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Battles of ancient Rome

Ancient Rome, a state engaged in intense territorial expansion, fought countless wars over the centuries. Well-trained and equipped Roman troops, led by outstanding strategists, were capable of defeating even much larger opposing armies. However, there were also painful defeats, such as the defeat at Cannae and the catastrophe in the Teutoburg Forest.

Rome confirmed its military might as early as the beginning of the 2nd century BCE, defeating the Macedonian army at Cynoscephalae in Thessaly in 197 BCE. Seven years later, at Magnesia in Asia Minor, Roman legions defeated the Seleucid forces – one of the greatest powers of the Hellenistic world – proving themselves to be the superior army in the region. The crisis of Roman military power began to become apparent in the 3rd century CE; As a consequence, the process of “Germanization” of the army and the decline in its combat value contributed to the decline of both the army and the Roman state itself.

Battle of Telamon

(225 BCE)

Battle of Telamon (225 BCE) took place in Etruria. It was a defeat of the Celtic troops, which were crushed by the army of two consuls.

Celts

Battle of Aegates

(10 March 241 BCE)

Battle of Aegates (241 BCE) was the defeat of Carthage, which finally sealed the fate of its army in Sicily and the defeat in the First Punic War against the Romans.

Roman ship

Battle of Drepanum

(249 BCE)

Battle of Drepanum (249 BCE) was a battle at sea between Carthage and Rome in the First Punic War. It was the only case of a Roman pogrom at sea during the Punic Wars.

Ancient ships

Battle of Panormus

(250 BCE)

Battle of Panormus (250 BCE) was a clash of Rome and Carthage in 250 BCE, during the First Punic War. The victory at Panormus was testimony to the perfect battle plan created by the Romans.

Denarius of Cecilius Metellus Caprarius. The reverse shows the triumph of  his ancestor Lucius Cecilius Metellus and the elephants captured at Panormus.

Battle of Aspis

(255 BCE)

Battle of Aspis (255 BCE) was the victorious land battle of the Carthaginian troops over the Roman forces in the First Punic War.

Battle of Aspis

Battle of Cape Ecnomos

(256 BCE)

Sea battle near Cape Ecnomos (256 BCE) was fought between the Roman fleet and the Carthaginian fleet during the First Punic War. The Roman side won.

Corvus - Roman raven

Sea Battle of Mylae

(260 BCE)

Sea battle of Mylae (260 BCE) was fought between the Roman fleet and the Carthaginian fleet during the First Punic War. The Roman side won.

Tyrrhenian Sea, near Sicily

Battle of Agrigentum

(261 BCE)

Battle of Agrigentum (261 BCE) was a victorious clash of Roman troops over Carthage in the First Punic War. If Polybius is to be believed, the victory prompted the republic on the Tiber to completely remove the enemy from Sicily.

Sicily during the First Punic War

Battle of Sentinum

(295 BCE)

Battle of Sentinum (295 BCE) was the victory of the Romans over the Samnites. The battle was reportedly the largest battle fought on Italian soil since the founding of Rome. According to Livy' account, the legions' victory was decided by "devotio" - ritual sacrifice of the leader in exchange for the victory of the legions.

Samnite attack on Roman troops

Battle of Caudine Forks

(321 BCE)

Battle of Caudine Forks (321 BCE) was the defeat of the Romans during the Second Samnite War in the years 327-304 BCE.

Fresco depicting the battle of Caudine Forks

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