Battle of Adrianople (324)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Adrianople
partof=the Wars of Constantine I


caption=Constantine I, bust in bronze
date=July 3, 324
place=near Adrianople
result=Constantinian victory
combatant1=forces of Constantine
(Western Empire)
combatant2=forces of Licinius
(Eastern Empire)
commander1=Constantine I
commander2=Licinius
strength1=130,000Grant, p.46]
strength2=165,000
casualties1=unknown
casualties2=34,000 dead

The Battle of Adrianople was fought on July 3, 324 during a Roman civil war between the armies of the two emperors Constantine I and Licinius.

Background

Constantine had, in a previous war (in 316), defeated Licinius at the Battle of Cibalae and conquered from him all the Balkan Peninsula, excepting Thrace. A peace had been arranged but the relationship between the two emperors remained uneasy. By 324 Constantine was ready to renew the conflict and when his army, in pursuit of a raiding Visigothic, or possibly Sarmatian, force, crossed into Licinius' territory an opportune "casus belli" was created. Constantine went on the offensive and invaded Thrace. His army was fewer in number than that of Licinius, but contained many battle-hardened veterans and, as he had control of the Illyrian region, the pick of the best new recruits. [Grant, p.45]

Battle

Licinius encamped his army at Adrianople (Hadrianopolis), the major city of inland Thrace. Constantine advanced eastward from Thessalonica until he came to the Hebrus River, on which Adrianople stands, and set up his own camp. Licinius arranged his battle line, of 200 stades in lengthZosimus, II.22.3-7] , in a strong position between a height overlooking the town and the confluence of the Hebrus with a tributary. The two armies remained in position for a number of days before battle was joined, as both sides were reluctant to chance the crossing of the river against a well-prepared and battle-arrayed enemy. Eventually, Constantine used a ruse to get his troops across. Having noticed a narrow crossing point overlooked by a wooded hillside, he then ordered material and ropes to be conspicuously assembled at another place on the river, well away from his chosen crossing, to give the impression that he intended to build a bridge and cross there. On the wooded hillside he secretly assembled 5,000 foot archers and a force of cavalry. He then led his cavalry over the river crossing at the narrows and fell on the enemy unexpectedly. The surprise attack was a complete success and the remainder of his army then crossed at the same point.. What followed, in the words of the historian Zosimus, was "a great massacre": Licinius' army lost about 34,000 dead. Constantine, who had been slightly wounded in the thigh, [Lieu and Montserrat, p.47] halted his attack at sunset and darkness allowed Licinius and the remains of his force to withdraw to Byzantium, the coast, and the safety of his fleet.Grant, p.46] The battle had been one of the largest-scale armed clashes of the whole 4th century.

Aftermath

Constantine's effort to start a civil war was successful, as was his campaign against Licinius. Constantine defeated Licinius twice, first at Adrianople in Thrace and then, in the final battle of the war, at Chrysopolis on the Asiatic shore of the Bosporus. Initially, yielding to the pleas of his sister Constantia, Constantine spared the life of his brother-in-law, but some months later he ordered his execution, thereby breaking his solemn oath. A year later, Constantine's nephew the younger Licinius also fell victim to the emperor's anger or suspicions. [Grant, p.47-48] Constantine was then the sole and undisputed master of the Roman world.

Notes

References

Primary source

*Zosimus, "Historia nova", English translation: R.T. Ridley, Zosimus: New History, Byzantina Australiensia 2, Canberra (1982).

Secondary sources

*Grant, Michael (1993), The Emperor Constantine, London. ISBN 0-75380-5286
*Lieu, S.N.C and Montserrat, D. (Ed.s) (1996), From Constantine to Julian, London. ISBN 0-415-09336-8