In 404 B.C.E., a Celtic tribe called the Senones (the word meant “the ancient ones”) crossed the Alps and settled in northern Italy. They gradually conquered southward until they controlled the Po River Valley. They then came into conflict with the Etruscans. This benefited Rome because it distracted the Etruscans and weakened their power. After the good came the bad because in the 390’s the Senones (who the Romans called “Gauls”) turned their greedy eyes on Rome. The Romans described them as the most violent and scary of the Gauls. That is saying a lot. It was believed that they hung the heads of vanquished foes on their horses. Then they nailed the trophies to a wall in their homes. In 393, a noble in the Etruscan city of Clusium invited the Senones in after King Lucumo’s son raped his wife. In a fanciful version of the story, King Lucumo had left his young son to be raised by Aruns after he died. The son fell in love with Aruns’ wife and when he was old enough, he seduced her. Aruns took his revenge in a rather overblown way. He went north to sell some of the city’s bounty – wine, olive, and figs. These items whetted the appetite and thirst of the Gauls and when they asked where they came from, Aruns told them of his fertile land just waiting to be conquered since his people were not much for fighting. With the Gauls intent on taking up the offer, Clusium begged the Romans to get involved. Rome sent the Fabii (sons of one of the most powerful families in Rome) to negotiate with the Senones. According to Livy, when the Fabii asked what gave the Senones the right to invade Roman territory, they responded that “they carried their right in their weapons.” [Livy] During the meeting between the envoys, a fight broke out and one of the Romans killed one of the Gauls. This was a casus belli for the Gauls. However, cooler heads prevailed among the Senones and an embassy was sent to Rome to demand the Fabii be turned over. As you might guess, the powerful Fabii family was against this and most of the Roman people backed them. When the Senone delegation found out that not only were the Fabii “murderers” off limits, but they had been promoted to military tribunes with consular power, that was the last straw. They determined to march on Rome to demand satisfaction.
In 390 B.C.E., a Senone army led by Brennus approached Rome. Upon seeing the storm coming, the Romans quickly gathered an army and marched to meet them. The battle took place near the river Allia about 10 miles north of Rome. 35,000 Roman troops faced 40,000 Gauls. Only 11,000 of the Roman legionaries were trained soldiers. The Romans had not gotten around to constructing a fortified camp before the Gauls came on them like a torrent. The army was hastily assembled in a long line. There was no time to divine the wishes of the gods, which was very bad for Roman morale. Normally, the Romans would have been in a phalanx, but they did not have the time to organize one. The Romans were armed like Greek hoplites. Most had armored breastplates and greaves. They held a round shield and wielded a thrusting spear. Normally, it would be the enemy that would quake in fear, but not this time. The Gauls fought as light infantry. Few had armor. In fact, most were bare-chested and some were nude. They carried a variety of shields and an assortment of weapons like swords, axes, spears, javelins, and slings.
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