September 11th, 490 – The Battle of Adda River

Conflict: Barbarian Kingdoms of Rome

Combatants: Ostrogoths vs. Romans (Italians)

Location: Italy

Outcome: Ostrogoth victory

Having emerged from his stronghold at Ravenna and finally defeated the Ostrogoth Theodoric at Faenza, the barbarian King of Rome Odoacer was now forced to divide his army to confront at second invasion, by Visigoths, at Liguria. Theodoric was thus able to defeat Odoacer again at Adda and forced Odoacer to retreat back to Ravenna.

Theodoric the Great on a coin

Coin of Odoacer at the British Museum

Points of Interest:

• Odoacer would defeat Theodoric at Faenza in 490, but then had to divide his army due an invasion of Burgundians and Visigoths in Liguria.

• In 493, Odoacer agreed to share rule of Italy with Theodoric, but the Ostrogoth murdered Odoacer shortly thereafter.

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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.