Top 8 Deadliest Wars From Ancient History

Did you know what were the eight of ancient history's deadliest wars? While there's no official definition of ancient history, modern historians tend to define it as the period from the beginning of human civilization, usually until the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 AD. From Europe to China to Africa, it was a period of intense violence among countless rising and falling empires, leading to some of the most devastating wars in history we know of. 8. Alexander's Wars of Conquest Alexander was the king of Macedonia from 336 to 323 BC, as well as one of the most famous military commanders in history. His conquest began in 334 BC, starting with the invasion of the Persian Empire with his army. He won early victories at the Battle of Granicus and the Battle of Issus. After decisively defeating Darius at the Battle of Gaugamela, he marched eastward into the ancient region of Bactria and then into India. Historians estimate that over one million people have died. 7. Bar Kokhba Revolt Named after the rebel leader who started it, the Bar Kokhba Revolt, also sometimes called the Second Jewish Revolt, was fought in the ancient region of Judea between 132 and 135 AD. The underlying cause was oppressive Roman rule, specifically the policies of the Roman Emperor Hadrian who tried to establish a Roman colony in Jerusalem, all the while restricting Jewish religious practices and customs. The uprising was initially successful, as the rebels were able to capture and temporarily hold the city of Jerusalem after defeating the powerful Roman legion XXI Deiotariana. Those gains were quickly overturned after the intervention of Hadrian himself, who summoned reinforcements from Britain led by Gaius Julius Severus. Jewish casualties throughout the war are estimated at around 580,000. 6. Punic Wars Also known as the Carthaginian Wars, the Punic Wars were a series of three deadly conflicts between Rome and Carthage beginning in 264 BC. The first Punic War between 264-241 BC started from a dispute over the control of Sicily and the western Mediterranean sea lanes and ended with a Roman victory. The second war from 218-201 BC saw the famous Carthaginian general Hannibal invade Italy by crossing the Alps with his troops, including war elephants. Despite initial victories, however, Hannibal was eventually defeated by the Roman general Scipio Africanus, leading to the complete loss of Carthaginian control over Italy. The wars resulted in the end of the Carthaginian Empire, with its territory being turned into the Roman province of Africa. Estimates put the number of casualties in the hundreds of thousands, making it one of the most destructive wars in history. 5. Cimbrian War The Cimbrian War refers to the series of conflicts between the Roman Republic and migrating Germanic tribes, the Cimbri and Teutons. Roman leaders initially underestimated their strength, leading to a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Arausio in 105 BC and tens of thousands of military casualties. As a result, Rome took drastic measures to counter the growing threat from the tribes, granting sweeping military powers to one of their leaders, Gaius Marius. He'd go on to successfully reorganize the Roman army into a professional fighting force, leading to his decisive victory over the Teutons at the Battle of Aquae Sextiae in 102 BC. The war ended with hundreds of thousands of deaths. 4. Warring States Period The Warring States era from 475 to 221 BC forms a part of a larger period in Chinese history called the Spring and Autumn Period. The independent states constantly fought for control over territory and this was when the concept of a single Chinese emperor ruling over all the kings emerged in the region. The conflict ended with the rise of the Qin Dynasty when it finally conquered the other kingdoms in 221 BC and established the first unified Chinese empire in history. While there are few official estimates about the death toll, one could tell that it was one of the deadliest conflicts of its time by the fact that just one of its campaigns, the Battle of Changping, resulted in the loss of around 650,000 soldiers. 3. Gallic Wars From 58 BC to 50 BC, Julius Caesar fought The aim was to bring large parts of the territory of Gaul, now France and a few other neighboring regions, under direct Roman control. While the Gauls were fierce fighters by all accounts, they lacked cooperation and teamwork on the battlefield, where Rome's advanced equipment and experienced legions gave them the clear upper hand. According to estimates by Roman historians Plutarch and Appian, the conflict resulted in the death of over one million Celts. 2. Yellow Turban Rebellion Named after the yellow headgear worn by its members, the Yellow Turban Uprising was one of the largest rebellions in history, beginning in China in 184 AD. The civil war would soon spread to most parts of China, with various rebel armies made up of local peasants and warlords springing up across the region. The Yellow Turban Rebellion's impact was profound and long-lasting, as it severely weakened the Han Dynasty and its control over its territories, directly leading to its eventual collapse in the year 220. By some estimates, the war claimed the lives of around 8 million people across China, making it one of the deadliest civil conflicts in history. 1. Three Kingdoms War The Three Kingdoms period in China refers to the time immediately following the fall of the Han Dynasty, beginning in 220 AD and ending with the short-lived reunification of the country in 280 AD. The period saw continuous conflict among the three states, with important battles fought over territories like Jingzhou and Hanjiang. It would end in the year 256, when Sima Yan usurped the Wei Kingdom and established the Jin Dynasty, leading to the eventual end of the war in 280. While there are no reliable estimates on the number of casualties, the population counts from that time place the number of dead due to these conflicts at around 40 million.