July 3rd, 323 - The First Battle of Adrianople

Conflict: Roman Civil Wars

Combatants: Constantine I vs. Licinius

Location: Turkey

Outcome: Constantinian victory

Disputes between the two Roman emperors, Constantine I and Licinius, broke out into civil war in 323. On July 3rd of that year, the two armies met near Adrianople each with a strength of up to 150,000 men. Constantine I personally led his soldiers to victory and drove Licinius fleeing back to Byzantium with losses as high as 50,000 men.

Bust of Constantine I by an unknown artist

Points of Interest:

• Licinius surrendered to Constantine and was executed in 325.

• Constantine I is most famous for issuing edicts of toleration for all religions (June 313) and later established Christianity as the official faith of the empire.

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Sources:

Dupuy, Trevor N., Johnson, Curt, & Bongard, David L. (1992). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military Biography. New York: Castle Books (HarperCollins).

Dupuy, R. Ernest & Dupuy, Trevor N. (1993). The Harper's Encyclopedia of Military History. New York: HarperCollins.

Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles: Accounts of Over 1,560 Battles from 1479 B.C. to the Present. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.