Roman civil war of 350–353

Coin of the usurper Magnentius

Date	350–353
Location	Roman Empire
Result	Constantius II victory

Belligerents

Constantius II

Magnentius

Commanders and leaders

Constantius II

Magnentius

v t e Fourth-century Roman civil wars
Civil wars of the Tetrarchy Segusio Turin Brescia Verona Milvian Bridge Tzirallum Cibalae Mardia Adrianople Hellespont Byzantium Chrysopolis 350–353 Mursa Major Mons Seleucus Jewish revolt Late period Thyatira Save Frigidus Gildonic War

The Roman civil war of 350–353 AD was a war fought between the Roman emperor Constantius II and the usurper Magnentius.

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Background

With the death of Constantine I in 337 AD, the empire was divided between his three sons from his marriage to Fausta. Constantine II received Gaul, Spain and Britain. Constantius II was given Asia Minor, Egypt and Syria. Finally, Constans I obtained Italy, North Africa and Illyricum. Constantine II resented his brothers for not respecting his seniority as the eldest, and therefore the senior Augustus. Unhappy over the distribution of the provinces, he invaded Italy in 340 AD, only to be killed in an ambush by Constans' troops. Constans now assumed control of all the western provinces of the empire.

Constans grew unpopular with the army, leading to a military conspiracy which overthrew and killed him in 350 AD. The soldiers elevated a barbarian officer called Magnentius as the new western emperor, bringing him into conflict with Constantius, the sole remaining son of Constantine I.

Civil war

Constantius marched westward to avenge the murder of his brother. Magnentius decided to invade Illyricum, and initially his army performed very well. The situation changed dramatically when his troops encountered Constantius' cataphract cavalry at the Battle of Mursa on 28 September 351. The fighting involved 95,000 troops and left 55,000 casualties in one of the bloodiest battles in Roman history. Magnentius lost and fled to northern Italy, while Constantius slowly regained control of Africa, Spain, and southern Italy. Magnentius decided to retreat into Gaul, where Constantius defeated him again at Mons Seleucus on 3 July 353. Magnentius fled to Lugdunum and committed suicide with his sword on 11 August 353. Constantius had Magnentius' followers and supporters investigated, tortured and killed.

References

Kohn, George Childs, 'Dictionary of Wars, Revised Edition', pg 399

v t e Ancient Roman wars
Wars of the Roman Republic	Roman conquest of Italy Roman–Etruscan Wars Roman-Aequian wars Roman–Latin wars Roman–Hernician wars Roman–Volscian wars Roman–Sabine wars Samnite Wars Pyrrhic War Social War Roman–Gallic wars Punic Wars First Second Third Illyro-Roman Wars Macedonian Wars First Second Third Fourth Roman–Seleucid war Galatian War Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula Celtiberian Wars Lusitanian War Numantine War Sertorian War Cantabrian Wars Achaean War Jugurthine War Cimbrian War Servile Wars First Second Third Bellum Octavianum Sulla's civil war Mithridatic Wars First Second Third Gallic Wars Julius Caesar's invasions of Britain Roman–Parthian Wars Caesar's civil war War of Mutina Liberators' civil war Bellum Siculum Perusine War War of Actium
Wars of the Roman Empire	Germanic wars Marcomannic Wars Gothic War Roman conquest of Britain Boudican revolt Armenian War Civil war of 69 Jewish–Roman wars Domitian's Dacian War Trajan's Dacian Wars Roman–Persian Wars Civil wars of the Third Century Wars of the fall of the Western Roman Empire
Military history of ancient Rome

This page was last edited on 17 March 2024, at 15:01