- The Battle of Mursa Major (28th Sept 351 CE) was one of the bloodiest battles in a Civil War between Legions that ever took place during the Roman Empire.
- The opponents were the Usurper Magnentius against the Eastern Roman Army under Constantius II.
The Reason for the Battle
- Magnentius took the Legions from Britannia and the Rhine to attack Constantius II.
The Battle
- The two sides met at Mursa, modern Ocikek on the River Drava, a tributary of the Danube, in Croatia.
- Constantius II was a Christian Commander and prayed during the Battle.
The Outcome
- Magnentius lost two thirds of his army and Constantius II lost half, a total of 50,000 men.
- Historians consider the loss of manpower from this Battle to have helped precipitate the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, although The Battle of Adrianople in 371 CE is the official date.
- Both sides withdrew to consolidate and rebuild their armies.
- In 353 CE, at the Battle of Mons Seleucus, Constantius II defeated Magnentius, who committed suicide.
Mursa (Osijek), River Drava, Croatia