Abruttius 251 AD (C&C Ancients)

Historical Background: After repeated incursions into Moesia and Dacia by the Goths under Cniva, the Roman Emperor Gaius Messius Quintus Decius (often called “Trajan Decius”) moved to confront the barbarian invaders. Accompanied by his son Herennius Etruscus and his general Trebonianus Gallus, Decius led a major military expedition into the lower Danube, where he forced Cniva with his main army to abandon the siege of Nicopolis. Decius and the Romans pursued Cniva through difficult terrain and after a series of forced marches caught Cniva near Abritus. The Battle of Abrittus is also known as the Battle of Forum Terebronii.  Cniva had divided his forces prior to the battle, and even though the Romans easily defeated the enemy front line, when they pursued the retreating enemy into the swamps, Cniva’s concealed forces attacked. Cniva’s tactical maneuver proved to be very successful and the Romans were surprised and slaughtered. Decius’ son Herennius was killed early in the battle, but the emperor proclaimed that “the death of one soldier is not a great loss to the republic” and continued fighting. Decius himself was slain soon thereafter, gaining the distinction of being the first Roman emperor killed in battle against a foreign enemy.  After the battle, Trebonianus Gallus was acclaimed the new emperor. With his army shattered, Gallus was forced to allow Cniva to leave with his spoils and promised to pay tribute in order to keep the Goths from invading the empire again.

The Romans reorganize their lines while the Gothic right pushes forward. During the skirmish, a lucky roman arrow kills the barbarian leader on that flank. (Goths 0, Romans 1)

Cniva and his Goths then push the Romans hard in their fragile center, while Herennius leads the roman left in a desperate holding action against a horde of advancing gothic warriors. (Goths 1, Romans 1)

The Roman center collapses and on the left, Heronnius finds himself in a precarious position. Nevertheless, the Goths take serious casualties in the onslaught and lack the strenght to outright win the battle. (Goths 3, Romans 3)

Sensing an opportunity, Cniva personally leads his center in an attempt to pick off isolated roman units. Heronnius and a handful of men heroically defend a hill on the Roman left, while gothic warrios try to chase off what remains of the Roman center. Emperor Dacius swoops in from the right with the fresh roman cavalry, outflanking and cutting through Cniva's advance. (Goths 3, Romans 5)

While Cniva is able to escape and rejoin his warriors on his right flanks, Emperor Dacius cuts down his surrounded warriors in the center, giving the Romans a decisive victory. (Goths 3, Romans 6)