The Battle of Pistoria was fought early January 62 BC between the forces of the Roman Republic and Catiline, a senatorial conspirator who had been organising an attempted conspiracy against the consuls the previous year.
After his conspiracy was uncovered in early November 63 BC and he was denounced by Cicero he withdrew from Rome and went north into Etruria to join forces with his man there, Gaius Manlius.
It also assigned Gaius Antonius Hybrida – co-consul with Cicero for 63 BC[2] – to lead an army against the insurrectionists.
[4] After word of the conspiracy's collapse with the death of its leaders in Rome, Catiline tried to escape for Transalpine Gaul but was blocked by three legions under Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer.
[5] With his escape route to Gaul blocked, he withdrew south from the Apennine passes and toward Antonius' encamped at Faesulae.