List of Roman battles
The following is a
List of Roman battles (fought by the
Roman Kingdom, the
Roman Republic, and the
Roman Empire), organized by date. The list is not exhaustive. For the complete list see
List of battles, for other contemporary battles see
List of battles before 601.
*
496 BC Battle of Lake Regillus - A legendary early Roman victory, won over either the
Etruscans or the Latins
*
477 BC Battle of the Cremera - All the
Fabii but one are killed
*
458 BC Battle of Mons Algidus -
Cincinnatus wins over the
Aequi*
446 BC Battle of Corbione -
Titus Quinctius L.f. Capitolinus Barbatus leads roman troops to win over the
Aequi and the
Volsci.
*
396 BC -
Battle of Veii - Romans complete conquest of
Etruscans*
390 BC -
Battle of Allia River - Gauls defeat the Romans, leading to the Gallic sack of Rome.
*
342 BC -
Battle of Mount Gaurus - Roman general
Marcus Valerius Corvus defeats the Samnites.
*
341 BC -
Battle of Suessola - Roman consul
Marcus Valerius Corvus defeats the Samnites once more.
*
339 BC -
Battle of Vesuvius - Romans under P. Decius Mus and T. Manlius Imperiosus defeat the rebellious Latins.
*
338 BC -
Battle of Trifanum - Roman general T. Manlius Imperiosus decisively defeats the Latins.
*
321 BC -
Battle of the Caudine Forks - Romans under Spurius Postumius and T. Verturius Calvinus are defeated by the
Samnites under Gaius Pontius.
*
316 BC -
Battle of Lautulae - Romans are defeated by the Samnites.
*
310 BC -
Battle of Lake Vadimo - Romans, led by dictator
Lucius Papirius Cursor, defeat the
Etruscans.
*
305 BC -
Battle of Bovianum - Roman consuls M. Fulvius and L. Postumius decisiviely defeat the Samnites to end the
Second Samnite War.
*
298 BC -
Battle of Camerinum - Samnites defeat the Romans under
Lucius Cornelius Scipio in the first battle of the
Third Samnite War.
*
295 BC -
Battle of Sentinum - Romans under Fabius Rullianus and Publius Decimus Mus defeat the Samnites and their Etruscan and Gallic allies, forcing the Etruscans, Gauls, and Umbrians to make peace
*
293 BC -
Battle of Aquilonia - Romans decisively defeat the Samnites.
*
285 BC -
Battle of Arretium - A Roman army under Lucius Caecilius is destroyed by the Gauls
*
283 BC -
Battle of Lake Vadimo - A Roman army under P. Cornelius Dolabella defeats the Etruscans and Gauls.
*
282 BC -
Battle of Populonia - Etruscan resistance to Roman domination of Italy is finally crushed.
*
280 BC -
Battle of Heraclea - First engagement of Roman and Greek armies, the latter led by
Pyrrhus of Epirus, who is victorious, but at great cost.
*
279 BC -
Battle of Asculum - Pyrrhus again defeats the Romans.
*
275 BC -
Battle of Beneventum - Pyrrhus is finally defeated by the Romans under Marcus Curius Dentatus.
*
261 BC -
Battle of Agrigentum - Carthaginian forces under Hannibal Gisco and Hanno are defeated by the Romans, that attain control of most of Sicily.
*
260 BC –
**
Battle of the Lipari Islands - A Roman naval force is defeated by the Carthaginians
**
Battle of Mylae - A Roman naval force under C. Duillius defeats the Carthaginian fleet, giving Rome control of the western Mediterranean.
*
256 BC -
**
Battle of Cape Ecnomus - A Carthaginian fleet under Hamilcar and Hanno is defeated in an attempt to stop a Roman invasion of Africa by Marcus Atilius Regulus.
**
Battle of Adys - Romans under Regulus defeat the Carthaginians in North Africa
*
255 BC -
Battle of Tunis - Carthaginians under Xanthippus, a Greek mercenary, defeat the Romans under Regulus, who is captured.
*
251 BC -
Battle of Panormus - Carthaginian forces under
Hasdrubal are defeated by the Romans under L. Caecilius Metellus.
*
249 BC -
Battle of Drepana -
Carthaginians under Adherbal defeat the fleet of Roman admiral
Publius Claudius Pulcher.
*
242 BC -
Battle of the Aegates Islands - Roman sea victory over the
Carthaginians, ending the
First Punic War*
225 BC -
Battle of Faesulae - Romans are defeated by the Gauls of Northern Italy.
*
224 BC -
Battle of Telamon - Romans under Aemilius Papus and Caius Atilius Regulus defeat the Gauls.
*
222 BC -
Battle of Clastidium - Romans under
Marcus Claudius Marcellus defeat the Gauls.
*
218 BC -
**November
Battle of the Ticinus -
Hannibal defeats the Romans under
Publius Cornelius Scipio the elder in a small cavalry fight.
**
Battle of the Trebia -
Hannibal defeats the Romans under
Titius Sempronius Longus with an ambush.
*
217 BC, in April -
Battle of Lake Trasimene - In an ambush, Hannibal destroyed the Roman army of
Gaius Flaminius, who is killed.
*
216 BC -
**
August 2 -
Battle of Cannae -
Hannibal destroys the Roman army of Lucius Aemilius Paulus and Publius Terentius Varro in what is considered one of the great masterpieces of the tactical art.
**
First Battle of Nola - Roman general
Marcus Claudius Marcellus holds off an attack by Hannibal.
*
215 BC -
Second Battle of Nola - Marcellus again repulses an attack by Hannibal.
*
214 BC -
Third Battle of Nola - Marcellus fights an inconclusive battle with Hannibal.
*
212 BC -
**
First Battle of Capua - Hannibal defeats the consuls Q. Fulvius Flaccus and
Appius Claudius, but the Roman army escapes
**
Battle of the Silarus - Hannibal destroys the army of the Roman praetor M. Centenius Penula.
**
Battle of Herdonia - Hannibal destroys the Roman army of the praetor Gnaeus Fulvius.
*
211 BC -
**
Battle of the Upper Baetis -
Publius and
Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio are killed in battle with the Carthaginians under Hannibal's brother
Hasdrubal Barca**
Second Battle of Capua - Hannibal is unable to break the Roman siege of the city.
*
210 BC -
**
Second Battle of Herdonia - Hannibal destroys the Roman army of Fulvius Centumalus, who is killed
**
Battle of Numistro - Hannibal defeats Marcellus once more
*
209 BC -
Battle of Asculum - Hannibal once again defeats Marcellus, in an indecisive battle
*
208 BC -
Battle of Baecula - Romans in Spain under
P. Cornelius Scipio the Younger defeat Hasdrubal Barca
*
207 BC -
**
Battle of Grumentum - Roman general
Gaius Claudius Nero fights an indecisive battle with Hannibal, then escapes north to confront Hannibal's brother
Hasdrubal Barca, who has invaded Italy
**
Battle of the Metaurus - Hasdrubal is defeated and killed by Nero's Roman army.
*
206 BC -
Battle of Ilipa - Scipio again decisively defeats the remaining Carthaginian forces in Spain.
*
204 BC -
Battle of Crotona - Hannibal fights a drawn battle against the Roman general Sempronius in Southern Italy.
*
203 BC -
Battle of Bagbrades - Romans under Scipio defeat the Carthaginian army of
Hasdrubal Gisco and
Syphax. Hannibal is sent to return to Africa.
*
202 BC,
October 19 -
Battle of Zama -
Scipio Africanus Major decisively defeats
Hannibal in North Africa, ending the
Second Punic War*
200 BC -
Battle of Cremona - Roman forces defeat the Gauls of
Cisalpine Gaul*
198 BC -
Battle of the Aous - Roman forces under
Titus Quinctius Flamininus defeat the Macedonians under
Philip V*
197 BC -
Battle of Cynoscephalae - Romans under Flamininus decisively defeats Philip in Thessaly
*
194 BC -
**
Battle of Mutina - Roman victory over the Gauls
**
Battle of Gythium - With some Roman assistance,
Philopoemen of the
Achaean League defeats the
Spartans under
Nabis*
191 BC -
Battle of Thermopylae - Romans under
Manius Acilius Glabrio defeat
Antiochus III the Great and force him to evacuate Greece
*
190 BC -
**
Battle of the Eurymedon - Roman forces under
Lucius Aemilius Regillus defeat a Seleucid fleet commanded by
Hannibal, fighting his last battle.
**
Battle of Myonessus - Another Seleucid fleet is defeated by the Romans
**December,
Battle of Magnesia - (near Smyrna) Romans under
Lucius Cornelius Scipio and his brother
Scipio Africanus Major defeat
Antiochus III the Great in the decisive victory of the war.
*
171 BC -
Battle of Callicinus -
Perseus of Macedon defeats a Roman army under Publius Licinius Crassus.
*
168 BC,
June 22 -
Battle of Pydna - Romans under
Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus defeat and capture Macedonian King Perseus, ending the
Third Macedonian War*
148 BC -
Second battle of Pydna - The forces of the Macedonian pretender
Andriscus are defeated by the Romans under
Quintus Caecilius Metellus in the decisive engagement of the
Fourth Macedonian War*
146 BC -
**
Battle of Carthage ends:
Scipio Africanus Minor captures and destroys Carthage, ending the
Third Punic War**
Battle of Corinth - Romans under
Lucius Mummius defeat the Achaean League forces of
Critolaus, who is killed. Corinth is destroyed and Greece comes under direct Roman rule.
*
108 BC -
Battle of the Muthul - Roman forces under Caecilius Metellus defeat the forces of
Jugurtha of
Numidia*
105 BC,
October 6 -
Battle of Arausio -
Cimbri inflict a major defeat on the Roman army of
Gnaeus Mallius Maximus*
102 BC -
Battle of Aquae Sextiae (modern
Aix-en-Provence)- Romans under
Gaius Marius defeat
Teutons, with mass suicides among the captured women
*
101 BC -
Battle of Vercellae - Romans under
Gaius Marius defeat the
Cimbri, who are entirely annihilated.
*
89 BC -
**
Battle of Fucine Lake - Roman forces under Lucius Porcius Cato are defeated by the Italian rebels in the
Social War**
Battle of Asculum - Roman army of C. Pompeius Strabo decisively defeats the rebels in the Social War.
*
86 BC -
Battle of Chaeronea - Roman forces of
Lucius Cornelius Sulla defeat the Pontic forces of Archelaus in the
First Mithridatic War*
85 BC -
Battle of Orchomenus - Sulla again defeats Archelaus in the decisive battle of the First Mithridatic War.
*
83 BC -
Battle of Mount Tifata - Sulla defeats the popular forces of Caius Norbanus in the First Roman Civil War.
*
82 BC -
Battle of Colline Gate -
Sulla defeats
Samnites allied to the popular party in Rome in the decisive battle of the Civil War.
*
80 BC -
Battle of the Baetis River - Rebel forces under
Quintus Sertorius defeat the legal Roman forces of Lucius Fulfidias in Spain.
*
74 BC -
Battle of Cyzicus - Roman forces under
Lucius Lucullus defeat the forces of
Mithridates VI of
Pontus*
72 BC -
Battle of Cabira - Lucullus again defeats Mithridates, overrunning
Pontus*
69 BC -
Battle of Tigranocerta - Lucullus defeats the army of
Tigranes II of Armenia, who was harbouring his father-in-law Mithridates VI of Pontus
*
68 BC -
Battle of Artaxata - Lucullus again defeats Tigranes.
*
66 BC -
Battle of the Lycus -
Pompey the Great decisively defeats Mithridates VI, effectively ending the
Third Mithridatic War*
62 BC, January -
Battle of Pistoria - The forces of the conspirator
Catiline are defeated by the loyal Roman armies under Gaius Antonius.
*
58 BC -
**June -
Battle of the Arar (Saone) -
Caesar defeats the migrating
Helvetii **July -
Battle of Bibracte - Caesar again defeats the Helvetians, this time decisively.
**September - Caesar decisively defeats the forces of the Germanic chieftain
Ariovistus near modern
Belfort*
57 BC -
**
Battle of the Axona (Aisne) - Caesar defeats the forces of the
Belgae under King Galba of Suessiones.
**
Battle of the Sabis (Sambre) - Caesar defeats the Nervii.
*
53 BC -
Battle of Carrhae - Roman
triumvir Crassus is defeated and killed by the
Parthians
*
52 BC -
Battle of Alesia -
Caesar defeats the Gallic rebel
Vercingetorix, completing the Roman conquest of Transalpine Gaul.
*
49 BC,
August 24 -
Battle of the Bagradas River - Caesar's general Gaius Curio is defeated in North Africa by the Pompeians under Attius Varus and King
Juba I of Numidia. Curio commits suicide.
*
48 BC -
**
July 10 -
Battle of Dyrrhachium - Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia
**
August 9 -
Battle of Pharsalus - Caesar decisively defeats
Pompey, who flees to Egypt
*
47 BC -
**February -
Battle of the Nile - Caesar defeats the forces of the Egyptian king
Ptolemy XIII**May -
Battle of Zela - Caesar defeats
Pharnaces II of
Pontus. This is the battle where he famously said
Veni, vidi, vici. (I came, I saw, I conquered.)
*
46 BC -
**
January 4 -
Battle of Ruspina - Caesar loses perhaps as much as a third of his army to
Titus Labienus**
February 6 -
Battle of Thapsus - Caesar defeats the Pompeian army of Metellus Scipio in North Africa.
*
45 BC March 17 -
Battle of Munda - In his last victory, Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Gnaeus Pompey the Younger in Spain. Labienus is killed in the battle and the Younger Pompey captured and executed.
*
43 BC -
**
April 14 -
Battle of Forum Gallorum - Antony, besieging Caesar's assassin Decimus Brutus in
Mutina, defeats the forces of the consul Pansa, who is killed, but is then immediately defeated by the army of the other consul, Hirtius
**
April 21 -
Battle of Mutina - Antony is again defeated in battle by Hirtius, who is killed. Although Antony fails to capture Mutina, Decimus Brutus is murdered shortly thereafter.
*
42 BC -
**
October 3 -
First Battle of Philippi -
Triumvirs
Marc Antony and
Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's assassins
Marcus Brutus and
Cassius. Although Brutus defeats Octavian, Antony defeats Cassius, who commits suicide.
**
October 23 -
Second Battle of Philippi - Brutus's army is decisively defeated by Antony and Octavian. Brutus escapes, but commits suicide soon after.
*
41 BC -
Battle of Perugia - Marc Antony's brother Lucius Antonius and his wife Fulvia are defeated by Octavian.
*
36 BC -
Battle of Naulochus - Octavian's fleet, under the command of
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa defeats the forces of the rebel
Sextus Pompeius.
*
31 BC,
September 2 -
Battle of Actium -
Octavian decisively defeats Antony and
Cleopatra in a naval battle near Greece
*
11 BC -
Battle of the Lupia River - Roman forces under
Augustus's stepson
Drusus win a victory in Germany.
*
9, September -
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest - German leader
Arminius defeats the three Roman legions under the command of general
Publius Quinctilius Varus; it is considered to be one of the worst defeats in their military history and an end to expansion into the frontier.
*
16 -
Battle of the Weser River Legions under
Germanicus defeat German tribes of
Arminius*
43 -
Battle of the Medway -
Claudius and general
Aulus Plautius defeat a confederation of British
Celtic tribes.
Roman invasion of Britain begins
*
50 -
Battle of Caer Caradoc - British chieftain
Caractacus is defeated and captured by the Romans under Ostorius Scapula.
*
61 -
Battle of Watling Street - The uprising of the British queen
Boudica against the Romans is defeated by
Suetonius Paullinus*
62 -
Battle of Rhandeia - Romans under Lucius Caesennius Paetus are defeated by a Parthian-Armenian army under King Tiridates of Parthia.
*
69 -
**
April 14 -
Battle of Bedriacum -
Vitellius, commander of the Rhine armies, defeats Emperor
Otho and seizes the throne.
**
October 24 -
Second Battle of Bedriacum - Forces under
Antonius Primus, the commander of the Danube armies, loyal to
Vespasian, defeat the forces of Emperor
Vitellius.
*
84 -
Battle of Mons Graupius. Romans under
Gnaeus Julius Agricola defeat the Caledonians.
*
101 -
Battle of Tapae -
Trajan defeats
Decebalus, ending the
Dacian Wars.
*
193 -
**
Battle of Cyzicus -
Septimius Severus, the new Emperor, defeats his eastern rival
Pescennius Niger**
Battle of Nicaea - Severus again defeats Niger
*
194 -
Battle of Issus (194) - Severus finally defeats Niger.
*
197,
February 17 -
Battle of Lugdunum - Emperor
Septimius Severus defeats and kills his rival
Clodius Albinus, securing full control over the Empire.
*
218,
June 18 -
Battle of Antioch -
Varius Avitus defeats Emperor
Macrinus to claim the throne under the name Elagabalus.
*
238 -
Battle of Carthage (238) - Troops loyal to the Roman Emperor
Maximinus Thrax defeat and kill his successor
Gordian II.
*
243 -
Battle of Resaena - Roman forces under
Gordian III defeat the Persians under
Shapur I.
*
250 -
Battle of Philippopolis - King Cuiva of the
Goths defeats a Roman army.
*
251,
July 1 -
Battle of Abrittus - Goths defeat and kill the Roman Emperors
Decius and
Herennius Etruscus*
259 -
Battle of Mediolanum - Emperor
Gallienus decisively defeat Alamanni forces invading Italy.
*
260 -
Battle of Edessa - King
Shapur I of
Persia defeats and captures the Roman Emperor
Valerian*
268 -
Battle of Naissus - Emperor
Gallienus and his generals
Claudius and
Aurelian decisively defeat the Goths.
*
268 -
Battle of Lake Benacus - Romans under Emperor Claudius II defeat the
Alamanni*
271 -
**
Battle of Placentia - Emperor Aurelian is defeated by the Alamanni forces invading Italy
**
Battle of Fano - Aurelian defeats the Alamanni, who begin to retreat from Italy
**
Battle of Pavia (271) - Aurelian destroys the retreating Alamanni army.
**
Battle of Immae - Aurelian defeats the army of
Zenobia of
Palmyra*
272 -
Battle of Emesa - Aurelian decisively defeats Zenobia.
*
273 -
Battle of Chalons (273) - Aurelian defeats the Gallic usurper
Tetricus, reestablishing central control of the whole empire.
*
285 -
Battle of the Margus - The usurper
Diocletian defeats the army of the Emperor
Carinus, who is killed.
*
296 -
Battle of Callinicum - Romans under the Caesar
Galerius are defeated by the Persians under
Narseh.
*
298 -
**
Battle of Lingones -
Caesar Constantius Chlorus defeats the Alamanni
**
Battle of Vindonissa - Constantius again defeats the Alamanni
*
312 -
**
Battle of Turin -
Constantine I defeats forces loyal to
Maxentius.
**
Battle of Verona - Constantine I defeats more forces loyal to Maxentius.
**
October 28 -
Battle of Milvian Bridge - Constantine I defeats Maxentius and takes control of Italy.
*
313 30 April -
Battle of Tzirallum - In the eastern part of the Empire, the forces of
Licinius defeat
Maximinus.
*
314 -
8 October -
Battle of Cibalae - Constantine defeats Licinius
*
316 -
Battle of Mardia - Constantine again defeats Licinius, who cedes
Illyricum to Constantine.
*
324 -
**
July 3 -
Battle of Adrianople - Constantine defeats Licinius, who flees to
Byzantium**July -
Battle of the Hellespont - Flavius Julius
Crispus, son of Constantine, defeats the naval forces of Licinius
**
September 18 -
Battle of Chrysopolis - Constantine decisively defeats Licinius, establishing his sole control over the empire.
*
344 -
Battle of Singara - Emperor
Constantius II fights an indecisive battle against King
Shapur II of Persia (approximate date)
*
351 -
Battle of Mursa Major - Emperor Constantius II defeats the usurper
Magnentius*
353 -
Battle of Mons Seleucus - Final defeat of Magnentius by Constantius II
*
356 -
Battle of Reims -
Caesar Julian is defeated by the
Alamanni*
357 -
Battle of Strasbourg - Julian expels the Alamanni from the
Rhineland*
359 -
Battle of Amida -
Persians capture
Amida from Romans
*
363 -
Battle of Ctesiphon - Emperor Julian defeats Shapur II of Persia outside the walls of the Persian capital, but is unable to take the city, and his death leads to an ultimate disaster on the retreat back to Roman territory.
*
366 -
Battle of Thyatira - The army of the Roman emperor
Valens defeats the usurper
Procopius.
*
367 -
Battle of Solicinium - Romans under Emperor
Valentinian I defeat yet another Alamanni incursion.
*
377 -
Battle of the Willows - Roman troops fight an inconclusive battle against the Visigoths under
Fritigern*
378 -
**
Battle of Argentovaria - Western Emperor
Gratianus is victorious over the Alamanni, yet again.
**
August 9 -
Battle of Adrianople -
Visigoths under Fritigern defeat and kill the Eastern Emperor
Valens*
388 -
Battle of the Save - Emperor
Theodosius I defeats the usurper
Magnus Maximus.
*
394,
September 6 -
Battle of the Frigidus - Theodosius I defeats and kills the usurper
Eugenius and his
Frankish magister militum Arbogast.
*
402 April 6 -
Battle of Pollentia - Stilicho stymies the Visigoths under Alaric.
*
402 June -
Battle of Verona - Stilicho again defeats Alaric, who withdraws from Italy.
*
410 August 24 -
Sack of Rome - Visigoths under Alaric sack Rome.
*
432 -
Battle of Ravenna - Roman general
Aëtius defeats his rival
Comes Bonifacius, who is killed.
*
436 -
Battle of Narbonne - Aëtius again defeats the Visigoths under Theodoric.
*
447 -
Battle of the Utus - The East Romans defeat
Attila the Hun in an indecisive battle.
*
451, in June -
Battle of Chalons - An army of Visigoths, under king Theodoric, and Romans, under general Aëtius, repulses the attack of Attila the Hun. Theodoric is killed in the battle.
*
486 -
Battle of Soissons -
Clovis I defeats
Syagrius, last Roman commander in
Gaul, and annexes the
Roman rump state into the
Frankish realm.
*
493 -
Battle of Mons Badonicus -
Romano-British under
Ambrosius Aurelianus decisively defeat the
Anglo-Saxon invaders.
*
528 -
Battle of Dara -
Justinian I's commander
Belisarius defeats
Persians *
533 -
**
13 September Battle of Ad Decimum (or "Battle of Carthage (533)")
Belisarius defeats
Vandals near
Carthage**
15 December Battle of Ticameron Belisarius defeats again the Vandals near Carthage.
*
552 -
Battle of Taginae -
Narses replaces
Belisarius and defeats
Ostrogoths under
Totila*
553 Battle of Mons Lactarius Narses defeats the
Ostrogoths under
Teia*
554, October -
Battle of the Volturnus - Narses defeats the
Franks*
586 -
Battle of Solachon -
Byzantine Empire defeats Persia
* Elton, Hugh and Christos Nüssli,
"Imperial Battle Map Index". An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors.
*
"Roman Battles" map, platial.com
