3 August in history
9 events that happened on 3 August, from 8 to 1981.
✦ Anniversary of the day
8 CE 2,018 years ago
Tiberius defeats the Pannonian rebels at the River Bathinus
Roman forces under Tiberius defeated the rebel Breuci at the River Bathinus, and their leader Bato surrendered. It was a turning point in the great Illyrian revolt against Roman rule.
881 CE 1,145 years ago
Louis III of West Francia defeats the Vikings at Saucourt
King Louis III of West Francia and his brother Carloman II defeated a Viking army at Saucourt-en-Vimeu. The victory was celebrated in the Ludwigslied, an Old High German poem of 59 rhyming couplets.
908 CE 1,118 years ago
Hungarian invaders defeat an East Frankish army at Eisenach
An invading Hungarian army won a crushing victory at Eisenach over an East Frankish army of troops from Franconia, Saxony and Thuringia, led by Duke Burchard of Thuringia. The Hungarians had established their principality in the Carpathian Basin around 895.
1492 CE 534 years ago
Columbus sets sail from Palos on his first voyage
Christopher Columbus left Palos de la Frontera with the Niña, Pinta and Santa María, seeking a westward route to Asia. Ten weeks later he reached the Bahamas.
1778 CE 248 years ago
La Scala opera house opens in Milan
The Teatro alla Scala opened with Salieri's opera L'Europa riconosciuta. It became one of the world's leading opera houses, closely linked with Verdi, Puccini and Toscanini.
1981 CE 45 years ago
US air traffic controllers go on strike
Nearly 13,000 members of the PATCO union walked out. President Reagan gave them 48 hours to return; he then fired more than 11,000, a defining moment for American labour relations.
Born on 3 August 4
Died on 3 August 10
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.