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In a way, all wars are stupid, but none was stupider than the Battle of Zappolino that was waged over a silly wooden bucket.

The War of the Oaken Bucket, as it is popularly known, was fought in 1325 between the rival city-states of Bologna and Modena in Italy. It started when a group of Modenese soldiers sneaked into Bologna and stole an oak bucket used to draw water from a well located in the centre of the city. While the bucket itself held no historic or sentimental value, the affront hurt Bologna’s pride, and the humiliated Bolognese demanded the bucket be returned. The Modenese refused which outraged the Bolognese and war was declared upon them.

Bologna mustered a huge army of 30,000 foot soldiers and 2,000 cavaliers, and marched them towards the battlefield located near what is now the commune of Zappolino. Facing them was a puny army consisting of only 5,000 men and 2,000 cavalier that Modena managed to assemble. The Modenese also found themselves awkwardly scattered in the plains with their enemy, the Bolognese, holding the high grounds in the surrounding hills.

Despite being outnumbered nearly six-to-one and practically surrounded by the enemy, Modena’s army fought bravely and in just a matter of hours the battle was over, with the Bolognese taking to their heels and the Modenese chasing behind.

The Modenese army not only chased the humiliated Bolognese all the way to Bologna, they actually managed to break through the city gates and destroyed several castles and a sluice lock on the Reno river thus depriving the city of water. Approximately 2,000 men lost their lives in this ridiculous and totally avoidable skirmish.

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