The siege of Senonae was a siege during Roman–Alamanni conflict which resulted in a Roman victory.

Siege of Senonae
ConflictSiege of Senonae
Partofthe Roman–Alamanni conflict
and Roman–Germanic Wars
Date356
PlaceSenonae, (modern France)
ResultRoman victory
Combatant 1Western Roman Empire
Combatant 2Alamanni
Commander 1Julian
Commander 2Unknown
Strength 1Unknown
Strength 2Unknown
Casualties 1Unknown
Casualties 2Unknown

In 356, after leaving Cologne, Julian the Apostate, the future Roman emperor, wintered in Senonae (possibly modern Sens) in Gaul. Following desertions from his German federated troops, hostile Germanic warbands learned that his force was under-strength and moved to attack the town. However, lacking advanced siegecraft, they were not able to break into the town and could only prevent Julian from venturing outside the walls. After a month, they withdrew.[1]

Finally, after a month the savages withdrew crestfallen, muttering that they had been silly and foolish to have contemplated the blockade of the city. But — a thing to be regarded as a shameful situation — while Caesar was in jeopardy, Marcellus, master of the horse, although he was stationed in neighbouring posts, postponed sending him reinforcements; whereas even if the city alone was endangered, to say nothing of the prince's presence there, it ought to have been saved from the hardships of blockade by the intervention of a large force.[2]

References

  1. ^ Goldsworthy, Adrian. In the Name of Rome, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2003, p. 345
  2. ^ Ammianus, Marcellinus & Rolfe, J.C. (tr). The History XVI 4 2–3. Loeb Classical Library. p. 213. Retrieved Mar 23, 2019.