Battle of Placentia (271)

Coordinates: 45°03′N 9°42′E / 45.05°N 9.7°E / 45.05; 9.7

Battle of Placentia

Part of the Roman-Germanic wars

Date	271
Location	near modern Piacenza, Italy
Result	Juthungi victory

Belligerents

Commanders and leaders

unknown

Battles of Aurelian

Placentia Fano Pavia Tyana Immae Emesa Châlons

Crisis of the Third Century

Reign of Maximinus Thrax (235–238)

Year of the Six Emperors (238)

Gordian Revolt (238)
Siege of Aquileia (238)
Reign of Pupienus and Balbinus (238)
Invasion of the Carpi (238–239)

Reign of Gordian III (238-244)

Reign of Philip the Arab (244-249)

Reign of Decius and Herennius Etruscus (249-251)

Plague of Cyprian (250–270)
Decian persecution (250–251)
Gothic Invasion of Cniva (250–251)
Carpi Invasion of Dacia (250)
Battle of Beroe (250)
Battle of Philippopolis (250)
Usurpation of Titus Julius Priscus (251)
Battle of Abritus and death of Emperors Decius and Herennius Etruscus (251)

Reign of Trebonianus Gallus (251-253)

Death of Hostilian (251)
Mariades' Revolt (252)
Siege of Nisibis (252)
Gothic Invasion (252–253)
Battle of Barbalissos (253)
Battle of Interamna Nahars (c 253)
Death of Trebonianus Gallus and Volusianus (253)

Reign of Aemilianus (253)

Siege of Antioch (253)
Assassination of Aemilianus (253)

Reign of Valerian & Gallienus (253-60)

Siege of Dura Europos (256)
Gothic Invasion (256–257)
Invasion of Shapur (258)
Invasion of Alamannai (258–260 approx)
Battle of Mediolanum (259)
Scythian Invasion (259–260)
Battle of Edessa and Capture of Emperor Valerian (260)

Reign of Gallienus (260-268)

Siege of Caesarea (260)
Usurpation of Ingenuus (260)
Usurpation of Regalianus (260)
Usurpation of Macrianus Major (c. 259–261)

Reign of Postumus (260–269) (Gallic Empire)

Death of Saloninus (260)
Roxolani Invasion of Pannonia (260)
Postumus Campaign Against the Franks (262)
Postumus Campaign against the Alamanni (263)
Usurpation of Laelianus (269)
Reign of Marcus Aurelius Marius (269)

Reign of Victorinus (269–271)

Augustodunum Haeduorum
Usurpation of Quietus (261)
Usurpation of Balista (261)
Usurpation of Valens Thessalonicus (261)
Usurpation of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi (261)
Usurpation of Macrianus Minor (261)
Usurpation of Mussius Aemilianus (261–262)
Campaigns of Odaenathus (260–267)
Pannonian Rebellion (261)
Revolt of Aemilianus (262)
Battle of Ctesiphon (263)
Scythian Invasion (265–266)
Assassination of Odaenathus (267)
Usurpation of Maeonius (266–267)
Scythian Invasion (267–269)
Heruli Raids (267)
Usurpation of Manius Acilius Aureolus (268)
Mainz
Zenobia Invasion of Egypt (269)
Reign of Claudius II (268-270)
Battle of Naissus (268/269)
Battle of Lake Benacus (268 or 269)
Capture of Athens (269)
Palmyrene Empire (270–273)
Zenobia Campaign Against Probus (270)
Vandal Invasion (270)

Reign of Aurelian (270-275)

Usurpation of Victorinus Junior (271)
Junthungi Invasion (271)
Domitianus II (271)
Tetricus I & Tetricus II (271–274)
Rebellion of Felicissimus (270s)
Battle of Placentia (271)
Battle of Fano (271)
Battle of Pavia (271)
Battle of Tyana (272)
Battle of Antioch (272)
Battle of Immae (272)
Battle of Emesa (272)
Razing of Palmyra (273)
Usurpation of Faustinus (c. 273)
Battle of Chalons (274)

The Battle of Placentia was fought in 271 between a Roman army led by Emperor Aurelian and the Juthungi tribe, near modern Piacenza.

Background and prelude

Since the winter of 270, the Roman army had been occupied with repulsing a Vandal invasion at the Danube frontier. The expedition was ultimately successful, however, the Juthungi tribe seized the opportunity by invading Italia, counting on the absence of the Roman army. Emperor Aurelian, who was in Pannonia with an army to control the withdrawal of the Vandals, hastily moved into Italia but, as he approached Milan, he received news that the enemy was already moving south-east, after sacking Placentia.^[1] According to the Anonymous Continuator of Cassius Dio,^[2] he immediately sent them a message demanding their surrender, which they rejected by saying that if he wanted to challenge them they would show him how a free people could fight.

The battle

Finally, they surprised the exhausted Roman army with an ambush at a wood near Placentia, and the Emperor was defeated.^[1]

Aftermath

The news of this humiliating defeat produced two short-lived military revolts. The Juthungi continued to move on Via Emilia towards Rome.^[3] Since no remarkable military force was left between the invaders and the capital, panic spread through the city which had grown far beyond its old walls. According to Historia Augusta, the Sibylline Books were consulted, and religious ceremonies performed to call for the gods' help.^[4] The Romans escaped disaster when Emperor Aurelian soundly defeated the Juthungi at the Battle of Fano, leading to great celebration throughout the city.

References

Citations

1 2 Watson (1999), p.50.
↑ Potter (2004), p.645.
↑ Potter (2004), p.269.
↑ Watson (1999), p. 51.

Sources

Potter, David S. (2005) [2004]. The Roman Empire at Bay, AD 180-395. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-10058-5.
Watson, Alaric (2004) [1999]. Aurelian and the Third Century. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-10057-7.

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