Marcomannic Wars

The Marcomannic Wars were a series of conflicts that lasted from about AD 166 until 180. These wars were fought between the Roman Empire and several groups of people, mainly the Germanic Marcomanni and Quadi, as well as the Sarmatian Iazyges. There were also battles with other Germanic, Sarmatian, and Gothic tribes along the Roman Empire’s northeastern border, near the river Danube.

These wars were very important because they took up much of the time during the rule of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. While leading these campaigns, Marcus Aurelius began writing his famous philosophical book called Meditations. The Marcomannic Wars show how the Roman Empire had to defend its borders against many different groups from the north.

Background

The Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius stayed in Italy and did not lead big wars. His generals led the soldiers instead. Later, a war between Parthia and Rome happened from 161 to 166 AD. Even though Rome won, the soldiers brought back a sickness called the Antonine Plague. This made many people very sick, but Rome stayed strong.

At the same time, in Europe, many groups of people started moving around. The Goths moved south, which made other tribes nervous. These tribes began to cross Rome’s borders, causing trouble. The Marcomanni and Quadi used to trade with Rome, but they wanted better terms and did not want to be ruled by Rome. This led to tensions when they started to act boldly, surprising Roman leaders.

History

First Marcomannic War

Initial invasions

In the early 160s AD, pressure along the Rhine and Danube borders caused several Germanic tribes to attack Roman lands. Between 162 and 165, attacks by the Chatti and Chauci into Raetia and Germania Superior were stopped. In late 166, thousands of Langobardi and Lacringi crossed into Pannonia. These attacks increased tensions along the Roman border.

Local Roman forces, including troops from the Legio I Adiutrix, defeated the invaders quickly. Despite this win, the attack started a bigger problem. A Roman leader in Pannonia spoke with eleven tribes. The Marcomannic king Ballomar, who was a friend to Rome, helped end the attack and said it did not represent all the tribes. A temporary peace was made, and the tribes left, though no lasting agreement was reached. Rome was still fighting in another war, so this ending was seen as a success, even if the attackers were not fully known.

First Roman expedition in Pannonia (168)

The Antonine Plague made it hard for Rome to respond in the late 160s. A big attack planned by Marcus Aurelius was delayed until 168. That spring, Marcus and Lucius Verus left Rome and set up camp at Aquileia. They fixed defenses in Italy and Illyricum, created new troops, and moved into Pannonia. The approach of the Roman army made the Marcomanni and Victuali leave and promise to behave well. The leaders went back to Aquileia for the winter, but in January 169, Lucius Verus died suddenly on the way back. Marcus went back to Rome to arrange his funeral.

Campaign against the Iazyges and the Germanic invasion of Italy

In autumn 169, Marcus Aurelius started the campaign again. To pay for the war, Marcus sold items from the royal home—a move described by historian Michael Kulikowski as the only real choice besides raising taxes. The main goal was to deal with the Iazyges, a Sarmatian group living between the Danube and Roman Dacia. Early in the campaign, the Iazyges killed Marcus Claudius Fronto, the leader of Lower Moesia.

While the Roman army was busy, other tribes attacked across the border. In the east, the Costoboci crossed the Danube, attacked Thrace, and reached Eleusis, where they damaged a special place. Rome regained control of the Balkans with help from a port in Dalmatia.

A bigger danger came from the Marcomanni in the west. Led by King Ballomar, they joined other Germanic tribes, crossed the Danube, and beat a Roman army of 20,000 near Carnuntum. They moved south, attacked Noricum, and reached northern Italy. The Marcomanni destroyed Oderzo and attacked Aquileia, the first attack on Italy since 101 BC. A Roman leader tried to help the city but was defeated and likely died, though some think it was because of the plague.

Roman counter-offensive and defeat of the Marcomanni

In response to the Marcomannic attack, Marcus Aurelius changed Roman plans and sent more troops from other places. A new defense area, the Praetentura Italiae et Alpium, was made to protect northern Italy, and the Danube fleet was made stronger. Aquileia was freed, and by late 171, the attacking forces were driven out of Roman lands. Meanwhile, Rome worked to split its enemies. Peace agreements were made with the Quadi and Iazyges, while the Hasdingi Vandals and Lacringi became friends with Rome.

During 172, Roman armies went across the Danube into Marcomannic lands to fight back the attacks by many Germanic peoples. Though details are few, the fighting led to the Marcomanni and their allies, the Naristi and the Cotini, being controlled. Marcus Aurelius took the title "Germanicus" as part of his name.

By 173, Rome turned on the Quadi, who had broken their agreement. The fighting led to what was called the "Miracle of the Rain," where the surrounded Legio XII Fulminata was saved by a sudden storm. Different stories tell of this: one said an Egyptian magic user asked the god Mercury for help, while Christian writers like Tertullian said it was because of Christian prayers.

Bas-relief scenes showing events from the Marcomannic Wars

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Marcus Aurelius accepting Germanic leaders

Marcus Aurelius celebrating his victory in a special carriage

Sculptures from the now-lost Arch of Marcus Aurelius (176–180 AD), Capitoline Museums

In the same year, Didius Julianus, leading the Rhine border, stopped attacks by the Chatti and Hermunduri, while the Chauci attacked the coast of Gallia Belgica.

In 174, another attack was made against the Quadi. After removing a leader who supported Rome, they put in Ariogaesus, whom Marcus did not accept. Marcus captured and sent him away to Alexandria. The Quadi were controlled and had to give hostages, provide soldiers, and allow Roman soldiers to stay with them. After controlling the Quadi, Marcus Aurelius focused on the Iazyges, living on the lands along the Tisza River—a campaign called the expeditio sarmatica. After several Roman wins, the Iazyges gave up in 175. Their leader, Zanticus, gave back 100,000 Roman people and provided 8,000 soldiers, of whom 5,500 went to Britain. For this win, Marcus took the title "Sarmaticus".

Marcus might have wanted to create two new lands, Marcomannia and Sarmatia, using parts of modern-day Czech Republic and Slovakia. But these plans stopped because of a rebellion by Avidius Cassius, the leader of Syria, who said he would be emperor.

Marcus went east with his army, including soldiers from the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Naristi, led by Marcus Valerius Maximianus. After stopping the revolt, Marcus went back to Rome—the first time in almost eight years. On 23 December 176, he and his son Commodus celebrated together for winning against the Germans and Sarmatians ("de Germanis" and "de Sarmatis"). The Column of Marcus Aurelius was later built in Rome to remember the fights, modeled after Trajan's Column.

Second Marcomannic War

Even after Marcus Aurelius celebrated his wins in 176, fighting started again the next year. In 177, the Quadi started fighting again, soon joined by the Marcomanni. Marcus went north again to start a second campaign, the secunda expeditio Germanica. He arrived at Carnuntum in August 178 and led Roman armies into enemy lands, first against the Marcomanni, then the Quadi between 179 and 180.

In a big fight near Laugaricio (modern-day Trenčín, Slovakia), Roman armies under Marcus Valerius Maximianus defeated the Quadi. The survivors ran deeper into Germania Magna, where Publius Tarrutenius Paternus, a top leader, won another big battle. But on 17 March 180, Marcus Aurelius died at Vindobona (modern Vienna). His son and successor, Commodus, was not interested in continuing the fight. Ignoring his leaders' advice, Commodus made peace with the Marcomanni and Quadi. He went back to Rome later that year and celebrated a victory on 22 October 180.

Third Marcomannic War

After Marcus Aurelius’s death, fighting went on past the Danube. Roman armies fought the Iazyges, the Buri, and people called "free Dacians" living between the Danube and Roman Dacia. Details of this time are few, but leaders included Marcus Valerius Maximianus, Pescennius Niger, and Clodius Albinus. An inscription (CIL III 5937) talks about a campaign against the Lugii or Buri (Expeditio Burica). These wins were enough for Commodus to take the title "Germanicus Maximus" by 182.

Aftermath

The Marcomannic Wars showed that Rome’s northern defenses were weak. After that, many soldiers stayed near the Rhine and Danube rivers to protect the empire. More Germanic people moved into areas like Dacia, Pannonia, Germania, and parts of Italy.

Rome planned to create new areas called Marcomannia and Sarmatia_, but not everything went well. Some Germanic people in Ravenna took over the city for a short time. Because of this, Emperor Marcus Aurelius stopped allowing more Germanic settlers in Italy and sent those already there away away. Even though the Germanic tribes were stopped for a while, these wars were a sign of bigger problems that would happen later and help end the Western Roman Empire.

In popular culture

Two films, The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) and Gladiator (2000), begin with a made-up scene showing a final battle from the Marcomannic Wars.

Maps

Red arrows show the Romans, and green arrows show the Marcomanni. This map includes Italy and the Adriatic Sea at the bottom left corner.

The First Marcomannic War included a Roman expedition against the Iazyges in the eastern Pannonian Plain and a large Marcomannic invasion around 167 or 170. The Romans then launched a counter-offensive across the Danube from 171 to 175.

The Second Marcomannic War involved Roman operations from 180 to 182.