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Where can I read a detailed account of the battle of Mursa? Constantius II crushes the army of Magentius.
Anyone have any details of Constantius' army..?
From what I've read, this was an interesting battle and I'm thinking about doing an illustration of it...
Thanks,
Johnny
Johnny Shumate
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The Battle of Mursa Major was fought in 351 between a Roman army led by Constantius II and the forces of the usurper Magnentius.
Before the battle, Constantius set Flavius Philippus, his Eastern Praetorian prefect, to negotiate with Magnentius, requiring the usurper withdrawal to Gaul. After this inconclusive mission, one of Magnentius commanders, Silvanus, and his me deserted to Constantius.
The battle was one of the bloodiest in Roman history. According to Zonaras (xiii 8.17), Magnentius lost two-thirds of his troops, Constantius half of his army, for a total of 54 thousand soldiers in an age in which the Empire had many external enemies.
The battle had also a religious meaning. Magnentius had restored some rights for the pagans, while Constantius even left the battlefield to preach on the tomb of nearby martyr. The bishop of Mursa, Valens, referred that an angel had reported to him the news of the victory.
Magnentius would suffer another, decisive defeat two years later at Mons Seleucus.
Source : Wikepedia
Geert
Tot ziens.
Geert S. (Sol Invicto Comiti)
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Hello...
You have an excellente tactical describe of the Mursa battle in the Julian' Caesar Oratio I and III.
Another describe of the battle most Heroical rather than Historical but interesting in the Zosimus writing.
Small small evocation in Aurelius Victor...
Paulus Claudius Damianus Marcellinus / Damien Deryckère.
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