Aaron, not to be confused with another prominent figure of the same name who was a missionary son of King Mosiah, was a king of the Lamanites toward the end of the Nephite record, approximately around A.D. 330. As a militaristic leader, he commanded an army of 44,000 soldiers in a campaign against the Nephites, who were led by the commander Mormon. Despite the Lamanites’ numerical advantage, Aaron’s forces were defeated by Mormon’s army, which was comprised of 42,000 soldiers. This battle marked a significant moment and was one of Mormon’s early victories as a military leader of the Nephites (Mormon 2:9).
Years after this encounter, Aaron and Mormon engaged in peace negotiations, resulting in a treaty that divided the lands between their peoples, with the Nephites controlling the land northward and the Lamanites the land southward (Mormon 2:28–29). Nevertheless, the peace was not to last. Following a decade of peace, Aaron sent an epistle to Mormon signaling the end of the peaceful interlude and indicating Lamanite intentions to renew hostilities (Mormon 3:4). This foreshadowed a period of intense conflict, during which Aaron’s forces were characterized by Mormon as displaying “awful brutality.” The struggles between Aaron’s Lamanite armies and Mormon’s Nephite forces contributed to the eventual downfall of the Nephite nation (Moroni 9:17).
Throughout his life, Aaron’s impact on Nephite history was significant, not only as a military figure but as part of the complex interactions between two long-standing rival nations. His actions during periods of war and peace influenced the destinies of both the Nephites and the Lamanites, and his legacy continued to be referenced in the concluding parts of the Nephite record.