Siege of Philippopolis (250)

Battle between Roman and Gothic forces (250)

Siege of Philippopolis

Part of the Crisis of the Third Century
Gothic War (248-253)
and Roman–Germanic Wars

Location of Philippopolis

Date	250 or 251 AD
Location	Philippopolis, Thracia, Roman Empire (present-day Plovdiv, Bulgaria)
Result	Gothic victory

Belligerents

Goths

Roman Empire

Commanders and leaders

Cniva

Titus Julius Priscus

Strength

Unknown

Casualties and losses

Unknown

The siege of Philippopolis was fought in about 250 between Rome and the Goths during the invasions of 249–253 at the Thracian city of Philippopolis, modern Plovdiv, Bulgaria. It was part of the long-running series of Gothic Wars.

The Goths were led by King Cniva who had crossed the Danube in 249 or 250 with two armies. His army attacked Novae and Nicopolis ad Istrum unsuccessfully before defeating the army of Emperor Decius at Augusta Traiana and moving on to Philippopolis.

Decius had been on his way to relieve Philippopolis with a reinforced army, but arrived too late.

After a long siege, Cniva was victorious after the city was betrayed by a citizen. The king subsequently allied himself with the governor of Thrace, Titus Julius Priscus, to take on the Roman Emperor Decius again at Abritus.

v t e Crisis of the Third Century
Reign of Maximinus Thrax (235–238) Death of Alexander Severus (235) Harzhorn (c. 235) Usurpation of Magnus (c. 235) Usurpation of Quartinus (235) Year of the Six Emperors (238) Revolt of Gordian I & Gordian II (238) Battle of Carthage (238) Siege of Aquileia (238) Reign of Pupienus & Balbinus (238) Invasion of the Carpi (238–239) Reign of Gordian III (238–244) Sabinianus Revolt (240) Fall of Hatra (241) Resaena (243) Misiche (244) Reign of Philip the Arab (244–249) Invasion of the Carpi (245–247) Secular Games of 248 (248) Usurpation of Sponsianus (240s) Usurpation of Pacatianus (248) Usurpation of Jotapianus (249) Usurpation of Silbannacus (249 or 253) Decius' Rebellion (249) Verona and death of Philip & Philip II (249) Reign of Decius (249–251) Plague of Cyprian (250–270) Decian persecution (250–251) Gothic invasion of Cniva (250–251) Carpi invasion of Dacia (250) Nicopolis ad Istrum (250) Beroe (250) Philippopolis (250) Usurpation of Julius Priscus (251) Abritus and death of Decius and Etruscus (251) Reign of Trebonianus Gallus (251–253) Death of Hostilian (251) Mariades' Revolt (252) Nisibis (252) Barbalissos (253) Interamna Nahars (c 253) Reign of Aemilianus (253) Antioch (253) Reign of Valerian and Gallienus (253–260) Thessalonica (254) Thermopylae (254) Dura-Europos (256) Gothic invasion (256–257) Invasion of Shapur (258) Invasion of the Alemanni (258–260 approx) Mediolanum (259) Scythian invasion (259–260) Edessa (260) Reign of Gallienus (260–268) Caesarea (260) Usurpation of Ingenuus (260) Usurpation of Regalianus (260) Usurpation of Macrianus Major (c. 259–261) Gallic Empire (260–274) Death of Saloninus (260) Roxolani Invasion of Pannonia (260) Campaigns of Odaenathus (260–267) Usurpation of Quietus (261) Usurpation of Balista (261) Usurpation of Valens Thessalonicus (261) Usurpation of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi (261) Usurpation of Macrianus Minor (261) Pannonian Rebellion (261) Usurpation of Mussius Aemilianus (261–262) Postumus' Campaign against the Franks (262) Postumus' Campaign against the Alamanni (263) Ctesiphon (263) Scythian Invasion (265–266) Assassination of Odaenathus (267) Usurpation of Maeonius (266–267) Scythian Invasion (267–269) Heruli Raids (267) Athens (267) Usurpation of Acilius Aureolus (268) Reign of Claudius Gothicus (268–270) Usurpation of Laelianus (269) Reign of Marcus Aurelius Marius (269) Augustodunum Haeduorum Naissus (268/269) Lake Benacus (268 or 269) Capture of Athens (269) Palmyrene Empire (270–273) Bostra (270) Palmyrene invasion of Egypt (270) Vandal Invasion (270) Reign of Aurelian (270–275) Usurpation of Victorinus Junior (271) Junthungi Invasion (271) Domitian II (271) Tetricus I & Tetricus II (271–274) Rebellion of Felicissimus (270s) Placentia (271) Fano (271) Pavia (271) Tyana (272) Immae (272) Emesa (272) Razing of Palmyra (273) Usurpation of Faustinus (c. 273) Châlons (274) Reign of Tacitus (275-276) Gothic Invasion (276-277) Reign of Probus (276-282) Vandal Invasion (276-278) Sarmatian Invasion (278) Usurpation of Bonosus & Proculus (280) Usurpation of Julius Saturninus (280) Reign of Carus (282-283) Carus' invasion of the Sasanian Empire (283) Reign of Carinus (283-285) Usurpation of Julian of Pannonia (284-285) Margum (285)

Crisis of the Third Century

Reign of Maximinus Thrax (235–238)

Year of the Six Emperors (238)

Revolt of Gordian I & Gordian II (238)
Battle of Carthage (238)
Siege of Aquileia (238)
Reign of Pupienus & Balbinus (238)
Invasion of the Carpi (238–239)

Reign of Gordian III (238–244)

Sabinianus Revolt (240)
Fall of Hatra (241)
Resaena (243)
Misiche (244)

Reign of Philip the Arab (244–249)

Invasion of the Carpi (245–247)
Secular Games of 248 (248)
Usurpation of Sponsianus (240s)
Usurpation of Pacatianus (248)
Usurpation of Jotapianus (249)
Usurpation of Silbannacus (249 or 253)
Decius' Rebellion (249)
Verona and death of Philip & Philip II (249)

Reign of Decius (249–251)

Plague of Cyprian (250–270)
Decian persecution (250–251)
Gothic invasion of Cniva (250–251)
Carpi invasion of Dacia (250)
Nicopolis ad Istrum (250)
Beroe (250)
Philippopolis (250)
Usurpation of Julius Priscus (251)
Abritus and death of Decius and Etruscus (251)

Reign of Trebonianus Gallus (251–253)

Reign of Aemilianus (253)

Antioch (253)

Reign of Valerian and Gallienus (253–260)

Thessalonica (254)
Thermopylae (254)
Dura-Europos (256)
Gothic invasion (256–257)
Invasion of Shapur (258)
Invasion of the Alemanni (258–260 approx)
Mediolanum (259)
Scythian invasion (259–260)
Edessa (260)

Reign of Gallienus (260–268)

Caesarea (260)
Usurpation of Ingenuus (260)
Usurpation of Regalianus (260)
Usurpation of Macrianus Major (c. 259–261)
Gallic Empire (260–274)
Death of Saloninus (260)
Roxolani Invasion of Pannonia (260)
Campaigns of Odaenathus (260–267)
Usurpation of Quietus (261)
Usurpation of Balista (261)
Usurpation of Valens Thessalonicus (261)
Usurpation of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Frugi (261)
Usurpation of Macrianus Minor (261)
Pannonian Rebellion (261)
Usurpation of Mussius Aemilianus (261–262)
Postumus' Campaign against the Franks (262)
Postumus' Campaign against the Alamanni (263)
Ctesiphon (263)
Scythian Invasion (265–266)
Assassination of Odaenathus (267)
Usurpation of Maeonius (266–267)
Scythian Invasion (267–269)
Heruli Raids (267)
Athens (267)
Usurpation of Acilius Aureolus (268)

Reign of Claudius Gothicus (268–270)

Reign of Aurelian (270–275)

Usurpation of Victorinus Junior (271)
Junthungi Invasion (271)
Domitian II (271)
Tetricus I & Tetricus II (271–274)
Rebellion of Felicissimus (270s)
Placentia (271)
Fano (271)
Pavia (271)
Tyana (272)
Immae (272)
Emesa (272)
Razing of Palmyra (273)
Usurpation of Faustinus (c. 273)
Châlons (274)

Reign of Tacitus (275-276)

Gothic Invasion (276-277)

Reign of Probus (276-282)

Vandal Invasion (276-278)
Sarmatian Invasion (278)
Usurpation of Bonosus & Proculus (280)
Usurpation of Julius Saturninus (280)

Reign of Carus (282-283)

Carus' invasion of the Sasanian Empire (283)

Reign of Carinus (283-285)

Usurpation of Julian of Pannonia (284-285)
Margum (285)

References

chs. 101-103, MGH Auct. Antiqu . V 1, 83-84 Mommsen
Further Dexippus (2) By Christopher P Jones, https://www.academia.edu/11913736/Further_Dexippus_online_
JORDANES: THE ORIGIN AND DEEDS OF THE GOTHS Goths in the 3rd Century

External links

Book excerpt

42°9′0″N 24°45′0″E / 42.15000°N 24.75000°E / 42.15000; 24.75000

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