List of Roman civil wars and revolts

This article is about Roman external civil wars, revolts and rebellions. For wars and battles ancient Rome fought against external enemies, see List of Roman external wars and battles.

This list of Roman civil wars and revolts includes civil wars and organized civil disorder, revolts, and rebellions in ancient Rome (Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic, and Roman Empire) until the fall of the Western Roman Empire (753 BC – AD 476). For the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantine Empire after the division of the Empire in West and East, see List of Byzantine revolts and civil wars (AD 330–1453). For external conflicts, see List of Roman external wars and battles.

From the establishment of the Roman Republic in 509 BC until the 1st century BC, there were a sparse number of civil wars. But with the Crisis of the Roman Republic (134–44 BC), a period of considerable political instability began. The cause of the late Roman Republican civil wars is contested, as is whether the wars were the cause of, or caused by, the end of the Roman Republic.[1]: 2–3  Regardless, a nearly constant stream of civil wars marked the end of the Roman Republic and heralded the rise of the Roman Empire in 27 BC. The first century of Empire was marked by widespread revolt through territory Rome had captured in the preceding centuries. The second century AD was relatively peaceful, with a limited number of revolts. Political instability returned to the Empire with the Crisis of the Third Century (235–284 AD), which saw at least 26 civil wars in just 50 years as usurpers sought the imperial throne. The fourth and fifth centuries AD were characterized by a regular rising of usurpers. The overthrow of the last Western Roman emperor in AD 476 by the Germanic king Odoacer marked the final civil war or revolt, as well as the end of the Western Roman Empire.

Because the study of Roman civil war has been deeply influenced by historic Roman views on civil war, not all entries on this list may be considered civil wars by modern historians. Implicit in most Roman power struggles was a propaganda battle, which impacted how the struggle would be chronicled and referred to. For example, historians Lange & Vervaet suggest that the crisis after Caesar's assassination might be better understood as an internal emergency. Conversely, some revolts on this list may be properly considered to be civil wars, but were not referred to as such by Roman chroniclers. As Lange & Vervaet note, "civil war often refuses to speak its name."[1]: 3–5 

6th century BC

5th century BC

3rd century BC

  • 269 BC: Revolt of the Samnites guided by Lollius - revolt suppressed
  • 269-268 BC: Picenti revolt - revolt suppressed and their land is conquered
  • 265-264 BC: Revolt of the Etruscan city Volsinii: revolt suppressed with city being destroyed
  • 241 BC: Falisci revolt – revolt suppressed and their city destroyed[2]
  • 216–203 BC: Defection of Rome's Italic allies to the Carthaginians during the second Punic war

2nd century BC

1st century BC

  • 91–87 BC: Social War, between Rome and many of its fellow Italian allies – Roman victory.[5]
    • 89 BC – Battle of Fucine Lake – Roman forces under Lucius Porcius Cato are defeated by the Italian rebels.
    • 89 BC – Battle of Asculum – Roman army of C. Pompeius Strabo decisively defeats the rebels.
  • 88 BC: Sulla's first march on Rome, causing his enemy, Gaius Marius, to be outlawed[5]
  • Bellum Octavianum (87 BC), civil war between the consuls Cornelius Cinna and Octavius – Cinnan victory.
  • Sulla's civil war (83–81 BC), fought between Sulla and Cinna's supporters – Sullan victory. Some regard the entire 88–82 BC period as one of Roman civil war.[5]
  • Sertorian War (80–72 BC) between Rome and the provinces of Hispania under the leadership of Quintus Sertorius, a former supporter of Marius and Cinna – Sullan victory.
    • 80 BC – Battle of the Baetis River – Rebel forces under Quintus Sertorius defeat the legal Roman forces of Lucius Fufidius in Hispania.
    • 79 BC – Battle at the Anas River – Sertorius' legate Lucius Hirtuleius defeats the Sullan Governor Marcus Domitius Calvinus, who dies in the altercation.
    • 76 BC – Battle of Lauron – Sertorius defeats Pompey outside the walls of the city of Lauron, which he then razes to the ground.
    • 75 BC –
      • Battle of Valentia – Pompey defeats Sertorius' subordinates Marcus Perperna Veiento and Gaius Herennius near Valentia.
      • Battle of Italica – Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius defeats Hirtuleius near the Roman colony of Italica.
      • Battle of Sucro – Sertorius and Pompey clash near the banks of the Sucro River. Both armies lose a wing and the battle ends in a draw.
      • Battle of Saguntum – Sertorius, Perperna and Hirtuleius battle with Metellus and Pompey. The battle ends in a draw, with heavy losses on both sides: Gaius Memmius and Hirtuleius die.
      • Siege of Clunia – Sertorius lay sieged in Clunia with Metellus and Pompey outside. He eventually extricates himself, rejoins with his army, and resumes the war.
    • 74 BC – Siege of Calgurris – Sertorius defeats a besieging Roman army at the fortress town of Calgurris.
    • 73/72 BC – Battle of Osca – Perperna leads the Sertorians in battle against Pompey after assassinating Sertorius, near Osca. Pompey defeats him, ending the Sertorian War.
  • 77 BC: Lepidus' rebellion against the Sullan regime – Sullan victory.
  • Third Servile War in Italy (73–71 BC) – slave revolt suppressed.
    • 73 BC – Battle of Mount Vesuvius – Spartacus defeats Gaius Claudius Glaber
    • 72 BC – Battle of Picenum – Slave Revolt led by Spartacus defeat a Roman army led by Gellius Publicola and Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus
    • 72 BC – Battle of Mutina I – Slave Revolt led by Spartacus defeat another army of Romans.
    • 71 BC –
      • Battle of Cantenna – Roman forces defeated a detached of Spartacus' army led by gladiators Gannicus and Castus
      • Battle of Campania – Slave Revolt led by Spartacus defeat a Roman army.
      • Battle of Campania II – a Roman army under Marcus Crassus defeats Spartacus's army of slaves.
      • Battle of the Siler River – Marcus Crassus defeats the army of Spartacus.
  • Catilinarian conspiracy (63–62 BC) – failed coup d'état by the dissatisfied followers of Catiline against the Senate – Senatorial victory.
    • 62 BC, January – Battle of Pistoria – The forces of the conspirator Catiline are defeated by the loyal Roman armies under Gaius Antonius.
  • 54–53 BC: Ambiorix's revolt, part of the larger Gallic Wars.
  • Caesar's civil war (49–45 BC) between Julius Caesar and the Optimates initially led by Pompey the Great (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus) – Caesarian victory.
    • 49 BC, February – Siege of Corfinium – The siege lasted only a week, the defenders surrendered themselves to Caesar.
    • 49 BC, 9 March – 18 March – Siege of Brundisium – Caesar tried to blockade the harbour, Pompey abandoned the city.
    • 49 BC, June – Battle of Ilerda – Caesar's army surround Pompeian forces and cause them to surrender.
    • 49 BC, 24 August – 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 is killed in battle.[8]
    • 48 BC, 10 July – Battle of Dyrrhachium – Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat by Pompey in Macedonia
    • 48 BC, 29 July – Siege of Gomphi – The city fell in a few hours and Caesar's men were allowed to sack Gomphi.
    • 48 BC, 9 August – 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
    • 46 BC, 4 January – Battle of Ruspina – Caesar loses perhaps as much as a third of his army to Titus Labienus
    • 46 BC, 6 February – Battle of Thapsus – Caesar defeats the Pompeian army of Metellus Scipio in North Africa.
    • 45 BC, 17 March – Battle of Munda – In his last victory, Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Gnaeus Pompey the Younger in Hispania. Labienus is killed in the battle and the Younger Pompey captured and executed.
  • 46 BC: Revolt of the Bellovaci in North-Eastern Gaul – revolt suppressed
  • 44 BC: Revolt of the Allobroges in Gaul – revolt suppressed
  • War of Mutina (December 44 – April 43 BC) between the Senate's army (led first by Cicero and then by Octavian) and the army of Mark Antony, Lepidus, and their colleagues – Truce results in union of forces.
    • 43 BC, 14 April – 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.
    • 43 BC, 21 April: Battle of Mutina – Senatorial victory over Mark Antony.
  • Liberators' civil war (44–42 BC) between the Second Triumvirate and the Liberators (Brutus and Cassius, Caesar's assassins) – Triumvirate victory.
    • 43 BC, 21 April – 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, 3 October – First Battle of Philippi – Triumvirs Mark 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.
    • 42 BC, 23 October – Second Battle of Philippi – Brutus's army is decisively defeated by Antony and Octavian. Brutus escapes, but commits suicide soon after.
  • Bellum Siculum (42–36 BC), war between the Second Triumvirate (particularly Octavian and Agrippa) and Sextus Pompey, the son of Pompey – Triumvirate victory.
  • Perusine War (41–40 BC) between the forces of Octavian against Lucius Antonius and Fulvia (the younger brother and wife of Mark Antony) – Octavian victory.
    • 41 BC – Battle of Perugia – Mark Antony's brother Lucius Antonius and his wife Fulvia are defeated by Octavian.
  • 38 BC: Revolt of Aquitanian tribes – revolt suppressed by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
  • War of Actium or Final War of the Roman Republic (32–30 BC): between Octavian and his friend and general Agrippa against Antony and Cleopatra – Octavian victory.
  • 30–29 BC: Revolt of the Morini and Treveri in Northern Gaul with Germanic support – revolt suppressed
  • 30 BC: Revolt in the Nile delta and the Thebaid – revolt suppressed by Gaius Cornelius Gallus
  • 28–27 BC: Revolt in Gallia Aquitania – revolt suppressed by Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus
  • 13 BC: Revolt of Vologases, priest of Dionysus, in Thrace – revolt suppressed
  • 11–9 BC: Revolt of southern mountain tribes in Thrace – revolt suppressed by Calpurnius Piso
  • 4 BC: Revolt of Jews in Judea – revolt suppressed by Publius Quinctilius Varus

1st century

2nd century

3rd century

  • 218, 8 June: Battle of Antioch, fought between the Emperor Macrinus and his rival Elagabalus (Varius Avitus) and resulting in Macrinus' downfall and his replacement by Elagabalus.
  • 219: Failed usurpations of Verus and Gellius Maximus in Syria.
  • 221: Failed usurpation of Seleucus, possibly in Moesia
  • 227: Failed usurpation of Seius Sallustius in Rome
  • 232: Failed usurpation of Taurinius in Syria.

Crisis of the Third Century

Post-crisis

  • 284–286: Bagaudae uprising in Gaul under Aelianus and Amandus – revolt suppressed
  • 286–296: Carausian revolt under Carausius and Allectus in Britain and northern Gaul – revolt suppressed
  • 293: Revolt of the towns of Busiris and Coptos in the Egyptian Thebaid – revolt suppressed by Galerius
  • 297–298: Failed usurpation of Domitius Domitianus and Achilleus in Egypt

4th century

The Roman Empire under the Tetrarchy, with the territory of Constantius (yellow), Maximian (green), Galerius (pink), and Diocletian (purple)

The 4th century begins with civil war resulting in the ascendancy of Constantine I, then, after his death, the progressive Christianization of the empire, and wars with Sassanid Persia and Germanic tribes, punctuated frequently with more civil wars.

5th century

  • 406–413: Civil war as the usurpers Marcus, Gratian, Constantine III, Constans II (son of Constantine III), Maximus of Hispania, Priscus Attalus, Jovinus, Sebastianus and Heraclianus tried to usurp the throne of Emperor Honorius. All were defeated.
    • 412–413: War of Heraclianus
  • 409–417: Bagaudae uprising in the Loire valley and Brittany
  • 416–418; Gothic War in Spain (416–418)
  • 419–421: Revolt of Maximus in the Diocese of Hispania – revolt suppressed
  • 422: Vandal war of 422 in Diocese of Hispania – the Romans leads a defeat.
  • 423–425: Roman civil war of 425, when the usurper Joannes was defeated by the army of Emperor Valentinian III.
  • 425–426: Gothic revolt of Theodoric I
  • 427–429: Roman civil war of 427–429, when the Comes Africae Bonifacius fought inconclusively against the Magister militum Felix. The civil war was terminated by negotiations brokered by Galla Placidia.
  • 428: Frankish War (428)
  • 429–435: Vandal conquest of Roman Africa
  • 430: Gothic revolt of Anaolsus
  • 430–431: Aetius campaign in the Alps
  • 431–432: Frankish War (431–432)
  • 432: Roman civil war of 432 when the Magister militum Flavius Aetius was defeated by the rival Magister militum Bonifacius, who died of wounds sustained in battle soon afterwards, giving Aetius full control over the Western Empire.
    • Battle of Rimini (432)
  • 435
  • 436
    • 436–439: Gothic War (436–439)
      • 436: Battle of Narbonne – Flavius Aetius again defeats the Visigoths led by Theodoric.
      • 438: Battle of Mons Colubrarius
      • 439: Battle of Toulouse – Visigoths led by Theodoric I defeat Romans under General Litorius, who is killed.
  • 439–442 Vandal War (439–442)
  • 455: Valentinian III assassinated and overthrown by Petronius Maximus.
  • 455: Petronius Maximus stoned to death by mob and replaced by Avitus.
  • 456
    • Gothic War in Spain (456) – A Visigothic army, led by Theodoric II recaptures Spain on behalf of the West Roman Empire.
    • Battle of Agrigentum (456) – An army of the Western Roman Empire, led by the Romano-Suebian general Ricimer, drove off an invading fleet sent by the Vandal king Gaiseric to raid Sicily.
    • Battle of Corsica – the Vandals were attacked by Ricimer and defeated.
    • Roman civil war of 456, when Emperor Avitus was defeated by the revolvers Majorianus and Ricimer.
  • 461: Roman civil war of 461 – Majorian assassinated and overthrown by Ricimer, civil war of the general Ricimer against the generals Aegidius, Marcellinus an Nepotianus
  • 461–468 Vandal War (461–468)
  • 468: Failed usurpation by Arvandus.
  • 470: Failed usurpation by Romanus.
  • 472: Anthemius overthrown by Ricimer.
  • 474: Glycerius overthrown by Julius Nepos.
  • 475: Julius Nepos overthrown by Orestes.
  • 476: Orestes overthrown by Odoacer. Romulus Augustulus deposed, ending the Western Roman Empire.
  • 486: Franco-Roman War of 486 Roman Army of Syagrius overthrown by Clovis I

References

  1. ^ a b The historiography of Late Republican Civil War. Carsten Hjort Lange, Frederik Vervaet. Leiden. 2019. ISBN 978-90-04-40952-1. OCLC 1111650610.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ^ Potter, David (2019-06-03). The Origin of Empire: Rome from the Republic to Hadrian. Harvard University Press. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-674-65967-4.
  3. ^ Boldt, Andreas (2017-03-16). Historical Mechanisms: An Experimental Approach to Applying Scientific Theories to the Study of History. Taylor & Francis. p. 180. ISBN 978-1-351-81648-9.
  4. ^ Chrystal, Paul (2015-11-30). Roman Military Disasters: Dark Days & Lost Legions. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-7395-7.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Jones 2013, p. 2.
  6. ^ Conole, P. (1981). "Allied Disaffection and the Revolt of Fregellae1". Antichthon. 15: 129–140. doi:10.1017/S0066477400004615. ISSN 0066-4774. S2CID 151724816.
  7. ^ Flower, Harriet I. (2014-06-23). The Cambridge Companion to the Roman Republic. Cambridge University Press. p. 200. ISBN 978-1-107-03224-8.
  8. ^ Julius Caesar— The Civil Wars, Chapter 42
  9. ^ a b Jones 2013, p. 3.
  10. ^ Eutropius, 10:9
  11. ^ Victor, 41:21
  12. ^ Jones 2013, p. 4.

Sources

  • Jones, Jim (2013). "Roman History Timeline" (PDF). West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  • Kohn, George Childs, 'Dictionary of Wars, Revised Edition' (Checkmark Books, New York, 1999)
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.