armies accept Scipio's severe terms. However, on his return to Carthage, Hannibal concentrates the remnants of the Carthaginian forces at [[Hadrumetum]] (modern [[Sousse]], [[Tunisia]]) and prepares them for battle.

==== China ====
* [[Han Xin]] completes the conquest of [[Qi (state)|Qi]], and [[Emperor Gaozu of Han|Liu Bang]] appoints him as its king.
* After [[Xiang Yu]] fails to persuade Han Xin to remain neutral, Han Xin and Liu Bang launch a five-pronged invasion of [[Chu (state)|Chu]]. They decisively defeat Xiang Yu in the Battle of Chen and the [[Battle of Gaixia]].
* Xiang Yu flees toward [[Wuyue]] and, pursued by [[Han dynasty|Han]] cavalry, commits suicide.<ref>{{cite book|first=Hing Ming|last= Hung|title=The Road to the Throne: How Liu Bang Founded China's Han Dynasty|year= 2011|isbn=978-0875868387|pages= 148–163}}</ref>
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== Deaths ==
* [[Mago Barca]], [[Carthage|Carthaginian]] general during the [[Second Punic War]] against [[Roman Republic|Rome]] who has accompanied his brother [[Hannibal]] on the invasion of [[Italy]] (b. [[243 BC]])
* [[Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus]], [[Roman Republic|Roman]] general and statesman whose cautious delaying tactics (which have led to his surname Cunctator, meaning "delayer") during the early stages of the Second Punic War have given Rome time to recover its strength and take the offensive against the invading Carthaginian army of Hannibal (b. c. [[275 BC]])
* [[Syphax]], [[Numidia]]n king allied with the Carthaginians during the Second Punic War against Rome

== References ==
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