Lusitanian War

The Lusitanian War (155-139 BCE) was a Guerilla War fought between the Roman Republic and the Lusitanians who occupied the territory between the Rivers Tagus and Douro, equivalent to modern day Portugal.
The War is noted for the rise of the Guerilla Leader, Viriathus.

The Lusitanians had already fought the Romans when they served as Mercenaries for the Carthaginians during the Second Punic War.
When Iberia fell to the Romans during the Second Punic War (218-201 BCE), the Lusitanians fought a war against the Romans in 194 BCE, but signed a peace treaty in 179 BCE.
The War started as an uprising in 155 BCE, organised by the first Lusitanian Commander, Punicus, who set out to attack and disrupt Roman settlements.
The War ran in parallel to the Numantine War (143-133 BCE) between the Romans and the Celtiberian Tribes of Numantia on the upper River Douro in northern Spain.

Punicus led a Lusitanian attack in which 6,000 Romans were killed including the Quaestor Terentius Varro. They then allied with the Vettones to besiege another city during which attack Punicus was killed and then replaced by Caesarus.
The Roman General Mummius arrived and confronted Caesarus but lost 9,000 soldiers in the battle.
Meanwhile, another Leader, Caucenus, led a Lusitanian army and captured a city north of the Tagus whilst a seaborne expedition sailed for North Africa and besieged the city of Ocile. Mummius followed with a Roman Army and ended the siege after which he returned to Rome for a Roman Triumph.
The Roman General Marcus Atilius then replaced Mummius and after taking the largest Lusitanian city, the Tribes agreed to sign a Peace Treaty.

The Roman General Servius Galba replaced Atilius, but lost 7,000 soldiers in the next conflict.
Meanwhile another Roman General, Lucullus, who was based in southern Iberia, attacked and killed 4,000 Lusitanian soldiers he found in his vicinity, then invaded Lusitania and killed another 1,500. He and Galba joined forces and the Lusitanians requested a truce to meet and renew the Treaty of 152 BCE.
However, Galba only pretended to accept the Truce, and when the Lusitanians gathered and disarmed for the Treaty, he slaughtered them. Viriathus was one of the survivors.

138 BCE Gaius Vetilius

An army of 10,000 Lusitanians attacked southern Iberia.The Roman General Gaius Vetilius confronted them with an army of equal size and the Lusitanians requested a Peace Treaty.
At this point, Viriathus reminded the Lusitanians of the massacre under Galba, and suggested a plan of deception which would allow them to escape from the meeting. He was appointed leader, the Lusitanians assembled as if for the Treaty, but then dispersed rapidly in all directions whilst Viriathus pinned down the Romans to delay their pursuit.
The Lusitanians reunited in the city of Trebola and Viriathus became a renowned Guerilla Leader and a national hero.
Vetilius moved on to Trebola, but Viriathus ambushed the Roman Army and captured or killed 10,000 soldiers including Vetilius.
The 5,000 reinforcements sent to the Roman Army were annihilated in a series of conflicts with Viriathus.

146-143 BCE Plautius

Viriathus then defeated the Roman General Plautius and his Army of 10,000 soldiers and 1300 cavalry in central Spain during 146 BCE.
Viriathus challenged the new Roman General Maximus and his Army of 15,000 and 2,000 cavalry in 145 BCE, but neither side engaged in a battle.
Maximus succeeded in 144 BCE in chasing Viriathus, capturing two of his cities and eliminating part of his army, but Viriathus escaped.

143 BCE Quintus

In 143 BCE, before the new Roman General Quintus could engage him, Viriathus organised an alliance of Tribes to confront Rome which started the Numantine War.
He returned and undertook a series of clashes with Quintus who lost 1,000 soldiers and had to winter early in Cordoba.

142-140 BCE Maximus Servilianus

In 142 BCE, the new Roman General Maximus Servilianus arrived in southern Spain with an army of 18,000 soldiers and 1,600 cavalry. He then received another 300 cavalry and 10 War Elephants from North Africa. Despite this, Viriathus succeeded in eliminating 3,000 Roman soldiers and forced the remainder back to their camp. The attack continued through the night and the Romans had to withdraw to the city of Itucca.
When Viriathus withdrew to Lusitania, Maximus first attacked the cities of the Lusitanian Allies, before himself moving into Lusitania.
Maximus was confronted by a Lusitanian Army of 10,000 soldiers led by Curius and Apuleius. Maximus killed Curius, captured three Lusitanian cities along with 10,000 Lusitanian soldiers who he sold into slavery after executing 500 of them.
But Viriathus ambushed Maximus’ Army in the city of Eriana and forced a Peace Treaty with the Romans.

140-139 BCE Fabius Caepius

In 140 BCE, The Roman General Fabius Caepius replaced Maximus but was not initially allowed to break the Peace Treaty with Viriathus. As soon as he was given permission, Caepius occupied the city of Arsa and defeated Viriathus in battle, who was forced to flee.
Audax, Ditalcus and Minurus were sent by Viriathus to conduct negotiations with Caepius. However, Caepius persuaded them to assassinate Viriathus in his sleep.
The Assassins remained unknown, so the Lusitanians held a great Funeral for Viriathus, then elected Tautalus as the new leader.
A Lusitanian Army attacked Saguntum, but failed and was defeated by Caepius.

In 139 BCE The Lusitanian Tribes accepted a Peace Treaty with the Romans which ending the Lusitanian War.
Viriathus remains a National symbol of Portuguese Independence today, as he only lost one battle against the Romans, who had to assassinate him in order to win the war.

Lusitania, Portugal.