Battle of Bovianum

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Bovianum

caption=
partof=Second Samnite War
date= 305 BC
place= Boiano or Pietrabbondante, Italy
result= decisive Roman victory [Turning Points In Military History - Page x by William R. Weir]
combatant1=Roman Republic
combatant2=Samnium
commander1=Curvus Paetinus, Postumius Megellus
commander2=Statius Gellius
strength1=
strength2=
casualties1=
casualties2=
The Battle of Bovianum was fought in 305 BC between the Romans and the Samnites.

Battle

The Romans were led by two consuls, Curvus Paetinus and Postumius Megellus. The result was a Roman victory and end of the Second Samnite War.

Aftermath

The battle of Bovianum at last completely crushed the spirit of the Samnites, who, unable to continue the war, were obliged to accept the terms dictated by Romans. [Outlines of the history of Rome - Page 41 by Henry White] The Romans then proved victorious at the Battle of Bovianum and the tide turned strongly against the Samnites from 314 BC onwards, leading them to sue for peace with progressively less generous terms. By 304 BC the Romans had effectively annexed the greater degree of the Samnite territory, founding several colonies. This pattern of meeting aggression in force and almost inadvertently gaining territory in strategic counter-attacks was to become a common feature of Roman military history.

References