diff --git a/roles/backup/defaults/main.yml b/roles/backup/defaults/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..25bf917
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/backup/defaults/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+# ansible/roles/backup/defaults/main.yml
+---
+## Directories to include in the backup
+backup_include_paths:
+  - /etc
+  - /opt/docker
+
+## Directories to exclude from the backup
+backup_exclude_paths: [] ## Nothing to exclude
+
+## Restic retention policy
+backup_retention_daily: 7
+backup_retention_weekly: 4
+backup_retention_monthly: 6
diff --git a/roles/backup/tasks/main.yml b/roles/backup/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..22f4bc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/backup/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+---
+- name: Install restic
+  ansible.builtin.apt:
+    name: restic
+    state: present
+
+- name: Initialize restic repository
+  environment:
+    RESTIC_REPOSITORY: "{{ vault_restic_repo_url }}"
+    RESTIC_PASSWORD: "{{ vault_restic_password }}"
+    AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID: "{{ vault_aws_access_key }}"
+    AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY: "{{ vault_aws_secret_key }}"
+  block:
+    - name: Check if already initialized
+      ansible.builtin.command: restic snapshots
+      register: restic_check
+      failed_when: false
+      changed_when: false
+
+    - name: Initialize repository
+      ansible.builtin.command: restic init
+      when: restic_check.rc != 0
+
+- name: Deploy restic environment file
+  ansible.builtin.template:
+    src: restic-backup.env.j2
+    dest: /etc/restic-backup.env
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: "0600" ## only root can read this file
+
+- name: Deploy restic backup script
+  ansible.builtin.template:
+    src: restic-backup.sh.j2
+    dest: /usr/local/bin/restic-backup.sh
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: "0700" ## only root can execute the script
+
+- name: Deploy restic systemd service
+  ansible.builtin.template:
+    src: restic-backup.service.j2
+    dest: /etc/systemd/system/restic-backup.service
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: "0644"
+
+- name: Deploy restic systemd timer
+  ansible.builtin.template:
+    src: restic-backup.timer.j2
+    dest: /etc/systemd/system/restic-backup.timer
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: "0644"
+
+- name: Enable and start backup timer
+  ansible.builtin.systemd:
+    name: restic-backup.timer
+    enabled: yes
+    state: started
+    daemon_reload: yes
diff --git a/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.env.j2 b/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.env.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d1b6db1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.env.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# Ansible managed
+RESTIC_REPOSITORY="{{ vault_restic_repo_url }}"
+RESTIC_PASSWORD="{{ vault_restic_password }}"
+AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID="{{ vault_aws_access_key }}"
+AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY="{{ vault_aws_secret_key }}"
diff --git a/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.service.j2 b/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.service.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..027d216
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.service.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Run Restic Backup
+After=network-online.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+EnvironmentFile=/etc/restic-backup.env
+ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/restic-backup.sh
diff --git a/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.sh.j2 b/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.sh.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..77b76d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.sh.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+## Ansible managed
+
+set -e
+
+# Source environment variables if running manually/outside Systemd
+if [ -f /etc/restic-backup.env ]; then
+  # shellcheck source=/dev/null
+  . /etc/restic-backup.env
+fi
+
+echo "Starting Restic Backup at $(date)"
+
+## Run the backup using paths and exclusions defined as group_vars
+restic backup \
+{% for path in backup_include_paths %}
+  "{{ path }}" \
+{% endfor %}
+{% for path in backup_exclude_paths %}
+  --exclude "{{ path }}" \
+{% endfor %}
+  --cleanup-cache
+
+restic forget \
+  --prune \
+  --keep-daily {{ backup_retention_daily }} \
+  --keep-weekly {{ backup_retention_weekly }} \
+  --keep-monthly {{ backup_retention_monthly }}
+
+echo "Restic backup completed at $(date)"
diff --git a/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.timer.j2 b/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.timer.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e68ad85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/backup/templates/restic-backup.timer.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Run Restic Backup
+
+[Timer]
+OnCalendar=*-*-* 04:00:00
+Persistent=true
+RandomizedDelaySec=1800
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=timers.target