Atlas of Battles

battle, major, ancient

Battle of Lugdunum

Battle of Lugdunum was a battle fought on 19 February AD 197 at Lugdunum, in what is now France. It was part of the list of Roman civil wars and revolts, which ran from 509 BC to AD 476. The recorded result: Severan victory. Recorded strength: 65,000 - 150,000 against 55,000 - 150,000.

See it on the globe Read the article

Clodius Albinus, as Caesar, 193-195 AD. AV Aureus (7.22 gm, 5h). Rome mint. Struck 194 AD. D CLOD SEPT AL-BIN CAES, bare-headed bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder SAECVLO FRVGIFERO COS II, Sa
Clodius Albinus, as Caesar, 193-195 AD. AV Aureus (7.22 gm, 5h). Rome mint. Struck 194 AD. D CLOD SEPT AL-BIN CAES, bare-headed bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder SAECVLO FRVGIFERO COS II, Sa. CNG, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought19 February AD 197
WhereLugdunum, France45.760N, 4.819E
OutcomeSeveran victory
BelligerentsRoman units from Pannonia, Illyricum, Moesia, and DaciaagainstRoman units from Britannia and Hispania
Casualties and lossesUnknown but severeandUnknown but severe
Part oflist of Roman civil wars and revolts509 BC to AD 476

Where it sits in the list of Roman civil wars and revolts

Battle of the Colline Gate, 82 BCBattle of Pistoria, 62 BCBattle of Forum Gallorum, 43 BCBattle of Locus Castrorum, AD 69Siege of Piacenza, AD 69Battle of Forum Julii, AD 69Battles of Bedriacum, AD 69First Battle of Bedriacum, AD 69Second Battle of Bedriacum, AD 69Battle of Rome, AD 69Siege of Byzantium, AD 193Battle of Issus, AD 194Battle of Lugdunum, AD 197Battle of Interamna Nahars, AD 25382 BCAD 253Battle of Lugdunum, AD 197
14 placed engagements of the list of Roman civil wars and revolts in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date19 February AD 197
PlaceLugdunum, France
45.760N, 4.819E
KindBattle, ancient
Strength65,000 - 150,00055,000 - 150,000
Casualties and lossesUnknown but severeUnknown but severe
Commanders
  • Septimius Severus
  • Clodius Albinus
Battle of LugdunumBattle of LugdunumRevolt of Lyon against the National ConventionSiege of LyonBattle of the ArarBattle of LimonestBattle of BrignaisBattle of LimonestBattle of BrignaisGenevaGrenobleLausanneSaint-ÉtienneVichyAnnecyRoanneFribourg100 km45.760N, 4.819E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battle of Lugdunum
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 10 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of Lugdunum today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2025-08-11. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025.

The recorded site stands at about 270 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 159 to 337 m, 178 m of relief, hilly country and today it is 61% built-up, 30% tree cover, 7% water.

built-up: 61%tree cover: 30%water: 7%built-up 61%tree cover 30%water 7%
west to east, 10.0 km160 to 302 mnorth to south, 10.0 km160 to 288 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 4 times between 58 BC and 1793.

In the same war

Elsewhere in AD 197

Battle of Lugdunum is one of 32 engagements of the 2nd century in the atlas and one of 1,383 in present-day France.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q653482, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Lugdunum, revision 1377937017, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.