Atlas of Battles

naval engagement, notable, ancient

Siege of Massilia

Siege of Massilia was a naval engagement fought on 19 April 49 BC at Massalia, in what is now France; it lasted 5 months. It was part of the Caesar's Civil War, which ran from 49 BC to 45 BC. The recorded result: Caesarian victory.

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The siege of Massilia, 49 BC
The siege of Massilia, 49 BC. Edward Stanford Ltd., London, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought19 April 49 BClasted 5 months
WhereMassalia, France43.297N, 5.376E
OutcomeCaesarian victory
BelligerentsSupporters of Julius CaesaragainstCity of Massilia; Supporters of Pompey
Casualties and losses1,100 killedand4,000 killed
Part ofCaesar's Civil War49 BC to 45 BC

Where it sits in the Caesar's Civil War

Battle of Utica, 49 BCBattle of Marseille, 49 BCBattle of Krk, 49 BCSiege of Corfinium, 49 BCSiege of Massilia, 49 BCBattle of Ilerda, 49 BCBattle of the Bagradas River, 49 BCBattle of Tauris, 48 BCSiege of Oricum, 48 BCSiege of Salona, 48 BCBattle of Pharsalus, 48 BCBattle of Dyrrhachium, 48 BCBattle of Tauris, 47 BCBattle of Zela, 47 BCBattle of Hippo Regius, 46 BCBattle of Carteia, 46 BCBattle of Ascurum, 46 BCBattle of Ruspina, 46 BCBattle of Thapsus, 46 BCSiege of Apamea, 45 BCBattle of Munda, 45 BCSiege of Corduba, 45 BCBattle of Lauro, 45 BCSiege of Brundisium, AD 4949 BCAD 49Siege of Massilia, 49 BC
24 placed engagements of the Caesar's Civil War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date19 April 49 BC
to 6 September 49 BC
PlaceMassalia, France
43.297N, 5.376E
KindNaval engagement, ancient
Territorial changeRoman annexation of Massilia
StrengthLand forces: 15,000 legionaries (3 legions); Naval: 12−22 ships; Initially: 12 ships; After the first naval engagement: 18 ships; After the second naval engagement: 22 shipsLand forces: 8,000 militia; Naval: 17–34 ships; 17 ships during the first naval engagement; 34 ships during the second naval engagement (16 of these were Nasidius's)
Casualties and losses1,100 killed4,000 killed
Commanders
  • Gaius Trebonius
  • Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus
  • Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 54 BC)
Siege of MassiliaSiege of MassiliaSiege of MarseilleSiege of MassiliaBattle of MarseilleBattle of La CiotatBattle of Aquae SextiaeBattle of La CiotatBattle of Aquae SextiaeNiceMonacoMontpellierNîmesBéziers100 km43.297N, 5.376E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 4 times between 49 BC and 1944.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 49 BC

Siege of Massilia is one of 159 engagements of the 1st century BC in the atlas and one of 1,383 in present-day France.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2127400, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Siege of Massilia, revision 1380572764, 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.