Cniva (flourished mid-3rd century) was the Gothic king who defeated and killed Decius and his older son, Herennius Etruscus, at the Battle of Abrittus in 251. Decius became the first Roman emperor killed in a battle. (2nd century - 3rd century - 4th century - other centuries) Events The Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east. ... Invasion of the Goths: a late 19th century painting by O. Fritsche portrays the Goths as cavalrymen. ... Gaius Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius (201-251), Roman emperor (249 - 251), the first of the long succession of distinguished men from the Illyrian provinces, was born at Budalia near Sirmium in lower Pannonia. ... Quintus Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius (c. ... The Battle of Abrittus (now Razgrad, Bulgaria), also known as the Battle of Forum Terebronii, occurred in 251 between the Roman legions and Goths under King Cniva. ... Events Pope Cornelius succeeds Pope Fabian. ...
The father and son, now joint rulers, then embarked in an expedition against king Cniva of the Goths to punish the invaders for the raids.
Cniva and his men were returning to their lands with the booty, when the Roman army encountered them.
Showing a very sophisticated military tactic, Cniva divided his army in smaller, more manageable groups and started to push back the Romans into a marshy swamp.
The barbarians were on their way to their homelands, laden with booty after their successful campaigns, as the two sides met at Abrittus (Hisarlak, near Razgrad in modern Bulgaria).
Cniva was able to lure his adversaries into a swampy area, and thereafter everything fell into place for the Goths.
Cniva broke his force into several tactical groups, surrounded the Roman army, and nearly destroyed it.
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