September 13

Roman king Lucius Tarquinius Priscus celebrates a triumph for his victories over the Sabines.

According to Roman tradition, the early king celebrated a formal triumphal procession through Rome to commemorate his military successes against the neighboring Sabine people, part of the early legendary period of Roman expansion under its semi-mythical kings before the establishment of the Republic.

The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus is dedicated on Rome's Capitoline Hill.

The magnificent temple dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva atop Rome's Capitoline Hill became the city's most important religious site, serving as the destination for triumphal processions and the location where victorious generals offered sacrifices, remaining central to Roman civic religion for nearly a thousand years.

Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimum near Carthage.

Byzantine general Belisarius, campaigning to reclaim North Africa for the empire, decisively defeated the Vandal Kingdom's forces near Carthage, a crucial early victory in Emperor Justinian's broader ambition to restore Roman control over former imperial territories in the west. The rapid collapse of Vandal resistance that followed allowed Belisarius to capture Carthage itself within weeks, effectively ending nearly a century of Vandal rule in the region.

Ogedei Khan is proclaimed ruler of the Mongol Empire, succeeding his father Genghis Khan.

Following the death of Genghis Khan, his son Ogedei was formally elected as Great Khan by an assembly of Mongol nobles, continuing the rapid expansion of the Mongol Empire and overseeing campaigns that extended Mongol control deep into Eastern Europe and China.

Portuguese forces launch a failed attempt to seize the Moroccan citadel of Tangier.

Portuguese forces launched an ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful assault on the fortified Moroccan city of Tangier, a costly military setback that nonetheless reflected Portugal's growing ambitions for territorial expansion along the North African coast during this early period of overseas exploration.

British forces defeat the French at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham during the Seven Years' War.

British forces under General James Wolfe achieved a decisive and unexpected victory over French defenders led by the Marquis de Montcalm outside Quebec City, with both commanding generals mortally wounded during the brief but pivotal engagement. The battle proved decisive in securing British control over French Canada.

Francis Scott Key composes "Defence of Fort McHenry" while witnessing the bombardment of Baltimore, later becoming the U.S. national anthem.

Watching the overnight British naval bombardment of Fort McHenry from a ship in Baltimore's harbor, American lawyer Francis Scott Key was moved by the sight of the American flag still flying at dawn to compose a poem that was soon set to music and, over a century later, officially adopted as the United States national anthem.

Six teenage military cadets die defending Chapultepec Castle during the U.S. assault on Mexico City.

As American forces stormed Chapultepec Castle, then Mexico's military academy, six young cadets, later celebrated in Mexican history as the Ninos Heroes or "Boy Heroes," reportedly chose to fight to the death rather than surrender, becoming enduring symbols of national sacrifice and resistance.

The Great Fire of Smyrna begins, marking the final act of the Greco-Turkish War.

Following the Greek military defeat in the Greco-Turkish War, Turkish forces entered the ethnically diverse port city of Smyrna, and a massive fire subsequently destroyed much of the city's Greek and Armenian quarters amid widespread violence, resulting in a catastrophic loss of life and a mass refugee crisis.

Super Mario Bros. is released in Japan for the Nintendo Entertainment System, launching one of gaming's most successful franchises.

Nintendo released its side-scrolling platformer starring the plumber Mario on the Famicom console in Japan, introducing gameplay mechanics and level design principles that would influence countless subsequent video games and help establish Nintendo as a dominant force in the emerging home video game industry.