List of wars by death-
Pre-Modern
Ancient wars
| War | Death range | Geometric mean (Note 1) | Date | Combatants | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Turban Rebellion | 3,000,000–7,000,000 | 4,582,576 | 184–205 | Peasants vs. Eastern Han China | China | – Part of Three Kingdoms War |
| Wars of the Sixteen Kingdoms | 150,000+ [citation needed] | 150,000 | 304–439 | Northern Chinese States | Northern China | Number given is the sum of all deaths in battle recorded in this time period in battles between armies of the Sixteen Kingdoms, does not take into account civilian deaths, the actual number may be much greater. |
| Wars of Alexander the Great | 142,000+ | 142,000 | 336 BC–323 BC | Macedonian Empire and other Greek City-States vs. various states | Middle East / North Africa / Central Asia / India | Number given is the sum of all deaths in battle during these wars recorded by Greek writers, does not take into account civilian deaths, the actual number may be much greater. |
| Three Kingdoms War | 36,000,000–40,000,000 | 37,947,332 | 184–280 | Wei vs. Shu Vs. Wu | China | [3][4] – Academically, the period of the Three Kingdoms refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the conquest of the state of Wu by the Jin dynasty in 280. The earlier, "unofficial" part of the period, from 184 to 220, was marked by chaotic infighting between warlords in various parts of China. |
| Third Punic War | 150,000–250,000 | 193,649 | 149 BC–146 BC | Roman Republic vs. Carthaginian Empire | Tunisia | – Part of the Punic Wars |
| Second Punic War | 770,000+ | 770,000 | 218 BC–201 BC | Roman Republic vs. Carthaginian Empire | Western Europe / North Africa | [1] – Part of the Punic Wars |
| Samnite Wars | 33,500+ | 33,500 | 343 BC–290 BC | Roman Republic vs. Samnites | Italy | Number given is the sum of all deaths in battle recorded by Roman writers during this time period, does not take into account civilian deaths, the actual number may be much greater. |
| Qin's Wars of Unification | 700,000+[citation needed] | 700,000 | 230 BC–221 BC | Qin state vs. Han, Zhou, Yan, Wei, Chu, Qi States | China | – Part of Warring States Period |
| Punic Wars | 1,250,000–1,850,000 | 1,520,691 | 264 BC–146 BC | Roman Republic vs. Carthaginian Empire | Western Europe / North Africa | |
| Probus's German War | 400,000+ | 400,000 | 277 | Roman Empire vs. Germans | Europe | Emperor Probus informed the Senate that he had killed 400,000 Germans. From the Historia Augusta. – Part of the Germanic Wars |
| Kitos War | 440,000+ | 440,000 | 115–117 | Roman Empire vs. Jews | Southern Europe / North Africa | – Also known as the Second Jewish–Roman War – Part of Jewish–Roman Wars |
| Kalinga War | 150,000–200,000 [citation needed] | 173,205 | 262 BC–261 BC | Maurya Empire vs. State of Kalinga | India | |
| Jewish–Roman Wars | 350,000–2,000,000 | 836,660 | 66–136 | Roman Empire vs. Jews | Middle East/North Africa | |
| Iceni Revolt | 150,000+[2] | 150,000 | 60–61 | Roman Empire vs. Celtic tribes | England | Year is uncertain – Part of the Roman Conquest of Britain |
| Hunnic Invasions | 165,000+ [citation needed] | 165,000 | 395–453 | Roman Empire vs. Hunnic tribes | Europe | Number given is the sum of all deaths in battle recorded by Roman writers during this time period, does not take into account civilian deaths, the actual number may be much greater. |
| Greco–Persian Wars | 73,800+ | 73,800 | 499 BC–449 BC | Greek City-States vs. Persian Empire | Greece | |
| Gothic War (376–382) | 40,000+ | 40,000 | 376–382 | Roman Empire vs. Goths | Eastern Europe | – Part of the Germanic Wars |
| Gothic War (269) | 320,000+ | 320,000 | 269 | Roman Empire vs. Goths | Europe | Claudius II defeated the Goths, of whom 320,000 were slain. This number is from the Historia Augusta. – Part of the Germanic Wars |
| Gallic Wars | 1,000,000+ | 1,000,000 | 58 BC–50 BC | Roman Republic vs. Gallic tribes | France | |
| First Punic War | 400,000+ | 400,000 | 264 BC–241 BC | Roman Republic vs. Carthaginian Empire | Southern Europe / North Africa | – Part of the Punic Wars |
| First Jewish–Roman War | 270,000–1,358,400 | 605,614 | 66–73 | Roman Empire vs. Jews | Middle East | – Part of Jewish–Roman Wars |
| Conquests of Cyrus the Great | 100,000+ | 100,000 | 549 BC–530 BC | Persian Empire vs. various states | Middle East | Number given is the sum of all deaths in battle recorded by writers during this time period, does not take into account civilian deaths, the actual number may be much greater. |
| Cimbrian War | 410,000–650,000 | 516,236 | 113 BC–101 BC | Roman Empire vs. Cimbri and Teutones | Western Europe | – Part of the Germanic Wars |
| Bar Kokhba Revolt | 580,000+ | 580,000 | 132–136 | Roman Empire vs. Jews | Middle East | – Also known as the Third Jewish–Roman War – Part of Jewish–Roman Wars |
