Battle of Châlons (274)
| Battle of Châlons | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Roman Empire
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Gallic Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Aurelian | Tetricus I | ||||||
Coordinates: 48°57′27″N 4°21′54″E / 48.9575°N 4.365°E
The Battle of Châlons was fought in 274 between Roman Emperor Aurelian and Emperor Tetricus I of the Gallic Empire. Fought in what is now Châlons-en-Champagne, France, it was the battle that marked the end of the independent Gallic Empire, and its unification back to the Roman Empire, after thirteen years of separation.
Aurelian, having subdued revolts in the eastern Roman Empire, began preparing to reconquer the Gallic Empire by early 274. Meanwhile, Tetricus' hold on his domain was steadily weakening, facing continuous raids from German tribes and internal troubles with the rebellion of Faustinus, a provincial governor.
Tetricus ordered his troops to leave the Rhine and march southward, where they met the Roman army in the Catalunian fields of Châlons-sur-Marne.
Aurelian's army was better trained and well commanded, and when Tetricus was captured in the midst of the fighting, the Rhine army disintegrated and was torn apart by Aurelian's troops. The battle was remembered for years for its high death toll.
Historians dispute whether Tetricus truly intended to fight at Châlons. Some older accounts portray Tetricus as unhappy with his position as Gallic emperor. According to these accounts, Tetricus deliberately positioned his troops so they could easily be defeated, having previously sent Aurelian a letter, imploring with the words of Virgil, "rescue me undefeated from these troubles." Tetricus would then surrender during the battle.
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