- 216 BC 2 Aug The Carthiniginian general Hannibal annihilates a Roman army at the Battle of Cannae, killing 60,0000.
- 1100 2 Aug William II (Rufus) is killed by an arrow shot by Walter Tyrell while hunting in the New Forest.
- 1990 2 Aug Iraqi forces invade neighbouring Kuwait, using a long-running border dispute as justification.

