Sertorius defeated Pompey at Lauron in 76 BC, demonstrating that a rebel Roman general could outmaneuver one of Rome's most celebrated commanders.
Key Facts
- Date
- 76 BC
- Conflict
- Sertorian War
- Victor
- Quintus Sertorius (rebel force)
- Defeated commander
- Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey)
- Primary sources
- Frontinus, Stratagems; Plutarch, Lives
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Sertorian War arose when Quintus Sertorius, a renegade Roman general, led a rebel coalition in Hispania against the authority of the Roman Republic. Pompey was dispatched to suppress the rebellion, bringing his army into confrontation with Sertorian forces near the town of Lauron.
In 76 BC, Sertorius engaged Pompey's army near Lauron. Through superior tactical maneuvering, Sertorius encircled and outflanked the Roman Republican forces, inflicting a decisive defeat on Pompey despite the latter's considerable military reputation.
The victory at Lauron boosted Sertorius's prestige and demonstrated the vulnerability of even Rome's top commanders to unconventional tactics. It prolonged the Sertorian War and was later documented in detail by Frontinus and Plutarch as a notable example of stratagem and generalship.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Quintus Sertorius.
Side B
1 belligerent
Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey).