Atlas of Battles

battle, notable, First World War

Battle of Ctesiphon

Battle of Ctesiphon was a battle fought on 22 November 1915 at Ctesiphon, in what is now Iraq; it lasted 3 days. It was part of World War I, which ran from 1914 to 1918. The recorded result: Inconclusive. Recorded strength: 11,000 troops; 2 warships against 18,000–20,000 troops; 52 guns.

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This map shows the British advance into Southern Mesopotamia, 1915.
This map shows the British advance into Southern Mesopotamia, 1915.. created by the Department of Military Art and Engineering, at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought22 November 1915lasted 3 days
WhereCtesiphon, Iraq33.094N, 44.567E
OutcomeInconclusive
BelligerentsBritish Empire; British IndiaagainstOttoman Empire
Casualties and losses4,600and6,200 to 9,500
Part ofWorld War IMesopotamian campaign

Where it sits in World War I

Siege of Antwerp, 1914Battle of Łódź, 1914Battle of St. Quentin, 1914Russian invasion of East Prussia, 1914Battle of Kraśnik, 1914Battle of Arras, 1914Battle of Rawa, 1914Battle of Krzywopłoty, 1914Battle of Bzurą 1914, 1914U-boat campaign, 1914naval warfare of World War I, 1914Bombardment of Belgrade, 1914Serbian campaign, 1914naval warfare in the Mediterranean during World War I, 1914Battle of Kusseri, 1914Skirmish at Joncherey, 1914Battle of the Meuse, 1914East African Campaign, 1914Battle of Liège, 1914German invasion of Belgium (1914), 1914pursuit of Goeben and Breslau, 1914Kamerun campaign, 1914Togoland campaign, 1914Battle of Mangiennes, 1914Battle of Haelen, 1914Battle of Lorraine, 1914Battle of Lake Nyasa, 1914Battle of Cer, 1914Battle of Agbeluvhoe, 1914Battle of Antivari, 1914Battle of Stallupönen, 1914Battle of Sarrebourg, 1914Battle of Mörchingen and Dieuze, 1914Battle of Dornach, 1914Battle of Gumbinnen, 1914Siege of Namur, 1914Battle of Donon, 1914Battle of Charleroi, 1914Battle of the Ardennes, 1914Battle of Lai, 1914Battle of Río de Oro, 1914Battle of Rossignol, 1914Battle of Chra, 1914Battle of Virton, 1914Battle of Tannenberg, 1914Battle of Galicia, 1914Battle of Mons, 1914Siege of Maubeuge, 1914Action of Elouges, 1914Maziua raid, 1914Portuguese campaign in Mozambique, 1914Burning of Louvain, 1914Battle of Tepe, 1914Battle of Mulhouse, 1914Battle of Le Cateau, 1914Battle of Komarów, 1914Battle of the Trouée de Charmes, 1914Siege of Mora, 1914Battle of Le Grand Fayt, 1914Battle of Odensholm, 1914Siege of Tsingtao, 1914Battle of Étreux, 1914Battle of Heligoland Bight, 1914First Battle of Garua, 1914Battle of Gnila Lipa, 1914Action at Néry, 1914Battle of Augustów, 1914Ovillers-la-Boisselle in World War I, 1914Battle of Senlis, 1914Battle of Grand Couronné, 1914Battle of the Two Morins, 1914Battle of Multien, 1914Battle of the Frontiers, 1914Battle of Drina, 1914Battle of Nsanakong, 1914Battle of Vitry, 1914First Battle of the Masurian Lakes, 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1915Battle of Bolimów, 1915Raid on the Suez Canal, 1915Battle of Kakamas, 1915Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, 1915Battle of Vauquois, 1915Battles of Przasnysz, 1915naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign, 1915Battle of Neuve Chapelle, 1915Battle of Más a Tierra, 1915Battle of Les Éparges, 1915Battle of Zwinin, 1915Battle of Shaiba, 1915Siege of Van, 1915Second Battle of Ypres, 1915Battle of Kitcheners' Wood, 1915Gallipoli Campaign, 1915Landing at Anzac Cove, 1915Landing at Cape Helles, 1915Battle of Kumkale, 1915Battle of Trekkopjes, 1915Second Attack on Anzac Cove, 1915First Battle of Krithia, 1915Battle of Krithia, 1915Battle of Gurin, 1915Battle off Noordhinder Bank, 1915First Battle of Jaunde, 1915Battle for Baby 700, 1915Second Battle of Krithia, 1915sinking of the RMS Lusitania, 1915Battle of Hill 60, 1915Second Battle of Artois, 1915Battle of Aubers Ridge, 1915Battle of Arras, 1915First Battle of Sidi Abu Arqoub, 1915Battle of Konary, 1915Third attack on Anzac Cove, 1915Battles of the Isonzo, 1915Bombardment of Ancona, 1915Battle of Monte Piana, 1915Battle of Festubert, 1915Battle for No.3 Post, 1915Second Battle of Garua, 1915Defense of Msho, 1915Battle of Amara, 1915Third Battle of Krithia, 1915Action of 8 June 1915, 1915Battle of Hill 383, 1915Battle of Chamba, 1915Battle of Hébuterne, 1915Charge of Rokitna, 1915Battle of Bukoba, 1915Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive, 1915First Battle of the Isonzo, 1915Battle of Gully Ravine, 1915Battle of Ngaundere, 1915Battle of Bitlis, 1915Battle of Otavi, 1915Battle of Åland Islands, 1915Narew Offensive, 1915Battle of Podgora, 1915Second Battle of the Isonzo, 1915Battle of Nasiriyah, 1915Battle of Jastków, 1915Landing at Suvla Bay, 1915Battle of Lone Pine, 1915Battle of Sari Bair, 1915Battle of Krithia Vineyard, 1915Battle of the Nek, 1915Battle of Chunuk Bair, 1915Siege of Novogeorgievsk, 1915Siege of Kovno, 1915Battle of the Gulf of Riga, 1915Battle of Hill 60 (Gallipoli), 1915Battle of Scimitar Hill, 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of 17 November 1917, 1917Battle of Nebi Samwil, 1917Battle of Cambrai, 1917Battle of Ngomano, 1917First Battle of the Piave River, 1917Night action of 1/2 December 1917, 1917Attack on the Polderhoek Spur, 1917Action of 11–12 December 1917, 1917Battle of Jaffa, 1917Battle of Megiddo, 1918Battle of Abaran, 1918Battle of Karakilisa, 1918Second Battle of Cambrai, 1918Second Battle of the Somme, 1918Battle of St. Quentin Canal, 1918Battle of San Matteo, 1918Battle of Soissons, 1918Battle of Mastara, 1918Battle of the Three Mountains, 1918Battle of Imbros, 1918Battle of Galați, 1918Battle of Tafilah, 1918Bakar mockery, 1918Capture of Erzincan, 1918Battle of Rarańcza, 1918Action of 15 February 1918, 1918Operation Faustschlag, 1918Capture of Trabzon, 1918Ice Cruise of the Baltic Fleet, 1918Battle of Bakhmach, 1918Bombing of Naples, 1918Battle of Charah, 1918Battle of Erzurum, 1918Capture of Erzurum, 1918Spring Offensive, 1918Operation Michael, 1918Battle of Hijla, 1918First Battle of Amman, 19181918 bombardment of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais, 1918Battle of Moreuil Wood, 1918First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, 1918First Transjordan attack on Amman, 1918Action of 4 April 1918, 1918Battle of the Avre, 1918Battle of the Lys, 1918Battle of Choloki, 1918Battle of Suldouze, 1918German bombing of Monrovia, 1918Battle of Ushno, 1918Battle of Markem, 1918Battle of Seicheprey, 1918Zeebrugge Raid, 1918First Ostend Raid, 1918Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, 1918Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt, 1918Action of 8 May 1918, 1918Second Ostend Raid, 1918Battle of Kaniów, 1918Second Battle of Morlancourt, 1918Battle of Sardarabad, 1918Second Battle of the Marne, 1918Third Battle of the Aisne, 1918Battle of Cantigny, 1918Battle of Skra-di-Legen, 1918Battle of Belleau Wood, 1918Battle of Monte Grappa, 1918Combats of Michelbach, 1918Action of Arsuf, 1918Battle of Premuda, 1918Third Battle of Morlancourt, 1918Battle of Vorontsovka, 1918Sinking of ships of the Black Sea Fleet in Tsemes Bay, 1918Battle of the Piave River, 1918Battle of Karamaryan, 1918Battle of Goychay, 1918Battle of Kurdamir, 1918Battle of Hamel, 1918Battle of Salyan, 1918Battle of Abu Tellul, 1918Battle of Château-Thierry, 1918Attack on Orleans, 1918Battle of Amiens, 1918Battle of the Ailette, 1918Battle of Albert, 1918Battle of Baku, 1918Battle of the Scarpe, 1918Battle of Mont Saint-Quentin, 1918Battle of Lioma, 1918Second Battle of Bapaume, 1918Action of 5 September 1918, 1918Battle of Saint-Mihiel, 1918Battle of Havrincourt, 1918Battle of Dobro Pole, 1918Battle of Doiran, 1918Battle of Épehy, 1918Battle of Tulkarm, 1918Battle of Arara, 1918Battle of Nablus, 1918Battle of Tabsor, 1918Battle of Nazareth, 1918Capture of Jisr ed Damieh, 1918Battle of Haifa, 1918Battle of Samakh, 1918Second Battle of Amman, 1918Meuse-Argonne Offensive, 1918Capture of Damascus, 1918Battle of the Canal du Nord, 1918Battle of Jisr Benat Yakub, 1918Fifth Battle of Ypres, 1918Porpoises' Battle, 1918Vardar Offensive, 1918Charge at Kaukab, 1918Charge at Kiswe, 1918Battle of Saint-Thierry, 1918German Caucasus Expedition, 1918Mediterranean U-boat Campaign, 1918Battle of Durazzo, 1918Charge at Khan Ayash, 1918Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge, 1918Battle of Courtrai, 1918Battle of the Lys and the Escaut, 1918Battle of Sharqat, 1918Battle of Aleppo, 1918Battle of the Selle, 1918Charge at Haritan, 1918Liberation of Krakow, 1918Raid on Pula, 1918Battle of Vittorio Veneto, 1918Hundred Days Offensive, 1918Second Romanian Campaign of World War I, 1918Scuttling of the German Fleet in Scapa Flow, 1919Resistance of Hadjin, 1920Seventh Battle of Dazli, 1922Antwerp X, 194419141944Battle of Ctesiphon, 1915
594 placed engagements of World War I in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date22 November 1915
to 25 November 1915
PlaceCtesiphon, Iraq
33.094N, 44.567E
KindBattle, First World War
Strength11,000 troops; 2 warships18,000–20,000 troops; 52 guns
Casualties and losses4,6006,200 to 9,500
Commanders
  • Charles Townshend (British Army officer)
Battle of CtesiphonBattle of CtesiphonSiege of CtesiphonSiege of MaiozamalchaSiege of CtesiphonBattle of CtesiphonBattle of CtesiphonSiege of CtesiphonBaghdadNajafAl HillahKarbalaAl KutBaqubahAl FallujahIlam100 km33.094N, 44.567E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 6 times between AD 165 and 1915.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1915

Combat data (CDB90)

Attacker: BR MESOPOTAMIAN FIELD FORCEDefender: TK ARMY
Strength13,75620,400
Casualties4,593 (33.4%)6,188 (30.3%)
Mission accomplishment, 1 to 1046
Outcomedefender won
Duration2 days
Front width12.1 km16 km
Attacker advanced1.5 km

From the US Army Concepts Analysis Agency Database of Battles (CDB90, battle 303), public domain, in the CC0 tidy edition by Jeffrey B. Arnold. Figures are the database's estimates, compiled in 1990 from published histories, and may differ from the Wikipedia infobox above.

Battle of Ctesiphon is one of 4,429 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 206 in present-day Iraq.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1582511, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Ctesiphon (1915), revision 1381222711, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.