The Battle of Abritus: Historic Gothic Victory Over Rome

Q: What was the Battle of Abritus?

The Battle of Abritus was a military engagement between the Goths under their king Cniva and the Romans under their emperor Decius in 251. Cniva defeated the Romans and shattered their army.

Q: Why is the Battle of Abritus important?

The Battle of Abritus is important because it was the first time in Roman history that a sitting emperor and his son (successor) were killed in battle. It shattered the illusion that the Roman army was invincible.

Q: Where did the Battle of Abritus take place?

The Battle of Abritus took place in the region of modern-day Bulgaria in a swamp in the Beli Lom river valley.

Q: What did Cniva do after defeating the Romans at Abritus?

Cniva could have finished off the surviving Romans after the battle, but instead, he chose to take his captives and booty from his campaigns and return home.

Joshua J. Mark

The Battle of Abritus

Historic Gothic Victory Over Rome

Definition

The Battle of Abritus was an engagement fought between the armies of Rome under Emperor Decius (reign 249-251) and a coalition of Goths under the leadership of Cniva (circa 250 to circa 270?) in 251, resulting in a victory for Cniva and the death of Decius and his son in a total defeat of the Roman army. The Romans had no choice afterwards but to allow Cniva to march out of Roman territory with all the booty and slaves he had captured on campaign.

More about: The Battle of Abritus

Timeline

251 CE
The Battle of Abritus in which Cniva of the Goths defeats and kills Decius of Rome.

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