Romans at War: The Roman Military in the Republic and Empire

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Battle of Ravenna – Orestes deposes Julius Nepos and installs his son, Romulus Augustulus as emperor. By 179 BC, the Romans had mostly succeeded in pacifying the region and bringing it under their control. Roman conquest of Anglesey – Anglesey in North West is left under Roman rule, being completed the conquest of Wales and northern England.

Gnaeus Julius Agricola's planned invasion of Hibernia – Aborted Roman attempt of conquest Ireland due to other priorities. Despite defeats such as the Battle of Fucine Lake, Roman troops defeated the Italian militias in decisive engagements, notably the Battle of Asculum.

In the 7th century BC there was a war with Alba Longa, a second war with Fidenae and Veii and a second Sabine War. Nevertheless, it was generally the fate of even the greatest of Rome's enemies, such as Pyrrhus and Hannibal, to win the battle but lose the war.

BC – Battle of Asculum – Pyrrhus again defeats the Romans but once again suffers significant casualties in the process. After defeating the Gauls in the subsequent battle, he entered the city in triumph, greeted by his fellow citizens as alter Romulus (the other Romulus), pater patriae (father of the homeland) and conditor alter urbis (second founder of the city). Battle of Ravenna – The Germanic foederati led by Odoacer decisively defeated the Western Roman Empire and deposed Emperor Romulus Augustulus. BC – Battle of Corinth – Romans under Lucius Mummius defeat the Achaean League forces of Critolaus, who is killed. In response to Jugurtha's usurpation of the Numidian throne, [164] a loyal ally of Rome since the Punic Wars, [165] Rome intervened.Seven years after their defeat, with Roman dominance of the area looking assured, the Samnites rose again and defeated the Romans at the Battle of Camerinum in 298 BC, to open the Third Samnite War. When the Aetolians sued for peace with Philip, Rome's small expeditionary force, with no more allies in Greece, was ready to make peace. The maniples were mobile, disciplined in their close formation and they could rotate their engagement with the enemy to allow fresh troops into the battle. BC – Battle of Alesia – Caesar defeats the Gallic rebel Vercingetorix, completing the Roman conquest of Gallia Comata. Italy was a peninsula not easily attacked, there was a huge pool of fighting men to draw upon, a disciplined and innovative army, a centralised command and line of supply, expert engineers, and effective diplomacy through a network of allies.