Wikipedia:Main Page history/2012 December 29

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From today's featured article
The War against Nabis, or the Laconian War, of 195 BC was fought between the Greek city-state of Sparta under their ruler Nabis (depicted) and a coalition composed of Rome, the Achaean League, Pergamum, Rhodes, and Macedon. During the Second Macedonian War (200–196 BC), Macedon had given Sparta control over Argos, an important city on the Aegean coast. Sparta's continued occupation of Argos thereafter was used as a pretext for Rome and its allies to declare war. The anti-Spartan coalition laid siege to Argos, captured the Spartan naval base at Gythium, and invested and besieged Sparta itself. Negotiations led to peace on Rome's terms, under which Argos and the coastal towns of Laconia were separated from Sparta and the Spartans were compelled to pay a war indemnity to Rome for eight years. Argos joined the Achaean League, and the Laconian towns were placed under Achaean protection. As a result of the war, Sparta lost its position as a major power in Greece. All consequent Spartan attempts to recover the losses failed and Nabis, the last sovereign ruler, was eventually murdered. Soon after, Sparta was forcibly made a member of the Achaean League, ending several centuries of fierce political independence. (Full article...) Recently featured: The Notorious B.I.G. – Japanese aircraft carrier Hōshō – Psilocybe aztecorum Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that the Prince Regent sometimes stayed at Moulsecoomb Place (pictured), where he would sit in a dovecote and practise the flute? ... that Indonesian batik designer Obin sometimes asks people not to cut up her cloths? ... that The 1975 became popular because of Sex? ... that the Japanese goose barnacle broods its eggs in its mantle cavity where they may be eaten by a worm living there? ... that the authors of Crisis and Transformation conclude that the erotic novel The Carnal Prayer Mat was not written by 17th-century Chinese scholar Li Yu? ... that the release of Google Maps as an application on iOS caused iOS 6 upgrades to surge 30%? ... that the USS Clifton was originally named the SS Dilworth? ... that the song "Otome Sensō" by Momoiro Clover Z can be interpreted as the girl group's declaration of war for the top of the Japanese idol music scene? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
China officially opens the world's longest high-speed rail route, linking Beijing and Guangzhou. Egyptian voters approve a new constitution. A military aircraft (pictured) crashes while descending toward Shymkent, Kazakhstan, killing all 27 people on board. A gang rape in Delhi sparks widespread demonstrations across India. Park Geun-hye is elected President of South Korea, becoming the first woman to hold the position. Swiss bank UBS is fined US$1.5 billion for its role in the Libor scandal. Former Congolese militia leader Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui is acquitted by the International Criminal Court of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Recent deaths: Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. – Gerry Anderson – Charles Durning Syrian civil war – Wikinews – More current events...
On this day...
December 29: Independence Day in Mongolia (1911) 1170 – Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket (stained glass portrait pictured) was slain in his own cathedral by four knights of Henry II of England. 1779 – American Revolutionary War: British soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Archibald Campbell captured Savannah, Georgia. 1937 – The Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the state known today as the Republic of Ireland, came into force. 1972 – While the crew of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 were busy trying to solve an instrumentation problem, the aircraft crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing 101 people. 1992 – President of Brazil Fernando Collor de Mello resigned in an attempt to stop his impeachment proceedings from continuing, but the Senate of Brazil continued anyway, finding him guilty. More anniversaries: December 28 – December 29 – December 30 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now December 29, 2012 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

Two samples of crystal bars of pure zirconium on a white glass plate showing different surface textures, made by the crystal bar process, and a 1 cm³ cube of it for comparison. Zirconium is a lustrous, grey-white, strong transition metal that resembles titanium. It is mainly used as a refractory and opacifier, although it is used in small amounts as an alloying agent for its strong resistance to corrosion.

Photo: Alchemist-hp

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