List of wars and battles in ancient times

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Violent confrontations with foreign enemies were commonplace in those societies of antiquity that had no clearly defined borders and whose protection was guaranteed by a class of warriors whose social position depended on their ability to fight war. Forays into the territory of the neighbors were therefore regularly carried out once or several times a year. The war was omnipresent, it determined the life and self-image of such tribal societies and has only been handed down in exceptional cases.

But the rulers of ancient civilizations also defined themselves through military success and had to constantly renew this legitimation . Although these war campaigns were institutionalized through embassies, declarations of war and peace treaties , they were still a regular phenomenon.

The following list therefore represents only a very limited selection of such long-term military conflicts which, due to their course or results, have found their way into historical tradition and scientific discussion.

Antiquity (1200 BC to 641 AD)

date Battle name place Remarks
around 735–715 BC BC - First Messenian War
around 710–650 BC BC - Lelantic War
around 640 BC BC - Second Messenian War
around 600-592 BC BC - First Holy War
500-448 BC BC - Persian Wars
494 BC Chr. Battle of Ark Asia Minor Persians defeat Ionian cities
490 BC BC, September Battle of Marathon Greece Athenians and Plataeans defeat Persians
480 BC BC, early August Battle of Thermopylae Greece Persians defeat the Hellenic League
480 BC BC, early August Battle of Artemision Greece Hellenic League against Persians - no decision
480 BC BC, September Battle of Salamis Greece Hellenic League defeats Persians
479 BC BC, spring Battle of Plataiai Greece Hellenic League defeats Persians
479 BC BC, spring Battle of Mycale Asia Minor Hellenic League defeats Persians
465 BC Chr. Battle of the Eurymedon Pamphylia Greeks defeat Persians
498–338 BC BC - Latin Wars
498-493 BC BC - First Latin War
340-338 BC BC - Second Latin War
339 BC Chr. Battle of Vesuvius Italy Romans defeat Latins
338 BC Chr. Battle of Trifanum Italy Romans defeat Latins
484 BC BC - Etruscans against Greeks
484 BC Chr. Battle of Kyme Italy Greek cities defeat Etruscans
480-310 BC BC - Syracuse against Carthage or Italiots
480 BC BC, October Battle of Himera Sicily Syracuse defeats Carthage
389 BC Chr. Battle of Elleporus Italy Syracuse defeats Italian Confederation
341 BC Chr. Battle of the crime thriller Sicily Syracuse defeats Carthage
311 BC Chr. Battle of the Himeras Sicily Carthage defeats Syracuse
310 BC Chr. Battle of Tunis North africa Syracuse defeats Carthage
441-439 BC BC - Sami War
431-404 BC BC - Peloponnesian War
457-445 BC - Prelude: First Peloponnesian War
457 BC Chr. Battle of Tanagra (457 BC) Greece Sparta defeats Athens
457 BC Chr. Battle of Oinophyta Greece Athens defeats Boiotia
447 BC Chr. Battle of Koroneia Greece Boiotia defeats Athens
431-404 BC BC - (Second) Peloponnesian War
433 BC Chr. Battle of the Sybota Islands Greece Corinth versus Kerkyra and Athens, tie
432 BC Chr. Battle of Potideia Greece Athens defeats Corinth
429 BC Chr. Battle of Spartolus Greece Chalcidians defeat Athens
429 BC Chr. Battle of Naupaktos Greece Athens defeats the Peloponnesians
426 BC Chr. Battle of Tanagra (426 BC) Greece Athens defeats Boiotia
426 BC Chr. Battle of Olpai Greece Athens defeats Sparta
425 BC BC, spring Siege of Pylos Greece Athens defeats Sparta
425 BC BC, spring Battle of Sphakteria Greece Athens defeats Sparta
424 BC Chr. Battle of the Delion Greece Thebes defeats Athens
422 BC Chr. Battle of Amphipolis Greece Sparta defeats Athens
418 BC Chr. First battle of Mantineia Greece Sparta defeats Athens
415-413 BC Chr. Siege of Syracuse Sicily Syracuse defeats Athens
411 BC Chr. Battle of Syme Greece Athens versus Sparta, tie
411 BC Chr. Battle of Kynossema Greece Athens defeats Sparta
410 BC Chr. Battle of Kyzikos Greece Athens defeats Sparta
407 BC Chr. Battle of Notion Greece Sparta defeats Athens
406 BC Chr. Battle of the Arginus Greece Athens defeats Sparta
405 BC Chr. Battle of Aigospotamoi Greece Sparta defeats Athens
401 BC BC - Persian Civil War
401 BC Chr. Battle of Kunaxa Babylonia Persian king Artaxerxes defeats the usurper Cyrus
399-394 BC BC - Spartan-Persian War
394 BC Chr. Battle of Knidos Asia Minor Persians defeat Sparta
395-387 BC BC - Corinthian War
395 BC Chr. Battle of Haliartus Greece Thebes defeats Sparta
394 BC Chr. Battle of Nemea Greece Sparta defeats Thebes, Athens, Corinth and Argos
394 BC Chr. Battle of Koroneia Greece Sparta defeats Thebes, Athens, Corinth and Argos
391/390 BC Chr. Battle of Corinth Greece Sparta defeats Athens, Argos and Corinth
390 BC Chr. Battle of Lechaion Greece Athens defeats Sparta
390-282 BC BC - Wars of Rome against the Celts
387 BC BC, July 16 Battle of the Allia Italy Celts defeat Romans and Latins
283 BC Chr. Battle of the Vadimonian Lake Italy Romans defeat Gauls
371-362 BC BC - Theban War
371 BC Chr. Battle of Leuktra Greece Thebes defeats Sparta
362 BC Chr. Second battle of Mantineia Greece Mantineia, Sparta and Athens versus Thebes, tie
354-322 BC BC - Macedonian Wars
354 BC Chr. Battle of Thessaly Greece Phokers defeat Macedonia
353 BC Chr. Battle on the crocus field Greece Macedonia defeats the Phokers
338 BC BC, August 2nd Battle of Chaironeia Greece Macedonia defeats Athens and Thebes
334 BC Chr. Battle of the Granikos Asia Minor Macedonia defeats the Persians
333 BC BC, November Battle of Issus Asia Minor Macedonia defeats the Persians
331 BC BC, October 1st Battle of Gaugamela Asia Minor Macedonia defeats the Persians
331 BC Chr. Battle of Megalopolis Greece Macedonia defeats Sparta
326 BC Chr. Battle of the Hydaspes India Macedonia defeats Poros, king of the Paurava
323-322 BC BC - Lamish war
322 BC BC, September Battle of Krannon Greece Macedonia defeats Athens
322 BC BC, September Sea battle at Amorgos Greece Macedonia defeats Athens
343-289 BC BC - Samnite Wars
343-341 BC BC - First Samnite War
342 BC Chr. Battle of Mount Gaurus Italy Romans defeat Samnites
326-304 BC BC - Second Samnite War
321 BC Chr. Battle of the Caudine Passes Italy The Samnites defeat the Romans
315 BC Chr. Battle of Lautulae Italy The Samnites defeat the Romans
310 BC Chr. First battle on Lake Vadimon Italy Romans defeat Etruscans
305 BC Chr. Battle of Bovianum Italy Romans defeat Samnites
298-290 BC BC - Third Samnite War
295 BC Chr. Battle of Camerinum Italy The Samnites defeat the Romans
295 BC Chr. Battle of Sentinum Italy Romans defeat Samnites and Gauls
321-160 BC BC - Diadoch Wars and Wars of the Hellenistic Empires
320 BC Chr. Battle of the Hellespont Asia Minor Eumenes defeats Krateros
319 BC Chr. Battle of Orkynia Asia Minor Antigonus defeats Eumenes
319 BC Chr. Battle of Cretopolis Asia Minor Antigonus defeats Alketas
317 BC Chr. Battle of Byzantion Asia Minor Antigonus defeats Clitus
316 BC Chr. Battle of the Kopratas Iran Eumenes defeats Antigonus
316 BC Chr. Battle of Paraitakene Iran Eumenes draws against Antigonus
316 BC Chr. Battle of Gabiene Iran Eumenes draws against Antigonus
312 BC Chr. Battle of Gaza Palestine Ptolemy I defeats Demetrios
301 BC Chr. Battle of Ipsos Asia Minor Fall of Antigonus
281 BC Chr. Battle of Kurupedion Asia Minor Seleucus I defeats Lysimachus
279 BC Chr. Thermopylae and Delphi Greece Greeks defeat Celts
268 BC Chr. Elephant battle Asia Minor Seleucids defeat the Celts
234 BC Chr. Battle of Aphrodision Asia Minor near Pergamon Attalus I of Pergamon defeats Antiochus Hierax and the Celts (Galatians) allied with him
234/233 BC Chr. Battle of the Kaïkos springs Asia Minor Attalus I of Pergamon defeats the Celts (Galatians)
222 BC Chr. Battle of Sellasia Greece Macedonia defeats Sparta
220 BC Chr. Battle of Apollonia Iran Antiochus III. defeated insurgents
217 BC Chr. Battle of Raphia Sinai Ptolemy IV defeats Antiochus III.
207 BC Chr. Third Battle of Mantineia Greece Achaean League defeats Sparta
200 BC Chr. Battle of Paneion Palestine Seleucids defeat Ptolemies
160 BC Chr. Battle of Elasa Palestine Seleucids defeat Maccabees
280-275 BC BC - Pyrrhus Wars
280 BC Chr. Battle of Heraclea Lower Italy Pyrrhus defeats Rome
279 BC Chr. Battle of Asculum Lower Italy Pyrrhus defeats Rome
275 BC Chr. Battle of Beneventum Lower Italy Rome defeats Pyrrhus
264-146 BC BC - Punic Wars
264-241 BC BC - First Punic War
261 BC Chr. Battle of Agrigento Sicily Rome defeats Carthage
260 BC Chr. Battle of Mylae Mediterranean Sea Rome defeats Carthage
255 BC Chr. Battle of Tunes North africa Carthage defeats Rome
249 BC Chr. Battle of Drepana Mediterranean Sea Carthage defeats Rome
218-201 BC BC - Second Punic War
218 BC Chr. Siege of Saguntum Spain Carthage defeats Iberians
218 BC Chr. Second Battle of Lilybaeum Sicily Rome defeats Carthage
218 BC Chr. Battle of the Rhone France Carthage defeats Volcae
218 BC Chr. Battle of the Ticinus Italy Carthage defeats Rome
218 BC Chr. Battle of the Trebia Italy Carthage defeats Rome
217 BC Chr. Battle of Lake Trasimeno Italy Carthage defeats Rome
216 BC BC, August 2nd Battle of Cannae Italy Carthage crushes Rome
215 BC Chr. Battle of Ibera Spain Rome defeats Carthage
212 BC Chr. Battle of Castulo Spain Carthage defeats Rome
212 BC Chr. Battle of Ilorci Spain Carthage defeats Rome
208 BC Chr. Battle of Baecula Spain Rome defeats Carthage
207 BC Chr. Battle of the Metaurus Northern Italy Rome defeats Carthage
206 BC Chr. Battle of Ilipa Spain Rome defeats Carthage
204 BC Chr. Battle of Crotona Southern Italy Draw Rome and Carthage
202 BC Chr. Battle of Zama North africa Rome defeats Carthage
149-146 BC BC - Third Punic War
229-215 BC BC Illyrian-Roman Wars
215-168 BC BC Macedonian-Roman Wars
215-205 BC Chr. First Macedonian War
200-197 BC Chr. Second Macedonian War
197 BC Chr. Battle of Kynoskephalai Greece Rome defeats Macedonia
171-168 BC Chr. Third Macedonian War
168 BC BC, June 22nd Battle of Pydna Greece Rome defeats Macedonia
192-188 BC BC Roman-Syrian War
191 BC Chr. Second battle of Thermopylae Greece Romans defeat Seleucids
191 BC Chr. Battle of Magnesia Asia Minor Romans defeat Seleucids
113-101 BC BC War against Cimbri and Teutons
113 BC Chr. Battle of Noreia Eastern Alps Cimbri, Ambrones and Teutons defeat the Romans
107 BC Chr. Battle of Agen South France Helvetii, Cimbri, Ambrones and Teutons defeat the Romans
105 BC Chr. Battle of Arausio South France Cimbri, Ambrons and Teutons defeat the Romans with devastation
102 BC Chr. Battle of Aquae Sextiae South France Marius defeats the Teutons and Ambrones
101 BC Chr. Battle of Vercellae Northern Italy Marius defeats the Cimbri
88-64 BC Chr. Mithridatic Wars
88-84 BC First Mithridatic War
86 BC Chr. Second battle at Chaeronea Greece Romans defeat Mithridates
86 BC Chr. Battle of Orchomenos Asia Minor Romans defeat Mithridates
83-81 BC Second Mithridatic War
74-64 BC Third Mithridatic War
69 BC Chr. Battle of Tigranocerta Armenia Romans defeat Mithridates
58-51 BC BC Gallic War
58 BC Chr. Battle of Bibracte France Romans defeat Helveten and Rauracher
58 BC Chr. Battle of Alsace Alsace Caesar defeats Ariovistus
57 BC Chr. Battle of the Sambre Belgium Caesar defeats Belger
52 BC Chr. Battle of Lutetia France Labienus defeats Gauls
52 BC BC, September Battle for Alesia France Caesar finally defeats the Gauls
54-53 BC BC Parthian War
53 BC Chr. Battle of Carrhae Mesopotamia Parthians defeat the Romans
133-30 BC BC Roman civil wars
82 BC Chr. Battle of the Collin Gate Italy Sulla defeats the Marians
62 BC Chr. Battle of Pistoria Northern Italy Senate army destroys Catiline and his followers
48 BC BC, July 10th Battle of Dyrrhachium Albania Pompey defeats Caesar
48 BC BC, August Battle of the Bagradas North africa Pompeians defeat Caesar's army
48 BC Chr. Battle of Pharsalus Greece Caesar defeats Pompey
47 BC Chr. Battle of the Nile Egypt Caesar defeats Egypt
47 BC Chr. Battle of Zela Asia Minor Caesar defeats Pharnakes
46 BC Chr. Battle of Thapsus North africa Caesar defeats the Pompeians
45 BC Chr. Battle of Munda Spain Caesar defeats the Pompeians
43 BC BC, April 14th or 15th Battle of Forum Gallorum Northern Italy Aulus Hirtius defeats Mark Antony
43 BC BC, April 21 Battle of Mutina Northern Italy Aulus Hirtius and Octavian defeat Mark Antony
42 BC Chr. Battle of Philippi Macedonia Mark Antony and Octavian defeat Cassius and Brutus
31 BC Chr. Battle of Actium Greece Octavian defeats Mark Antony

Roman Imperial Era

Late antiquity