Battle of Mediolanum
45°28′00″N 9°10′00″E / 45.466667°N 9.166667°E
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2008) |
| Battle of Mediolanum | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Roman-Alamanni conflict and the Roman-Germanic wars | |||||||||
 Map of Roman Mediolanum | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Roman Empire | Alemanni | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Gallienus | Unknown | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 60,000 armed | 300,000 (warriors & civilians) | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown | 300,000 | ||||||||
The Battle of .
Background
When Roman Emperor
In the Western half of the Empire, the border situation was difficult. The Danubian frontier faced continuous barbarian attacks. Gallienus marched with military reinforcements from Gaul towards Dacia and Moesia to confront the barbarian threat. The situation was so perilous that in 259, the legions of Pannonia and Moesia rebelled and declared Ingenuus as emperor. Gallienus eventually reunited the Rhine, left behind Legio II Parthica[citation needed] to defend it, and went off to subdue the barbarians.
Preliminary moves
Within the borders of the
Battle
When Gallienus arrived in the Po valley, he found the Alamanni in the vicinity of Mediolanum, present day Milan. According to Zonaras, 300,000 Alamanni fell in the ensuing battle and the emperor received the title Germanicus Maximus.
Aftermath
The Alamanni's success in attacking into the Roman Empire once more revealed the weakness of the centuries-old tradition of posting Rome's legions near the frontiers without providing adequate defence within the empire's borders. The battle of Mediolanum demonstrated to the Romans the vulnerability of Italy and the value of swift, flexible military units. Afterward, Gallienus enacted a major reform by introducing a highly mobile field army composed mainly of cavalry (vexillationes). The main units were under the control of his general, Aureolus, and headquartered in Mediolanum, with the mission to protect Italy.
The barbarian attack led the Roman Senate to try to regain its authority by arming and commanding its own military forces to meet the Germanic threat. But, uncomfortable with this challenge to his power, Emperor Gallienus suppressed all of the senate's military prerogatives.[
References
- ^ "Emperor Gallienus". Archived from the original on 2014-03-31. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
Bibliography
- Francesco Bertolini. Historia de Roma.
- Michael Grant. Gli Imperatori Romani.
- José M Roldán, José María Blázquez, Arcadio del Castillo. Historia de Roma, Tomo II El Imperio Romano.
- José Manuel Roldán. Historia de Roma.
- Historia Augusta.
- Joannes Zonaras. Epitome Historiarum.