Battle of Mons Seleucus

The Battle of Mons Seleucus was fought on July 3, 353 between a Roman army under the Emperor Constantius II and a Roman army of the usurper Magnus Magnentius.

Magnentius, a Roman general of Frankish origin probably had risen 350 in Gaul against Emperor Constans, whom he put to death immediately. From his troops proclaimed emperor, he quickly controlled much of the western half of the Roman Empire, while the eastern half continued Emperor Constantius II, a brother of ousted Constans was under.

Constantius II broke out, given the events in the West from one led by him at this time against the Persian Sassanids campaign and led his army to the west. Magnentius went to meet him with his troops. In the Battle of Mursa (now Osijek ) in the year 351 the usurper was defeated and was forced to retreat with heavy losses to Gaul, where he could hold two years.

On July 3, 353 Magnentius was defeated at the Battle of Mons Seleucus (now La Batie - Montsaléon in the French Hautes -Alpes) finally the troops of Constantius. He fled to Lyons, where he committed suicide on August 10th or 11th, when his remaining soldiers wanted him to deliver Constantius. The Caesar Decentius, who with his troops to the aid had wanted to come for a week later hanged in Senonae when he received news of the death of his brother.