240 BC

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Centuries:	4th century BC · 3rd century BC · 2nd century BC
Decades:	270s BC 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC
Years:	243 BC 242 BC 241 BC 240 BC 239 BC 238 BC 237 BC

[edit] Events

[edit] By place

[edit] Carthage

• Revolt of Carthaginian mercenaries begins.

[edit] By topic

[edit] Literature

• First production of Achilles, the first Latin tragedy, by Livius Andronicus.
• Writing of Papyrus of Ani (The Egyptian Book of the Dead)

[edit] Astronomy

• Halley's comet was observed for the first (confirmed) time.

[edit] Births

[edit] Deaths

• Arcesilaus of Pitane, sceptic philosopher
• Theocritus, Greek poet
• Aratus, Greek astronomer