Battle of Cyzicus (193)

The Battle of Cyzicus, fought in 193 AD, was a significant engagement in the Year of the Five Emperors following the assassination of the Emperor Pertinax. Didius Julianus had purchased the imperial throne, an act that sparked widespread outrage and several claimants to the title. One such claimant was Pescennius Niger, governor of Syria.

Niger, having declared himself emperor in the east, dispatched forces westward towards Rome. One of his armies, under the command of Aemilianus, clashed with forces loyal to Septimius Severus, who had also proclaimed himself emperor. The Battle of Cyzicus, named after the city on the southern coast of the Sea of Marmara (Propontis), was the decisive engagement in the early stages of the power struggle.

Severus's forces, led by generals whose names are often not recorded specifically for this battle, won a crucial victory. This victory prevented Niger's forces from establishing a foothold in Europe and significantly weakened Niger's overall position. It allowed Severus to consolidate his control over the western provinces and prepare for a full-scale invasion of the east, eventually leading to Niger's defeat and death at the Battle of Issus in 194 AD. While not as famous as Issus, the Battle of Cyzicus was a vital step in Severus's rise to sole power. The precise details of the battle's tactics and casualty figures are not well documented in surviving historical accounts.