2 August in history
9 events that happened on 2 August, from 216 BCE to 1990.
216 BCE 2,241 years ago
Hannibal annihilates a Roman army at Cannae
Hannibal's Carthaginians encircled and destroyed a much larger Roman army in southern Italy, killing perhaps 50,000 men. Cannae remains the classic model of a battle of encirclement.
49 BCE 2,074 years ago
Pompey's legates Afranius and Petreius surrender to Caesar at Ilerda
After early successes, Pompey's legates in Spain, Marcus Petreius and Lucius Afranius, were forced to capitulate to Julius Caesar at Ilerda and disband their army. Caesar let them go free, and they travelled to Greece to join Pompey.
47 BCE 2,072 years ago
Julius Caesar defeats Pharnaces II at the Battle of Zela
Near Zela, now a town in northern Turkey, Julius Caesar defeated King Pharnaces II, who had tried to reconquer Pontus during the Roman civil war. The victory was reported as 'veni, vidi, vici'.
932 CE 1,094 years ago
Toledo surrenders to Abd al-Rahman III after a two-year siege
After a two-year siege, the people of Toledo surrendered to Abd al-Rahman III, Caliph of Córdoba, who had promised them immunity. It was an important victory in his campaign to subjugate the Central March.
✦ Anniversary of the day
1776 CE 250 years ago
Delegates sign the engrossed Declaration of Independence
Most members of the Continental Congress signed the parchment copy of the Declaration in Philadelphia. By signing, they put their names to an act of treason in British eyes.
1923 CE 103 years ago
President Warren Harding dies in San Francisco
Warren Harding died suddenly during a western tour, and Vice President Calvin Coolidge was sworn in by his father by lamplight in Vermont. The Teapot Dome scandal soon tarnished Harding's memory.
1934 CE 92 years ago
Hitler becomes Führer on Hindenburg's death
President Paul von Hindenburg died, and a law passed the day before merged the presidency with the chancellorship. Hitler became head of state and the army swore an oath of loyalty to him personally.
1990 CE 36 years ago
Iraq invades Kuwait
Saddam Hussein's forces overran Kuwait in a matter of hours. A US-led coalition expelled them in early 1991, though Saddam remained in power.
Born on 2 August 5
Died on 2 August 7
Dates as the sources give them: in the Julian calendar before 1582, and in some countries for longer (Britain until 1752, Russia until 1918). Only people whose day of birth or death the records agree on are listed.