In our previous documentaries, we covered the wars between the Romans and the Germanic
tribes, but centuries before the first contact between these two cultures happened, the Romans
fought against the Gauls in many bloody conflicts. This is the story of the first sacking of
Rome, of it, is the second foundation, of the king of the Senones Brennus and the second
founder of Rome Marcus Furius Camillus.
We know very little about the original homeland of the Gauls, but historians agree that it
was to the north and East of the Alpes, between modern Southern France and Danube basin . By
the end of the 7th century BC, the Gauls overpopulated the area and started to look for new lands.
We know that the Gauls traded with the Greeks and Etruscans, and some ancient sources suggest
that wine they acquired from the latter convinced them that Italy is the most prosperous of
lands. Around 600 BC the legendary Gallic king Bellovesus led a number of tribes across
the Alpes. They defeated the local Etruscans and founded a few cities, among them Mediolanum
– the modern Milan. Over the next two centuries, the Gallic tribes moved towards central Italy,
and that put them on the collision course with the burgeoning Rome.
Meanwhile, the Romans led by Brutus overthrew their last king in 509 BC. Almost immediately
the new Republic entered a period called the Struggle of the Orders during which the Plebeians
struggled against the Patricians to get political equality, and this internal strife continued
for more than 200 years. By the end of the 5th century, BC Plebeians managed to temporarily
stop the election of the consuls, who were replaced by the so-called Consular tribunes.
This new office had powers similar to that of consuls, but the Plebeians were allowed
to hold it, and the number of tribunes often ranged between 2 and 8. The Romans also started
a practice of appointing the dictators during the times of crisis, and these military leaders
held the full authority of the state for a period of 6 months. The Roman army was also
entirely different, as the legions fought in a hoplite phalanx.
Despite internal conflicts, Rome won a slew of wars against its neighbors securing territory
around the city. In 406 BC Rome declared war on its rival the Etruscan city Veii. The Romans
were unsuccessful in the early years of war, but that changed when the talented commander
Marcus Furius Camillus was appointed consular tribune in 401. Camillus quickly captured
the cities allied to Veii, and that allowed the Romans to besiege the city. The siege
continued for five years, before the exhausted Romans made Camillus dictator in 396. He attacked
the enemy citadel via the sewage system and quickly ended the war.
However, despite being a hero of the war, Camillus wasn’t popular among the populace,
as he blocked the Plebeian attempts to populate Veii and forced the soldiers to give part
of their loot to the gods. The discontent against him only increased when another enemy
city – Falerii was spared, which meant that soldiers would get no loot. Accused of stealing
the plunder, Camillus was stripped of his title and banished. According to the legends,
he stopped at the gates of the city, stretched his hands towards the Capitol and prayed the
gods to punish the Romans in such a fashion, that they would need his services again.
To the north, one of the Gallic tribes – Senones under king Brennus conquered part of the East
coast of Italy by 400 BC. In 391 they besieged Etruscan city called Clusium, which asked
the Romans for assistance. Three ambassadors were sent by the Romans and when they asked
Brennus, why he is besieging Clusium, the king, answered that he attacked the city for
the same reason the Romans are attacking their neighbors. The Romans were probably insulted
by this answer. They slipped back into the city and incited its citizens to sally out
against the Senones. A battle ensued, and the sides were evenly matched. At some point,
one of the Roman ambassadors joined the Clusians. Brennus saw him and was enraged that the ambassador
has broken the ancient diplomatic law. The Gauls immediately lifted the siege of Clusium
and marched towards Rome, sending a letter demanding the Romans to punish the ambassadors,
but the latter refused. The distance between Clusium and Rome is less
than 200 kilometers, so the march probably took the Senones around ten days, which gave
the Romans enough time to gather their forces. However, at that time the Roman army was not
professional, so most of the recruits probably had no training. The numbers of combatants
are still debated, with some sources claiming that each side had around 70 thousand troops.
It is really difficult to imagine that a single tribe and a city-state could have fielded
that many soldiers, so 15 to 20 thousand warriors for each of the army seems reasonable.
Informed of the approaching Gauls, the Romans led by their consular tributes moved out of
the city and crossed the Tiber, forming up in a phalanx at the place called Allia with
their left flank to the river, and their right flank on the hill, probably hoping to use
the high ground to their advantage. However, that meant that their line was overstretched
and their center weak. At the same time the most recent, inexperienced recruits were placed
on the hill. The Gauls positioned their troops opposite to the Romans with their best forces
on the left. They charged across the line throwing their javelins and then closing in.
Some sources claim that their swords had no problem chopping the Roman spears. As soon
as the lines collided, the Roman right was pushed off the hill. Meanwhile, the left was
pinned against the river. As the Roman center was too weak to help either flank and no reserves
were left, the Gauls soon divided the Roman army in two. Soon the Romans were in retreat.
The soldiers on the left side tried to swim across the river and many drowned, while the
rest fled all the way to Veii. Similarly, the right retreated to Rome. At least half
of the Roman army was gone, while Brennus had very few casualties.
The fleeing soldiers caused panic in Rome. Most of the population had left the city,
while the officials and remaining soldiers moved to the Capitol Hill and fortified it.
This victory surprised the Gauls, and they waited for three days, before entering Rome.
A further surprise waited for them, as the city gates were left undefended. Legends claim
that a dozen of Roman aristocrats decided to stay in their seats on the forum and the
sight of them perplexed the Gauls. Still, soon one of them killed a senator, and a bloodbath
ensued. Brennus attempted to take the Capital with an assault, but it failed, so the Gauls
looted and burned the city. As they were now low on provision and needed
it to continue the siege of the Capitol, foraging parties were sent to the countryside. One
of the larger parties passed near the city of Ardea, where Camillus was staying since
his exile. The Roman general used all his talents to persuade the Ardeans to attack
the Gauls. At night, his new small army surrounded the foraging party. They started shouting
and blasting trumpets, which disoriented the enemy. Camillus ordered immediate attack:
very few Gauls managed to put up any resistance and even fewer fled.
The rumor of this engagement reached Veii, where a portion of the Roman troops was. They
immediately asked Camillus to assume the command of them. The latter refused, saying that those
on Capitol should elect him first. It is noted that one young man among the Romans managed
to take a letter to the Capitol, avoiding the Gaulish patrols. What was left of the
Roman senate quickly convened and appointed Camillus to the dictatorship. On receiving
this news, Camillus traveled to Veii alongside Ardeans and other allies.
Unfortunately for the Romans, the Gauls chanced upon the tracks left by the messenger. A large
group of them climbed the cliff and ended up on the ramparts. The legends claim that
the sentry here was complacent and was asleep and that the Romans were saved by the sacred
geese belonging to the temple of Juno, as the animals managed to wake up the defenders
with their cries and that allowed the Romans to repel the attackers.
The situation became less favorable for the Gauls. The siege continued for seven months,
so they were suffering from sickness and, as Camillus was hunting their foraging parties,
their provisions were low. But, the defenders of Capitol were also starving, so the sides
agreed to negotiate. The Romans promised to pay 500 kilograms of gold. However the Gauls
tampered with the scales. When the Roman tribune demanded an explanation, Brennus added his
sword to the scales, laughed and famously said “Vae victis – woe to the vanquished.”
The Roman delegation was now not sure if they want to accept the new terms. But as this
was going on Camillus led his army into the city and approached the negotiators. He ordered
the Romans to take the gold back and the Gauls to leave, saying that the Roman custom is
to protect the city with iron, and not gold. Brennus was enraged, but Camillus countered
with claims that as a dictator, he was the only one allowed to negotiate. A skirmish
erupted between the sides, but eventually, Brennus ordered his army to leave the city,
camping 10 kilometers away from it. Once again, the details are obscure, but the
Romans attacked and defeated the Gauls on the next day. It is said that Brennus was
killed during this battle. Meanwhile, Camillus was declared the second founder of Rome and
continued his career, fighting more wars, eventually contributing to the early reorganization
of the legions. The Romans continued fighting the Gauls, as
the latter supported Hannibal and other Roman enemies. Senones would only be subdued by
283 BC. Eventually, Caesar would conquer Gaul, ending the Gallic threat forever. Meanwhile,
the sacking forced the Romans to build the walls, and for the next 800 years, the city
would not be sacked.
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