List of the Major Battles in Roman History

Last Updated on September 21, 2023 by Vladimir Vulic

This is an attempt at a list of the major battles and military incidents to have taken place in the course of Roman history:

YEARPLACEWINNERS (Commander)LOSERS (Commander)
390 BCAlliaGauls (Brennus)Romans (Q.Servius Fidenas/Q.Sulpicius/P.Cornelius Maluginensis)
295 BCSentinumSamnites (Gellius Egnatius), Gauls, Umbrians & EtruscansRomans (Fabius Rullianus/Publius Decius Mus)
293 BCAquiloniaSamnitesRomans (Lucius Papirius Cursor)
280 BCHeracleaTarentum/Epirus (Pyrrhus)Romans (P. Valerius Laevinus)
279 BCAsculumno winner / drawn battleTarentum/Epirus (Pyrrhus)
Romans (C. Fabricius Luscinus)
275 BCBeneventumRomans (M.Curius Dentatus)Tarentum/Epirus (Pyrrhus)
256 BCEcnomusRomans (M.Atilius Regulus/L.Manlius)Carthaginians (Hamilcar)
249 BCDrepanumCarthaginians (Adherbal)Romans (P.Claudius Pulcher)
241 BCAegates IslandsRomans (C.Lutatius Catulus)Carthaginians (Hanno)
218 BCTrebiaCarthaginians (Hannibal)Romans (Ti.Sempronius Longus)
217 BCLake TrasimeneCarthaginians (Hannibal)Romans (C.Flaminius)
216 BCCannaeCarthaginians (Hannibal)Romans (C. Terentius Varro)
211 BCSyracuseRomans (M.Claudius Marcellus)Syracusans
207 BCMetaurusRomans (M.Livius Salinator/C.Claudius Nero)Carthaginians (Hasdrubal Barca)
206 BCIlipaRomans (P.Cornelius Scipio Africanus)Carthaginians (Hasdrubal)
203 BCGreat PlainsRomans (P.Cornelius Scipio Africanus)Carthaginians (Hasdrubal/Syphax)
202 BCZamaRomans (P.Cornelius Scipio Africanus)Carthaginians (Hannibal)
197 BCCynoscephalaeRomans (T.Quinctius Flaminius)Macedonians (Philip V)
191 BCThermopylaeRomans (M.Acilius Glabrio/M.Porcius Cato)Seleucia (Antiochus III)
190 BCMagnesiaRomans (Cn.Domitius Ahenobarbus/Eumenes II)Seleucia (Antiochus III)
168 BCPydnaRomans (L.Aemilius Paulus)Macedonians (Perseus)
147 BCCarthageRomans (P.Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus)Carthaginians (M. or C. Vetilius)
133 BCNumantiaRomans (P.Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus)Celtiberians
106 BCCirtaRomans (C.Marius)Numidians (Jughurta/Bocchus)
105 BCArausioCimbri and TeutonesRomans (Cn.Manlius/Q.Servilius Caepio)
102 BCAquae SextiaeRomans (C.Marius)Teutones and Ambrones
101 BCVercellaeRomans (C.Marius/Q.Lutatius Catulus)Cimbri
86 BCChaeroneaRomans (L.Cornelus Sulla Felix)Pontus (Archelaus)
86 BCOrchomenusRomans (L.Cornelus Sulla Felix)Pontus (Archelaus)
82 BCColline GateRomans (L.Cornelus Sulla Felix)Romans (Generals of Cn. Papirius Carbo/Samnite chief Telesinus)
72 BCCabiraRomans (Army of Lucullus)Pontus (Mithridates VI)
71 BCSilarus RiverRomans (M.Licinius Crassus)Spartacus
69 BCTigranocertaRomans (L.Licinius Lucullus)Armenia (Trigranes)
58 BCBibracteRomans (G.Julius Caesar)Helvetii (Orgetorix)
58 BCPlain of AlsaceRomans (G.Julius Caesar)Germans (Ariovistus)
57 BCSabis RiverRomans (G.Julius Caesar)Nervii
56 BCMorbihan GulfRomans (D.Junius Brutus)Veneti
53 BCCarrhaeParthians (Surenas)Romans (M.Licinius Crassus)
52 BCGergoviaGauls (Vercingetorix)Romans (G.Julius Caesar)
52 BCLutetia ParisiorumRomans (T.Labienus)Gauls (Camulogenus)
52 BCBattle near Dijon hands initiative back to CaesarRomans (G.Julius Caesar)Gauls (Vercingetorix)
52 BCAlesiaRomans (G.Julius Caesar)Gauls (Vercingetorix)
48 BCDyrrhachiumRomans (Cn. Pompeius Magnus)Romans (G.Julius Caesar)
48 BCPharsalusRomans (G.Julius Caesar)Romans (Cn. Pompeius Magnus)
47 BCAlexandriaRomans (G.Julius Caesar)Egyptians (Ptolemy III)
47 BCZelaRomans (G.Julius Caesar)Pontus (Pharnaces)
46 BCThapsusRomans (G.Julius Caesar)Romans (Q.Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio)
45 BCMundaRomans (G.Julius Caesar)Romans (Cn. Pompeius Magnus)
42 BC1st Philippino winner / drawn battleM.Antonius&C.Octavianus;/M.Junius Brutus&C.Cassius; Longinus
42 BC2nd PhilippiM.Antonius/C.OctavianusM.Junius Brutus
36 BCNaulochusRomans (M.Vipsanius Agrippa)Romans (Sex.Pompeius Magnus)
36 BCPhraaspano winner / drawn battleRomans (M.Antonius)/Parthians (Phraates IV)
31 BCActiumRomans (M.Vipsanius Agrippa)Romans (M.Antonius)
AD 9Teutoburger WaldGermans (Arminius)Romans (P. Quinctilius Varus)
AD 16IdistavisoRomans (G. Claudius Drusus Germanicus)Germans (Arminius)
AD 68-70JerusalemRomans (Vespasian/Titus)Jews
AD 691st CremonaRomans (Caecina and Valens)Romans (Otho)
AD 692nd CremonaRomans (Antonius Primus)Romans (Army of Vitellius)
AD 83Mons GraupiusRomans (Agricola)Caledonians (Galgacus)
AD 89TapaeRomans (Tettius Julianus)Dacians (Decebalus)
AD 101TapaeRomans (Trajan)Dacians (Decebalus)
AD 102SarmizegethusaRomans (Trajan)Dacians (Decebalus)
AD 105SarmizegethusaRomans (Trajan)Dacians (Decebalus)
AD 117HatraParthiansRomans (Trajan)
AD 166Ctesiphon/SeleuciaRomans (G.Avidius Cassius)Parthians
AD 193 – 96ByzantiumRomans (Army of Severus)Romans (Army of Pescennius Niger)
AD 194NicaeaRomans (Severus)Romans (Pescennius Niger)
AD 194IssusRomans (Severus)Romans (Pescennius Niger)
AD 197LugdunumRomans (Severus)Romans (Albinus)
AD 217Nisibisno winner / drawn battle (possible win by Parthians)Romans (Macrinus)/Parthians (Artabatus V)
AD 218AntiochRomans (Gannys)Romans (Macrinus)
AD 249VeronaRomans (Decius)Romans (Philippus Arabs)
AD 251AbrittusGoths (Kniva)Romans (Decius)
AD 259MediolanumRomans (Gallienus)Juthungi
AD 261BalkansRomans (Domitianus)Romans (F.Iunius Macrianus)
AD 268NaissusRomans (Gallienus)Goths
AD 268MediolanumRomans (Claudius II Gothicus)Romans (M.Acilius Aureolus)
AD 268Lake Benacus (Lake Garda)Romans (Claudius II Gothicus)Alemanni
AD 271PlacentiaAlemanni, Marcomanni, JuthungiRomans (Aurelian)
AD 272ImmaeRomans (Aurelian)Palmyrenes (Zabdas)
AD 272EmesaRomans (Aurelian)Palmyrenes
AD 273PalmyraRomans (Aurelian)Palmyrenes
AD 274Campi CatalauniiRomans (Aurelian)Romans (Tetricus)
AD 285MargumRomans (Diocletian)Romans (Carinus)
AD 296near SilchesterRomans (Asclepiodotus)Romans (Allectus)
AD 296CarrhaePersians (NarsesRomans (Galerius)
AD 297ArmeniaRomans (Galerius)Persians (Narses)
AD 297CtesiphonRomans (Galerius)Persians
AD 312Augusta TaurinorumRomans (Constantine)Romans (Army of Maxentius)
AD 312VeronaRomans (Constantine)Romans (Army of Maxentius
AD 312Rome (Milvian Bridge)Romans (Constantine)Romans (Maxentius)
AD 313Campus SerenusRomans (Licinius)Romans (Maximinus Daia)
AD 316CibalaeRomans (Constantine)Romans (Licinius)
AD 324AdrianopleRomans (Constantine)Romans (Licinius)
AD 324ChrysopolisRomans (Constantine)Romans (Licinius)
AD 351MursaRomans (Constantius II)Romans (Magnentius)
AD 357ArgentorateRomans (Julian)Alemanni
AD 367Black ForestRomans (Valentinian)Alemanni
AD 378AdrianopleGoths (Fritigern)Romans (Valens)
AD 387SisciaRomans (Theodosius)Romans (Magnus Maximus)
AD 394River FrigidusRomans (Theodosius)Romans (Arbogast)
AD 410Sack of RomeVisigoths (Alaric)Romans
AD 451Campi CatalauniiRomans (Aetius/Theodoric I)Huns (Attila)
AD 455Sack of RomeVandals (Geiseric)Romans
AD 468off CarthageVandals (Geiseric)Romans (Basiliscus)
AD 472RomeRomans (Ricimer)Romans
AD 476‘Fall of Rome’German Mercenaries (Odoacer)Romans
AD 530DarasRomans (Belisarius)Persians
AD 533Tricameron (Ad Decimum)Romans (Belisarius)Vandals (Geilamir)
AD 537RomeRomans (Belisarius)Goths (Wittiges)
AD 539Ravenna (siege)Romans (Belisarius)Goths (Wittiges)
AD 545-46Rome (siege)Goths (Totila)Romans (Belisarius)
AD 552TaginaeRomans (Narses)Goths (Totila)
AD 553SarnoRomans (Narses)Goths (Teias)
AD 554CasilinumRomans (Narses)Franks (Buccelin)
AD 614JerusalemPersia (Chosroes II)Byzantines
AD 617HeracleaAvarsByzantines (Heraclius)
AD 619AlexandriaPersiansByzantines
AD 626Constantinople (siege)Byzantines (Heraclius)Avars
AD 627NinevehByzantines (Heraclius)Persians (Chosroes II)
AD 634YermakSaracensByzantines (Heraclius)
AD 637Jerusalem (siege)Saracens (Omar)Byzantines
AD 642AlexandriaSaracens (Amr)Byzantines
AD 644AlexandriaByzantines (Manuel)Saracens
AD 646AlexandriaSaracens (Amr)Byzantines
AD 652AlexandriaSaracens (Abu Sarh)Byzantines (Constans II)
AD 673-677Constantinople (siege)Byzantines (Constantine IV)Saracens (Moawiya)
AD 692SebastopolisSaracensByzantines
AD 698CarthageSaracensByzantines
Ad 712Constantinople (siege)Byzantines (Philippicus)Bulgars
AD 717-718Constantinople (siege)ByzantinesSaracens
AD 718off ConstantinopleByzantines (Leo)Saracens
AD 806HeracleaSaracens (Harun-al-Raschid)Byzantines
AD 806TyanaSaracens (Harun-al-Raschid)Byzantines
AD 811Bulgars (Krum)Byzantines (Nicephorus)
AD 813-4Constantinople (siege)Byzantines (Leo V)Bulgars (Krum)
AD 860Constantinople (siege)Byzantines (Michael III)Russians (Oskold & Dir)
AD 863PosonByzantines (Petronas)Saracens (Omar, Emir of Melitene)
AD 907Constantinople (siege)no winner / drawn battleByzantines / Russians (Prince Oleg)
AD 913ConstantinopleByzantines (Alexander)Bulgars (Simeon)
AD 941ConstantinopleByzantines (Romanus I)Russians
AD 961Chandax (on Crete)Byzantines (Nicephorus Phocas)Saracens (Abd al-Aziz)
AD 971DorostolonByzantines (John Zimisces)Russians
AD 1014KleidionByzantines (Basil II)Bulgars (Samuel)
1071ManzikertTurks (Alp Arslan)Byzantines (Romanus IV Diogenes)
1079CalavrytaByzantines (Alexius Comnenus)Byzantines (Nicephorus Bryennius)
AD 1090-1091Constantinople (siege)ByzantinesPatzinaks
AD 1176MiryokephalonSeljuks (Kilij Arslan)Byzantines (Manuel I)
AD 1204ConstantinopleLatins/VenetiansByzantines
AD 1261ConstantinopleByzantines (Michael VIII)Latins
AD 1422Constantinople (siege)Byzantines (Manuel II)Ottomans (Murad II)
AD 1453Constantinople (siege)Ottomans (Mohammed II)Byzantines (Constantine XII)