BattlefieldsSilures Defeat Roman Legion in Open Battle
Roman Period

Silures Defeat Roman Legion in Open Battle

52
Gwent, Wales
Also known as: Silurian Victory 52 AD
Era
Roman Period
Battle Type
Pitched Battle
Location
Gwent, Wales
Status
Unregistered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Rome (Legio XX detachment)
Forces
Legio XX detachment: c. 1,000–1,500.
VS
Victor
Silures
Forces
Silures: c. 2,000–3,000
Outcome
Legio XX detachment defeated and routed; significant Roman casualties
The Battle

History & Significance

Tacitus records that the Silures, flushed with success, defeated even a legionary detachment in open battle — an extremely rare event in the Roman conquest era. Roman forts were attacked, auxiliary units routed, and the Silures reportedly boasted that Ostorius would suffer the fate of Paullinus Fabius (an earlier Roman general killed by Galatians). The ferocity of Silurian resistance has been confirmed archaeologically by the late construction of the fortress at Caerleon.

Casualties & Losses

Significant Roman legionary casualties (unusually high for the conquest)

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

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