Battle of Thermopylae (254)

Battle between Roman and Gothic forces (254)

For other uses, see Battle of Thermopylae (disambiguation).

Battle of Thermopylae (254)

Part of the Roman-Germanic wars
| Date| 254 AD

|

Location|

Thermopylae, Achaea

Result|  Roman victory
Belligerents
Roman Empire|  Goths
Commanders and leaders
Marianus
Philostratus
Dexippus|  Unknown
Strength
Militia|  Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown|  Unknown

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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)

The Battle of Thermopylae in 254[1][2] was the successful defense of the pass of Thermopylae by local Greek militia under Marianus, the Roman proconsul of Achaea, during an invasion of the Balkans by the Goths.[3]

## Background[edit]

In 254 the Goths invaded and plundered Thrace and Macedonia.[1][4][5] In 1979, Herwig Wolfram regarded 254 as the date, while Mallan and Davenport in 2015 suggested 262.[6][1] Goltz and Hartmann estimated 254 as the date.[2] David Potter in 2016 rejected Mallan and Davenport's estimate and dated it to either 253 or 259.[4] The Goths attempted to storm Thessalonica with close order formations and assault columns.[5] The Thessalonians mobilized to defend their city and beat off the attacks.[5] The Goths abandoned the siege and moved off to invade Greece south of Thermopylae, seeking to loot the gold and silver wealth of Greek temples.[5]

## Prelude[edit]

The Greeks learned of the Goths' approach and the Roman proconsul Marianus, the Athenian Philostratus, and the Boeotian Dexippus mobilized a militia to block the pass of Thermopylae.[5] The militia were armed with bronze or iron-tipped wooden pikes, small spears, axes, and assorted weapons.[5] They set to work fortifying the pass.[5][1][4] Marianus gave a pre-battle speech to them, emphasizing the defense of the pass by previous generations of Greeks and Romans.[5]

## Battle[edit]

The Graeco-Roman forces successfully blocked the Goths' way at Thermopylae and the Goths returned home, albeit with considerable loot.[7]

## Aftermath[edit]

A fragment of text attributed to the contemporary historian Dexippus, discovered in Vienna in 2010, provides detail on the weapons, leadership, and geography of the engagement.[8] The fragment cuts off before the battle's outcome.[5] Dexippus was used as a source by the Byzantine chronicler George Syncellus, who mentioned the blocking of the pass and the Goths' return home with plunder.[7]

## Citations[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Wolfram 1990, p. 48.
2. ^ a b Goltz & Hartmann 2008, pp. 233–234.
3. ^ Mallan & Davenport 2015, p. 221.
4. ^ a b c Potter 2016, p. 253.
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mallan & Davenport 2015, p. 206.
6. ^ Mallan & Davenport 2015, p. 215.
7. ^ a b Mallan & Davenport 2015, p. 217.
8. ^ Mallan & Davenport 2015, p. 207.

## Bibliography[edit]

* Goltz, Andreas; Hartmann, Udo (2008). "Valerian und Gallienus". In Johne, Klaus-Peter (ed.). Die Zeit der Soldatenkaiser. Krise und Transformation des Römischen Reiches im 3. Jahrhundert n. Chr. (235–284) (in German). Berlin: Akademie Verlag. ISBN 978-3-05-004529-0.
* Mallan, Christopher; Davenport, Caillan (November 2015). "Dexippus and the Gothic Invasions: Interpreting the New Vienna Fragment". Journal of Roman Studies. 105: 203–226. doi:10.1017/s0075435815000970. S2CID 163234044.
* Potter, David (2016). "War as Theater, from Tacitus to Dexippus". In Riess, Werner; Fagan, Garrett G. (eds.). The Topography of Violence in the Greco-Roman World. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0472119820.
* Wolfram, Herwig (1990) [1979]. Geschichte der Goten. Entwurf einer historischen Ethnographie [History of the Goths]. Translated by Dunlap, Thomas J. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520069831.

## Further reading[edit]

* Martin, Gunther; Grusková, Jana (2014) "'Dexippus Vindobonensis' (?) Ein neues Handschriftenfragment zum sog. Herulereinfall der Jahre 267/268" (in German)
* "The Vienna Dexippus (?) (second revised version)", uploaded by Jones, Christopher

38°48′19″N 22°33′46″E﻿ / ﻿38.80528°N 22.56278°E﻿ / 38.80528; 22.56278
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