36 BC
In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompey, son of Pompey, thus ending Pompeian resistance to the Second Triumvirate.
In 36 BC, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa led Octavian's fleet to victory at the Battle of Naulochus off the coast of Sicily.
In 36 BC, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa led Octavian's fleet to victory at the Battle of Naulochus off the coast of Sicily. The naval engagement saw Agrippa outmaneuver Sextus Pompey's ships and secure a decisive defeat. This victory ended the last major Pompeian resistance to the Second Triumvirate. With Pompey's naval power broken, Octavian gained uncontested control over the grain supply to Rome. The result paved the way for Octavian's rise and the eventual transition to the Roman Empire under Augustus.
36 BC
Battle of Naulochus
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa
admiral
Octavian
Sextus Pompey
Pompey
Second Triumvirate
673day.year
King Wamba of the Visigoths puts down a revolt by Hilderic, governor of Nîmes (France) and rival for the throne.
In 673, King Wamba of the Visigoths quelled Hilderic’s revolt in Nîmes, securing his rule.
In 673, King Wamba of the Visigoths defeated a rebellion led by the governor Hilderic of Nîmes and reaffirmed his control over the kingdom. The revolt posed a significant threat to Wamba’s rule during a period of dynastic uncertainty. Wamba rallied loyal forces and marched south to suppress the uprising with swift military action. The defeat of Hilderic consolidated royal authority and discouraged future insurrections. Wamba’s decisive leadership strengthened the cohesion of the Visigothic realm.
673
Wamba
Visigoths
Hilderic
Nîmes
863day.year
Major Byzantine victory at the Battle of Lalakaon against an Arab raid.
In 863, Byzantine forces won a decisive victory at the Battle of Lalakaon, repelling an Arab raid into Anatolia.
In 863, Byzantine forces under General Petronas achieved a major victory at the Battle of Lalakaon against an Arab raiding army. The battle took place in northeastern Anatolia and halted a series of Abbasid incursions. Superior Byzantine tactics and terrain advantage allowed them to rout the invaders. This triumph restored confidence in the empire’s eastern defenses under Emperor Michael III. The victory paved the way for a period of military resurgence and stabilization along the frontier.
863
Byzantine
Battle of Lalakaon
1260day.year
The Mamluks defeat the Mongols at the Battle of Ain Jalut in Palestine, marking their first decisive defeat and the point of maximum expansion of the Mongol Empire.
In 1260, the Mamluks halted the Mongol advance with a landmark victory at the Battle of Ain Jalut.
In 1260, the Mamluk Sultanate delivered a crushing defeat to the Mongol army at the Battle of Ain Jalut in Palestine. Commanded by Sultan Qutuz and General Baibars, the Mamluks used clever tactics to exploit the Mongols’ vulnerabilities. This engagement marked the first significant Mongol setback and halted their westward expansion. The victory secured the survival of the Islamic world and elevated the Mamluks as a dominant power. Ain Jalut is remembered as a turning point in medieval military history.
1260
Mamluks
Mongols
Battle of Ain Jalut
Palestine
Mongol Empire
1650day.year
Victory over the royalists in the Battle of Dunbar opens the way to Edinburgh for the New Model Army in the Third English Civil War.
In 1650, Cromwell's New Model Army won a pivotal victory over Royalists at the Battle of Dunbar.
In 1650, Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army defeated the Royalist forces at the Battle of Dunbar in Scotland. The surprise attack on the Scottish camp led to a decisive Parliamentarian victory with heavy casualties. This triumph opened the way for the English occupation of Edinburgh and further campaigns in Scotland. The outcome drastically weakened Royalist hopes of restoring Charles II to the throne. The battle showcased the discipline and effectiveness of Cromwell’s forces during the Third English Civil War.
1650
Battle of Dunbar
1651day.year
The Battle of Worcester is the last significant action in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
The decisive final battle in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, ending major Royalist resistance.
On 3 September 1651, Oliver Cromwell’s New Model Army clashed with King Charles II’s forces at Worcester. This engagement marked the last significant action of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Cromwell’s victory effectively extinguished organized Royalist opposition. King Charles II escaped in disguise and fled to the continent. The outcome secured parliamentary supremacy over England, Scotland, and Ireland. The battle shaped the future of the British Isles for decades to come.
1651
Battle of Worcester
1777day.year
American Revolutionary War: During the Battle of Cooch's Bridge, the Flag of the United States is flown in battle for the first time.
The Stars and Stripes make their combat debut at Cooch’s Bridge.
On 3 September 1777, as Continental Army troops engaged British forces at the Battle of Cooch’s Bridge in Delaware, the newly adopted Stars and Stripes flag was flown in combat for the first time. Though the skirmish was small, the sight of the flag inspired American soldiers. The battle demonstrated colonial resolve and unity against a superior enemy. It became a symbolic moment in the struggle for independence. Today, the event is celebrated as the birthplace of the American flag in wartime. It underscores the power of national symbols in forging identity.
1777
American Revolutionary War
Battle of Cooch's Bridge
Flag of the United States
1798day.year
The week long battle of St. George's Caye begins between Spain and Britain off the coast of Belize.
Spanish and British forces clash in a week-long battle off Belize.
On 3 September 1798, the Battle of St. George’s Caye began when Spanish naval and land forces attempted to drive British settlers from the coast of modern-day Belize. British colonists, along with local militia and enslaved laborers, mounted a determined defense. Over the course of a week, the Spanish failed to break British lines and eventually retreated. The victory secured British colonial interests in the region. It is celebrated annually in Belize as St. George’s Caye Day. The conflict reinforced British influence in Central America.
1798
St. George's Caye
Britain
Belize
1812day.year
Twenty-four settlers are killed in the Pigeon Roost Massacre in Indiana.
Twenty-four frontier settlers are killed in the Pigeon Roost Massacre.
On 3 September 1812, Native American warriors attacked the small settlement of Pigeon Roost in present-day Indiana, killing twenty-four inhabitants, including women and children. The raid shocked frontier communities and heightened tensions during the broader War of 1812 period. Survivors fled to nearby military posts, fearing further attacks. The massacre underscored conflicts over land, sovereignty, and settlement in the expanding United States. It prompted calls for increased military protection on the frontier. The event remains a stark reminder of the violence of American westward expansion.
1812
Pigeon Roost Massacre
Indiana
1855day.year
American Indian Wars: In Nebraska, 700 soldiers under United States General William S. Harney avenge the Grattan massacre by attacking a Sioux village and killing 100 men, women and children.
General Harney’s forces massacre a Sioux village in retaliation for the Grattan Massacre.
On 3 September 1855, during the American Indian Wars, 700 U.S. troops led by General William S. Harney attacked a Sioux village in present-day Nebraska. The assault was ordered as revenge for the 1854 Grattan Massacre, in which a small Army detachment was killed. Harney’s forces killed around one hundred Lakota men, women, and children and destroyed the village. The brutal reprisal intensified hostility between Native American tribes and the U.S. government. It influenced subsequent military campaigns on the Great Plains. The event remains a controversial chapter in America’s expansionist history.
1855
American Indian Wars
Nebraska
William S. Harney
Grattan massacre
Sioux
1861day.year
American Civil War: Confederate General Leonidas Polk invades neutral Kentucky, prompting the state legislature to ask for Union assistance.
Confederate General Leonidas Polk's invasion of Kentucky forces the state to seek Union support during the American Civil War.
On September 3, 1861, Confederate forces under General Leonidas Polk crossed into neutral Kentucky.
The invasion violated the state's declared neutrality and alarmed its legislature.
Kentucky's government promptly appealed to President Lincoln for military assistance.
This strategic move aimed to secure key border territories for the Confederacy.
The incursion intensified tensions and marked a crucial moment in the Western Theater.
Union troops soon moved into Kentucky, shaping the future course of the war.
1861
American Civil War
Confederate
Leonidas Polk
Kentucky
Union
1870day.year
Franco-Prussian War: The Siege of Metz begins, resulting in a decisive Prussian victory on October 23.
The Siege of Metz begins in the Franco-Prussian War, heralding a decisive Prussian victory weeks later.
On September 3, 1870, Prussian forces encircled the fortified French city of Metz.
Under the leadership of King William I and General Moltke, they cut off supplies and reinforcements.
French troops under Marshal Bazaine withstood the siege for seven weeks amid dwindling resources.
Harsh conditions and effective German artillery weakened the defenders.
On October 23, Bazaine formally surrendered, delivering a major blow to the Second French Empire.
The fall of Metz paved the way for further Prussian advances toward Paris.
1870
Franco-Prussian War
Siege of Metz
Prussian