Second century BC and the
Teuton tribes (c. 120–101 BC). Roman victories. Cimbri and Teuton victories. • 113–101 BC, Germanic
Collision with the Roman Republic,
Cimbrian War, Beginning of Germanic Wars. • 112 BC,
Battle of Noreia, • 101 BC, Roman consuls
Gaius Marius and
Manius Aquillius defeat the Cimbri in the
Battle of Vercellae, • 58 BC,
Caesar decisively defeats the
Helvetii in the
Battle of the Arar and the
Battle of Bibracte, Caesar decisively defeats the
Suevi, led by
Ariovistus, in the
Battle of Vosges. • 57 BC,
Battle of the Sabis. • 55 BC, Caesar's intervention against
Tencteri and
Usipetes, Caesar defeats a
Germanic army then massacres the women and children, totalling 430,000 people, somewhere near the
Meuse and
Rhine rivers, Caesar's first crossing of the Rhine against the
Suevi,
Caesar's invasions of Britain. Archaeologists with
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam claim they've found the first physical evidence that the battle took place in what is now the Netherlands, near the city of
Kessel, North Brabant. • 54 BCE, Destruction of the legion
Legio XIV Gemina by the
Eburones led by
Cativolcus and
Ambiorix,
Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta dies in battle,
Quintus Titurius Sabinus dies in battle. • 53 BC,
Caesar's retaliation against the
Eburones second crossing of the Rhine, Extermination of the Eburones. • 52 BC,
Fall of Celtic Gaul,
Gaul becomes a
Roman province. • 46 BC, Execution of
Vercingetorix the Celt. • 30–29 BC, Rebellion of the
Morini and
Treveri with aid of the Suebi crushed by proconsuls
Gaius Carrinas and
Gaius Cornelius Gallus. • 20 BC,
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, Governor of
Transalpine Gaul, Construction of military roads and especially the military road
Lugdunum--
Divodurum--
Treverorum--
Agrippinensium (from Lyon to Cologne). • 16 BC,
clades Lolliana, Destruction of the legion
Legio V Alaudae by
Sicambri and their allies, Fall of the
Kingdom of Noricum. • 16–13 BC, Emperor Augustus on the
Rhine, Reorganization of the Three Gauls (capital
Trier), Decision to fortify the left bank of the Rhine and conquest of
Germania to the
Elbe, Rome pays tribute to the
Frisii, Begin of invasions east of the Rhine by Rome, Construction of the modern city of
Mainz begins. • 12–9 BC,
Invasions of Drusus up the
Elbe from the
North Sea, the
Lippe and
Main,
Battle of the Lupia River,
Cherusci,
Marsi and
Sicambri subdued,
Chatti,
Mattiaci, Tencteri and Usipetes are overrun, Frisii and other the Germans along the lower Rhine defeated,
Canal of Drusus constructed, Establishment of new forts by Rome of
Haltern am See,
Xanten,
Haltern,
Oberaden, Holsterhausen, Anreppen and Beckinghausen. • 9 BC, Creation of
Magna Germania (capital
Cologne), Pacification campaigns against the
Germanic tribes by the Roman Empire,
Marcomanni defeated and forced to flee into the territory of the
Boii. • 8–7 BC, Construction of military forts on both sides of the
Weser, Deportation of 40,000
Sicambri and
Suebi west of the Rhine. • 6–2 BC,
Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus leads a Roman army across the
Elbe. Construction of military roads, called the pontes longi, amid the vast swamps between the Rhine and the
Ems.
Hermunduri subdued and forced to flee into the territory of the Marcomanni.
First century • 1–4 AD, Rise of the
Chatti and
Bructeri (
immensum bellum) suppressed by
Tiberius, who reaches the Elbe.
Canninefates,
Chattuarii,
Cherusci are again subdued.
Lombards,
Semnones,
Chauci and other tribes who dwelt on both sides of the Elbe are subjugated. • 5, The Roman navy reaches the
Cimbrian peninsula for the first time. Cimbri,
Charudes, Semnones and other Germanic tribes who inhabit the region declare themselves friends of the Roman people. • 6–9,
Uprising in Illyricum, which cancels the major Roman project of war against Suevic
Marcomanni. Romans forced to move eight of eleven legions present in Magna Germania to crush the rebellion in the Balkans and Pannonia. • 6,
Varus succeeds Saturninus as governor of
Germania with the mission of peacekeeping and the implementation of tax and judicial administration. • 9,
clades Variana, Destruction of the legions
XVII,
XVIII and
XIX by
Arminius in the
Battle of Teutoburg Forest, Suicide of Administrator
Varus, Loss of military camps east of the Rhine., Roman Empire is forced to strategically withdraw from
Germania. Pro-Roman Germanic coalition led by
Maroboduus and
Segestes turns against Arminius. The resistance of the Roman garrison of
Aliso and the arrival of Roman reinforcements on the Rhine prevent Arminius from invading
Gaul. • 10–13, Military command of Tiberius in Germania and interventions in the valley of the Lippe, replaced by
Germanicus, Construction of
Limes Germanicus begins. • 14, Mutiny of the legions of Germania. • 14–16, Roman retaliation against
Cherusci,
Chatti,
Bructeri and
Marsi, capture of
Thusnelda, recovery of two legionary standards lost in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.
Battles of Idistaviso and the
Angrivarian Wall. /
11-
13 CE. In pink the anti-Roman Germanic coalition led by Arminius. In dark green, territories still directly held by the Romans, in yellow the Roman client states • 17, Cessation of military offensives east of the
Rhine by
Tiberius, Civil war between pro-Roman and anti-Roman
Germanic tribes ends in a stalemate. • 19, Death of
Germanicus. • 20, In a series of actions backed by Rome,
Vannius came to power following the defeat of the
Marcomannic king
Catualda by the
Hermunduri king of
Vibilius, establishing the kingdom of Vannius (
regnum Vannianum). Vannius was a client king of the Roman Empire and ruled from 20 AD to 50 AD. • 21, Assassination of
Arminius. • 28, Revolt of the
Frisii, Tax collectors hanged, Romans defeated in the
Battle of Baduhenna Wood. • 41, Raid against the
Chauci under Emperor
Claudius, Recovery of third legionary standard lost in the
Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. • 47,
Cnaeus Domitius Corbulo crosses the Rhine, defeats the Frisii and Chauci and occupies their territory. • 50, Raid against the
Chatti under Emperor
Claudius, Liberation of Roman prisoners. • 54, Under Emperor
Nero, Frisian raid repulsed. • 69–70,
Revolt of the Batavi, Destruction of 2 Roman legions by the
Batavi, Rebellion crushed by
Quintus Petillius Cerialis. • 72, Under Emperor
Vespasian, Romans occupy and settle the
Agri Decumates. • 82–83,
Campaign against the
Chatti under Emperor
Domitian, Roman armies conquer the territory of Chatti with the help of Mattiaci, Hermunduri and Cherusci,
Triboci and
Nemetes subdued, Establishment of new Roman forts of
Ladenburg, Neuenheim,
Ladenburg,
Sulz,
Geislingen,
Rottenburg an der Laaber,
Burladingen,
Gomadingen, Donnstetten, Urspring,
Günzburg. • 89,
Lucius Antonius Saturninus,
Legio XIV Gemina and
Legio XXI Rapax revolt against
Rome with aid of the
Chatti.
Second century • c. 165, Invasion of
Pannonia by
Lombards and
Ubii. • 166–180,
Germanic tribes invade the frontiers of the
Roman Empire, specifically the provinces of
Raetia and
Moesia,
Marcomannic Wars. • 180,
Goths reach the banks of the
Black Sea.
Third century • 213–214, Emperor
Caracalla's successful campaign against the
Alamanni, fortifications of Raetia and Germania Superior strengthened. • 235–284,
Crisis of the Third Century. • 235,
Battle at the Harzhorn. • 238, Gothic raid on
Istria, • 248–249, Raid in
Marcianopolis by Goths. • 251, Three Roman legions defeated by Goths at the
Battle of Abritus, Emperor
Decius dies in battle, Co-Emperor
Herennius Etruscus dies in battle.) between
Main and
Rhine was evacuated in 259 AD, dozens of
Roman camps were abandoned. • 254, successful Graeco-Roman defense of Thessalonica at the
Siege of Thessalonica. Successful Graeco-Roman defense of Achaea at the
Battle of Thermopylae. • 259, 300,000
Alemanni die in the
Battle of Mediolanum (Milan). • 259–260, Evacuation of the agrarian area
Agri Decumates by the Roman Empire, Roman Empire retreats behind the Rhine. • 260–274, Usurper
Postumus, of possible Batavian origin, declares himself Emperor of the
Gallic Empire including
Roman Gaul,
Roman Britain,
Roman Spain and Germania. He assumed the title Germanicus Maximus after successfully campaigning against
Franks and Alamanni. • c. 267–269,
Invasion of the Goths, Gothic attacks on
Marcianopolis and
Chrysopolis, Sack of
Byzantium. • 268,
Siege of Mainz,
Battle of Lake Benacus, assassination of Gallic Emperor
Postumus. • 269,
Battle of Naissus, end of Gothic Invasion. • 271,
Battle of Placentia,
Battle of Fano,
Battle of Pavia, Destruction of
Alemannic army, Emperor
Aurelian repelled another
Gothic invasion but abandoned the province of
Dacia north of
Danube forever, Construction of the
Aurelian Wall begins. • 277–278, Emperor
Probus's successful campaigns against Goths, Alamanni,
Longiones, Franks and
Burgundians. Reportedly, 400,000 barbarians were killed during this campaign, and the entire nation of the
Lugii were extirpated. during the
Crisis of the Third Century • 286, Campaign against the Alamanni, Burgundians,
Heruli and Chaibones under Emperor
Maximian. • 287–288,
Salian Franks,
Chamavi and Frisii surrender and become subjects of the Roman Empire. Maximian move them to Germania Inferior to provide manpower and prevent the settlement of other Germanic tribes. • 292,
Constantius defeat the Franks who had settled at the mouth of the Rhineand and deport them to the nearby region of
Toxandria providing a buffer along the northern Rhine and reducing his need to garrison the region. • 298,
Battle of Lingones. • 298,
Battle of Vindonissa.
Fourth century • 306–310, Emperor
Constantine the Great drives the
Franks back beyond the Rhine and captures two of their kings, Ascaric and Merogaisus. The prisoners are fed to the beasts of
Trier's amphitheater in the
adventus (arrival) celebrations that followed. Constantine crosses the Rhine in 308 and 310, devastating the lands of the Franks and the Bructeri. • 332, Roman invasion north of the Danube under Emperor Constantine the Great. Capture of Gothic Prince Ariaricus. Nearly one hundred thousand Goths die before submitting to Rome. • 306–337, After
thirty years of military campaigns Constantine regains control over a good part of the territories which had been abandoned by
Gallienus and
Aurelian. This included the
Agri decumates from the Alemanni, the plain south of the
Tisza (
Banat) from the Sarmatians and
Oltenia &
Wallachia from the Goths. • c. 350, Infiltration of
Germania Inferior by
Franks. • 354–355, Roman double victory over
Alamanni under Emperor
Constantius II. • 356, Recapture of
Colonia Agrippina (Cologne) by future Emperor
Julian the Apostate,
Siege of Senonae by Alamanni,
Siege of Autun by
Alemanni,
Battle of Reims,
Battle of Brumath. between 306 and 337 • 357, Roman invasion of Alemannic territory led by general
Barbatio and Julian, Attack on
Lugdunum (Lyon) by
Laeti, End of coordinated operation against the
Alemanni,
Battle of Argentoratum, Capture of Alemannic King
Chnodomarius, Julian crosses the Rhine at Moguntiacum and forces three Alamannic kingdoms to submit, Franks expelled from the basin of the Meuse. • 358, Raid in the province of
Raetia by
Alemannic
Juthungi, Destruction of
Castra Regina (Regensburg) by Alemanni, Julian forces the Salian Franks into submission and expel the Chamavi back to
Hamaland. • 359, Execution of Roman General
Barbatio, Recapture of
Moguntiacum by Julian, Emperor Constantius II crosses the Danube at Brigetio (
Komárom) and devastates the Quadian lands. • 365, Invasion of
Roman Gaul by
Alemanni, Alemanni leave with spoil and captives • 366, Alemanni invade Roman Gaul a second time • 367–368,
Great Barbarian Conspiracy against
Roman Britain and
Roman Gaul by
Saxons and
Franks, Death of
Nectaridus. • 367–369, Attack on
Gothic Thervingi under Eastern Emperor Valens. • 368, Invasion of Alemannic territory under Emperor
Valentinian the Great, Crossing of the
Rhine by the
Roman Empire. • 374, Assassination of Quadic King
Gabinius, Invasion of former Illyricum by
Quadi and Sarmatians. • 375, Pillaging of Quadi lands by the Roman Empire, Western Emperor
Valentinian the Great dies during peace negotiations. , pushing the Germanic tribes over the Limes into the Roman Empire • 376,
Invasion of the Huns, Hunnic war against
Visigoths and
Ostrogoths, Suicide of
Gothic King
Ermanaric,
Gothic King
Vithimer dies in battle. • 376–382, Hunnic raids on Gothic
Thervingi (
Visigoths), Plundering and destruction throughout the Balkans by Goths. • 377,
Battle of the Willows, Gothic chieftain
Farnobius dies in battle. • 378,
Battle of Adrianople, Eastern Emperor
Valens dies in battle, Begin of the Fall of the
Western Roman Empire. • 377–378, Invasion of
Thrace and
Moesia by Gothic
Greuthungi led by chieftain
Alatheus. • 378, Invasion of
Alsace by
Alemanni,
Battle of Argentovaria, Extermination of
Alemannic Lentienses, Alemannic King
Priarius dies in battle. • 380,
Battle of Thessalonica, Death of Gothic chieftain
Fritigern, Begin of naval raids by
Saxons, Begin of the
Migration of the Saxons. • 382, Peace between Rome and the Goths, Large Gothic contingents of
Thervingi,
Taifali and
Victohali settle along the southern Danube frontier in the province of
Thrace. • 383, Failed raid in the province of
Raetia by Alemannic
Juthungi. • 387, Failed Invasion of
Thrace and
Moesia by Gothic
Greuthungi led by chieftain
Alatheus, Greuthungi chieftain Alatheus dies in battle. • 390,
Massacre of Thessalonica. • 392, Emperor
Valentinian II is hanged, Frankish General
Arbogast names
Eugenius to be Western Emperor. • 394, 20,000 Gothic mercenaries support Eastern Emperor
Theodosius the Great in the
Battle of the Frigidus, Suicide of Frankish General
Arbogast, Execution of puppet Western Emperor
Eugenius. • 395, Assassination of Consul
Rufinus by
Gothic mercenaries.
Fifth century For the timeline of events in Britannia after its abandonment by Emperor Valentinian III, see Timeline of conflict in Anglo-Saxon Britain. • 401–402, Raid in
Raetia by
Vandals. • 401–403, Invasion of Italy by
Visigoths under
Alaric I,
Gothic War. • 402, Gothic
Siege of Asti lifted by
Stilicho. • 402, Alaric defeated by Stilicho at the
Battle of Pollentia. • 403, Alaric's army destroyed at the
Battle of Verona, Visigoths pushed into former
Illyricum by Stilicho. • 405–406,
Siege of Florentia,
Battle of Faesulae, execution of Gothic King
Radagaisus (August 406), 12,000 Gothic higher-status fighters are drafted into the Roman army. • 406, Usurpation of
Marcus in Britannia (late 406), supposedly in response to the Crossing of the Rhine. • 410,
Sack of Rome by
Visigoths, beginning of attacks on Vandals by Visigoths, Begin of Barbarian raids by
Picts,
Scoti and Irish
Celts,
End of Roman rule in Britain,
Suevi establish a
kingdom in Galicia. • 411,
Jovinus declares himself Western Roman Emperor with aid of the
Burgundians,
Franks and Alans,
Burgundians establish a Kingdom left of the Rhine under King
Gundahar. First sack of
Trier by the
Franks • 426–436, Campaigns against the
Visigoths in southern Gaul under Western Emperor
Valentinian III,
Battle of Narbonne, Capture of Visigothic chieftain
Anaolsus. • 428–431, Failed Roman campaigns against
Salian Franks,
Alemannic Juthungi on the
Rhine and
Danube,
Germanus of Auxerre leads Romano-Britons to a victory against Saxon raiders. • 428 or 435, Fourth sack of Trier by the Franks. • 436–437, Invasion of
Burgundian Rhineland by
Hun mercenaries controlled by Rome, Burgundian King
Gundahar dies in battle. • c. 443, Britain plunges into civil war,
Groans of the Britons, Britain is abandoned by Western Emperor
Valentinian III. • c. 445–450, Invasion of Northern Gaul by
Salian Franks led by king
Chlodio, who conquers the cities of
Tournai and
Cambrai. • 448, Defeat of the
Salian Franks in the
Battle of Vicus Helena by Roman General
Aëtius. Roman victory over the
Visigoths in southern
Gaul in the
Battle of Arelate. • 459, Seizure of
Trier by
Franks, Roman reconquest of southern Gaul and most of Hispania under Emperor Majorian. • 460, Roman victory over the Suebi at
Lucus Augusti, Roman fleet is destroyed by traitors paid by the Vandals, Attack on the kingdom of the Vandals cancelled. • 461, Seventeen Vandal ships destroy forty Roman ships in
a surprise attack. • 463,
Battle of Orleans. • 465,
Ostrogothic King
Valamir dies in battle. • 468, Invasion of the
Vandal Kingdom by the
Byzantine Empire, Defeat of the Byzantine Empire by the
Vandals in the
Battle of Cape Bon. • 469,
Ostrogoths decisively defeat an alliance of pro-Roman Germanic forces in the
Battle of Bolia, Fall of the
Hunnic Empire,
Visigoths thwarted an attack by an alliance of
Bretons and Romans in the
Battle of Déols. • 471,
Battle of Arles, Roman army crushed by Visigoths, most of southern Gaul re-captured by Visigoths, Emperor
Anthemius deposed by his own general. • 472, Revolt in
Thrace by
Ostrogoths led by chieftain
Theodoric Strabo. • 476, Revolt of
Heruli,
Sciri and
Turcilingi mercenaries,
Battle of Ravenna, Germanic
Heruli chieftain
Odoacer becomes
King of Italy, Deposition of
Romulus Augustulus, the last
de facto Western Roman Emperor,
Fall of the Western Roman Empire. • 480, Assassination of
Julius Nepos, the last
de jure Western Roman Emperor. • 486,
Franks under
Merovingian King
Clovis I defeat the
Kingdom of Soissons in the
Battle of Soissons, Fall of the
Kingdom of Soissons. • 489,
Theodoric the Great defeats
Odoacer in the
Battle of Isonzo,
Battle of Verona.
Sixth century (orange),
Kingdom of the Suebi (green),
Kingdom of the Burgundians,
Kingdom of the Franks (purple), Kingdom of the Vandals (yellow), c. 490 • 526, Raid against Gothic
Gepidae by Byzantine General
Belisarius. • 533–534, Invasion of
North Africa by the Byzantine Empire,
Vandalic War. • 533,
Battle of Ad Decimum, Capture of
Carthage by the
Byzantine Empire. • 533,
Battle of Tricamarum, Destruction of the
Vandal Kingdom by the
Byzantine Empire, Fall of the
Kingdom of the Vandals. • 535–554, Invasion of Italy by the
Byzantine Empire,
Ostrogothic War. • 535, Capture of Sicily by Byzantine General
Belisarius. • 536, Capture of
Naples and
Rome by Byzantine General
Belisarius. • 537–538,
Siege of Rome by
Ostrogoths. • 540, Capture of
Mediolanum and the Ostrogothic capital
Ravenna by Byzantine General
Belisarius, Capture of
Ostrogothic King
Witiges. • 541–542,
Bubonic plague wipes out most of the farming community of the
former Roman Empire and leaving dead an estimated 25 million people across the world. • 541–544, Recapture of Northern Italy by
Ostrogoths. • 542,
Battle of Faventia,
Battle of Mucellium. • 543,
Siege of Naples. • 546,
Sack of Rome by
Ostrogoths. • c. 548, Recapture of Rome by the
Byzantine Empire. • 549–550,
Siege and Capture of Rome by
Ostrogoths. • 551,
Battle of Sena Gallica, Capture of Ostrogothic chieftain
Gibal, Demoralization of Gothic army. • 552, Byzantine Empire with aid of the
Heruli and
Lombards defeat the
Ostrogoths in the
Battle of Taginae, Ostrogothic King
Totila dies on the run, Defeat of Gothic
Gepids in the
Battle of Asfeld against
Lombards (Longbeards),
Gepid King
Thurisind dies in battle. • 552–553, Capture of Rome and Siege of
Cumae by Byzantine General
Narses,
Battle of Mons Lactarius, Ostrogothic king
Teia dies in battle, Fall of the
Ostrogothic Kingdom. at the end of Antiquity in 555 AD • 552, Justinian sends a force of 2,000 men, led by
Liberius, against the Visigoths in
Hispania. Conquest of
Cartagena and other cities on the southeastern coast and foundation of the new province of
Spania. • 554, Byzantine General
Narses defeats the
Franks and
Alemanni in the
Battle of the Volturnus. • c. 558–561, Failed Uprising of the Ostrogoth
Widin. • 567,
Lombards decisively defeat the Gepids,
Gepid King
Cunimund dies in battle, Fall of the
Kingdom of the Gepidae. • 568–c. 572, Invasion of Italy by a confederation of Lombards, a Germanic people that had been previously allied with the Byzantine Empire from Pannonia and
Bavarians, Gepids, Suebi, Heruls,
Thuringians,
Saxons, Ostrogoths and
Rugii. Longbeards (Lombards) establish kingdoms in Northern Italy (
Langobardia Major) and in Southern Italy (
Langobardia Minor). • 569, Seizure of
Cividale del Friuli,
Vicenza,
Verona,
Brescia and
Mediolanum by
Lombards. • 570–572,
Siege of Ticinum, Seizure of
Tuscany by
Lombards.
Faroald and
Zotto found the Duchies of
Spoleto and
Benevento. • 585, King Autari, led the Byzantines to ask, for the first time since the Lombards had entered Italy, for a truce. The territories which remained under Byzantine control were called "Romania" (today's Italian region of Romagna) in northeastern Italy and had its stronghold in the
Exarchate of Ravenna, including Rome.
Eighth century • 751, the Lombards conquer Ravenna, but Pope Stephen II controlled the territories of Rome, Sicily, Sardinia and others. • 751–756, just when it seemed Aistulf was able to defeat all opposition on Italian soil, Pepin the Short, the old enemy of the usurpers of Liutprand's family, finally managed to overthrow the
Merovingian dynasty in
Gaul, deposing
Childeric III and becoming king
de jure as well as
de facto. The support Pepin enjoyed from the papacy was decisive. Because of the threat this move represented for the new king of the Franks, an agreement between Pepin and Stephen II settled, in exchange for the formal royal anointing, the descent of the Franks in Italy. • In 754, the Lombard army, deployed in defence of the
Locks in
Val di Susa, was defeated by the Franks. Aistulf, perched in Pavia, had to accept a treaty that required the delivery of hostages and territorial concessions, but two years later resumed the war against the pope, who in turn called on the Franks. Defeated again, Aistulf had to accept much harsher conditions: Ravenna was returned not to the
Byzantines, but to the pope, increasing the core area of the Patrimony of St. Peter; Aistulf had to accept a sort of Frankish protectorate, the loss of territorial continuity of his domains, and payment of substantial compensation. The duchies of Spoleto and Benevento were quick to ally themselves with the victors. Aistulf died in 756, shortly after this severe humiliation. • In 772 CE, the Roman pope
Adrian I, of the opposite party of Desiderius, reversed the delicate game of alliances, demanding the surrender of the area never ceded by Desiderius and thus causing him to resume the war against the cities of Romagna. Charlemagne, though he had just begun his campaign against the
Saxons, came to the aid of the pope. He feared the capture of Rome by the Lombards and the consequent loss of prestige that would follow. • Between 773 and 774 Charlemagne invaded Italy. Once again the defence of the
Locks was ineffective, the fault of the divisions among the Lombards. Charlemagne, having prevailed against a tough resistance, captured the capital of the kingdom, Pavia. Charles then called himself Gratia Dei rex Francorum et Langobardorum ("By the grace of God king of the Franks and the Lombards"), realizing a personal union of the two kingdoms. Thus ended the Lombard Kingdom in Latin Italy, led by the Roman Pope Adrian I. ==See also==