Battle of Strasbourg
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| Battle of Strasbourg | |||||||
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| Part of the Roman-Alamanni conflict | |||||||
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| Combatants | |||||||
| Roman Empire | Alamanni | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Julian | Chnodomar | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 10,000 infantry 2200 cavalry |
32,000 infantry 2000-3000 cavalry |
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| Casualties | |||||||
| 247 dead 1000-2000 wounded |
6000 dead possibly 2000+ drowned in the Rhine |
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| Rome against the Alamanni |
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| Lake Benacus – Placentia – Fano – Pavia - Lingones - Vindonissa - Autun - Reims - Brumath - Senonae - Strasbourg - Solicinum - Argentovaria |
The Battle of Strasbourg, also known as the Battle of Argentoratum, was fought in 357 between the forces of the Roman Emperor Julian and the Alamanni led by King Chnodomar.
As the battle commenced, the German infantry, anxious not to be abandoned, convinced the cavalry to dismount and fight on foot. Despite this disadvantage, the Alamanni succeeded in driving back the Roman cavalry. Additionally, the Alamanni infantry, led by a band of nobles, broke through the Roman center. However, Julian rallied his cavalry, which returned to the fight, and the Roman Primani legion plugged the gap in the Roman center. The Alamanni soon broke and retreated. Many were slaughtered as they ran from the battlefield. Others drowned in the Rhine. Chnodomar was captured. Reports place the German dead at 6000. The Romans only lost 247 men.
Julian's army won the battle, and the Alamanni were driven beyond the Rhine.
[edit] Order of battle
Order of battle of Julian army.
- Legiones Palatinae — 1,500 elite infantry
- Primani
- Auxilia Palatina — 2,500 veteran auxiliary infantry
- Batavii
- Brachiati
- Cornuti
- Regii?
- Auxilia — 3,000 auxiliary
- Heruli
- Petulantes
- Sagitarii
- clibanarii — 600
- Shield patterns of Julian units
 Heruli |
 Petulantes |
[edit] Bibliography
D. Woods, ‘On the 'Standard-Bearers' at Strasbourg: Libanius, Or. 18.58-66’, Mnemosyne 50 (1997), 479-80.
