Rome's Greatest Victories and Defeats(my opinion)

[HuangCaesar]

Here are Rome's Greatest victories and defeats in my opinion. In terms of best and worse would be terms of battles based on battles and causalties(Roman defeats) and army strengths. (1 being the greatest)

Worse defeats:

10. Battle of Allia-Early Roman army defeated by the Gauls, Gauls sack Rome.
9. Teutoburg Forest- 15,000(3 Legions) 6 Auxilia cohorts, and two Roman Ala cavalry killed by Arminus and the Germans.
8. Adianople-20,000 or 15,000 Romans killed by the Goths including the Emperor Valens.
7. Trebia- 16,000 Romans and 20,000 Italian allies slaughter by Hannibal.
6. Lake Trasamine-30,000 Roman troops slaughter by Hannibal.
5. Cahrae- 35,000 Romans(7 Legions) 4,000 Gallic/Roman Auxilia cavalry killed by the Parthians.
4. Cannae-40,000 Romans(8 Legions), 40,000 Italians killed by Hannibal's army.
3. Barbalissos-60,000 Roman army killed by the Persians leaving the East wide open to attack.
2. Edessa- 70,000 Roman Army entire force killed or captured including the emperor.
1. Arausio-80,000 Romans(up to 10/12 Legions) plus 40,000 Allies slaughtered by a massive German army.

Greatest victories
11. Actium- Agrippa's fleet defeats Mark Antony. Beginning the Roman Empire.
10. Medionlum-Gallienus defeats the invading Germanic Alamanni warriors(over 100,000)
9. Phasphalus-Caesar army of 20,000 defeats Pompey of 40,000.
8.Vercelle- 50,000 Roman army under Marius defeat a massive German army invading them that beat them at Arausio.
7. Zama- Scipio's army beats Hannibal. Ending the 2nd Punic War.
7. Metarus-an army under Nero defeats Hasdrabal's army ending Hannibal's chance of reinforcement.
6. Emessa- Aurelian defeats Zenobia with an army of 65,000 vs. Zenobia's army of 70,000(mostly Cataphracts). One of the battles that ended 3rd Century Crisis.
5. Charonea- Sulla defeats Mithradates outnumbered 3-1 ending his invasion and treats of the 1st Mithradatic War.
4. Munda- Caesar's army of 40,000 defeats a massive Roman army of 80,000 ending the Civil War.
3. Magnesia- Asiaticus defeats Antiocus' massive 70,000 Selucid army permateley making Rome the world power of the medieternean. Antichos III brought one of the most fearsome and terrifying armies fielding phalanxes, chariots, elephants and Cataphracts.
2. Alesia- 60,000 Roman army( 6 Legions) under Caesar win a decisive
victory over a 100,000 Gallic army. Pretty much entire force routed and besieged forced captured and killed and enslaved. Victory of entire war hangs on this war.
1.. Adrianople(the one in 324)-Constantine defeats Licicus' massive Roman army(over 100,000) ending the Tetcharchy. Feel free to judge. Constantine was outnumbered, show good river crossing, postion of infantry and archers, and used the cavalry to knock the decisive blows. Could be rivaled by Alexander's Hydapses River and tatics of Alexander himself. One of the most tactical Roman battles and most grand. And a huge impact on the future of Rome's culture.

[BSGfan]

my pick
defeats
no doubts here it is cannae
60 000 romans killed on one day on one battle field a sad record that would stand rill the first day of the Somme offensive in july 1916

buggest victory
the metaus river
Hasdrubal hoping to reinforce his brother hannibal in italy is defeated , ending Chartage hope of any victory in Italy anda favourable peace
and the confirmation of Rome supermacy in the western med

[Blarni]

I would question the inclusion of Barbalissos, a battle known only from a single, very bombastic Persian inscription. Certainly the Persians were able to penetrate deep into Roman territory in the period afterwards, but you would think a battle supposedly twice as deadly as Carrhae would warrant more of a mention by both sides, not least the Romans whose writers loved a good defeat to get all preachy about. And considering Shapur built a virtual city to celebrate Edessa, you'd think a close second would get more than a single line. There is apparently some question regarding the translation, as to whether it actually says the army was 'wiped out'. And of course numbers are always up for question.

I've often wondered why Arausio - the biggest defeat on paper - is a good deal less famous than Carrhae, Cannae and Kalkriese (Teutoburg)...it was after all right on Italy's door step, any thoughts?