The Sack Of Rome (387 BC) - When a Gallic Tribe Almost Destroyed Rome! ♠

Rome wasn't built in a day. It took Rome nearly 800 years to become the most powerful city in the world. At its height, its territories ranged from the westernmost tip of Portugal all the way to the Persian Gulf. It governed about 21% of the world's population within a territory spanning 5 million square kilometers. However, Rome might have very well ceased to exist early in its history, for not all of its stories are of conquest and victory. Some are of tragedy and peril. One such story happened in 387 BC, the first and only sack of Rome until the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 410 AD. There are multiple sources that tell us the tale of the Livy, Plutarch, Polybius, Tacitus, Diodorus Siculus and others. Their accounts vary somewhat despite having much in common. Some even say it happened in 390 BC, but if we take what is thought today to be the true history of this event and merge it, it would go something like this. Our story begins in 387 BC in the town of Colusium, modern day Chiusi, in Tuscany. A quarrel between two Etruscan nobles from that city was escalating. Aruns was furious that Lucomo had stolen his wife, so he called the Senones. The Senones were a Celtic tribe that had migrated into northern Italy just decades earlier. They regularly offered their services as mercenaries to many Italian city-states, having recently been called by Syracuse to fight in their wars. The Senone chieftain, Brennus, accepted Arun's call and showed up at Colusium with around 10 to 12 thousand Celtic warriors, the citizens of Colusium fearing a sack sent towards to Rome, asking if they could mediate a treaty. Rome had been expanding with its recent conquest of the city of Veii, and this could be a good opportunity to project its power, so they sent three brothers of the Pontifex Maximus. The brothers told the Senones that if they'd attack, the Romans would help defend the city. The Gauls said they'd leave if Colusium would give them some land. The dispute soon turned into a brawl, and two of the Roman brothers killed two Gallic chieftains. Soon, ambassadors from the Senones arrived at Rome demanding for their brothers, but their family was powerful and the Senate dared not hand them over. Instead, the brothers were elected military tribunes for the coming year. The Gauls were furious and ordered a swift march on Rome. And the Romans! The Romans were thunderstruck by the swiftness at which the Senones moved. All they could do was muster a force of about 10 thousand men and met the 18 kilometers or 11 miles up the river Tiber, close to where it meets the river Alia. The engagement came to be called the Battle of the Alia. The Romans placed most of their army on the plain by the river, placing a contingent of men on a hill to their right wing. Their lines were stretched to match the Senones, making them vulnerable. The Senones lined up on the field, but fearing a rear attack from the hill, they simply attacked the Romans there with a sizable force. Their attack held such high fury that the Romans on the hill soon routed. The men on the left flank, seeing their countrymen defeated, panicked. They simply put down their weapons and fled. The Senones then charged the whole Roman force in what proved to be an easy and swift victory. Most of the Romans fled to Veii, those that weren't cut down or drowned in the river, and only a handful made it to Rome. On the same day, before sunset, the Senones arrived at the gates of Rome. The city gates were wide open, the walls were unmanned. It seemed like a ruse, a classic empty fort strategy. The city of Rome was shocked at its army's annihilation as they did not know that a large part of the army managed to escape into Veii. But on the other side, the men that fled to Veii thought the city of Rome to be lost to the Gauls. Realizing the city was defenseless, the Romans sent the men of military age, the able-bodied Senators and their families to the Capitoline Hill with weapons and provisions to defend the fortress. The situation was so dire that the elderly were left behind in the city and former consuls stayed with them to reconcile them with their fate. Many people simply fled the city and dispersed into the countryside. Seeing an empty Rome, the Senones feared a trap, so they didn't attack immediately. The next day, the Senones carefully entered the city through the colon gates and made their way into the Forum. Realizing that the Romans had barricaded themselves in the Capitoline Hill, the Senones left a small body to guard there against an attack and started to sack the city of Rome. Everyone who was left behind was killed and from the Capitoline Hill, one could hear the screams of those unfortunate enough to remain in the city. Fires spread across the city and as time passed on, the bodies piled on the streets. But those on the hill did not falter and held their ground. With no surrender in sight, the Senones attacked the Capitoline Hill, but despite their aggressive efforts, the Romans repelled the Senones halfway up the hill. Instead of a direct assault, the Gauls laid siege to the Capitoline, holding the siege for a whopping seven months. The story has it that during the siege, the Gauls sent foraging parties out for food. One such party made its way to Ardea, where Marcus Furius Camillus, an exiled Roman military commander, lived. He mustered some men and killed the Gauls. In Rome, the siege continued. However, it is said that the Fabii clan still held their annual sacrifice on the Quirinal Hill, passing through the Senones sentries on their way out and into the Capitoline. Livy comments this, either the Gauls were stupefied at this extraordinary boldness or else they were restrained by religious feelings, for as a nation, they are by no means inattentive to the claims of religion. The survivors of the Battle of Alia had begun to regroup and the small force was gaining traction, attracting men from many different towns and villages. The leader of these men, a centurion named Caericius, wanted Camillus to lead the newly formed army, but that required the Senate's authorization. They sent a soldier to Rome as a messenger. He went down the river Tiber on a cork float and reached Rome. The Capitoline was left undefended from one of the sides with the precipitous rock. The soldier scaled this tall rock and made it up the hill. The Senate decreed that the banishment of Camillus was to be annulled and he would be appointed the dictator of Rome. The Senones found the footprints of the Roman soldier and one night they themselves scaled the hill, but were betrayed by the geese sacred to the goddess Juno who sounded the alarm. The Romans easily defended the hill as the Gauls weren't armed while scaling and the attack failed once again. Close to the seven-month mark, famine ravaged both camps and disease was rampant among the Senones. Camillus was nowhere to be seen and the desperate soldiers on both sides called for an agreement. Brennus and Quintus Sumpicius held talks. The arrangement was that the Gauls would retreat for a thousand pounds of gold, but they cheated by using heavier weights. When the Romans protested, Brennus said, Wae victis, translating to, Woe to the vanquished. The deal seemed to have been sealed, but before the weighting of the gold had been completed, Camillus reached Rome and ordered the gold not to be taken away. The Gauls said that an agreement had been made, but Camillus said that since it had been struck by an official of lesser status than he was, it was invalid. Camillus then offered battle and the Senones were easily defeated. They were defeated again 13 kilometers or 8 miles east of Rome. Livy wrote that the slaughter was total. Their camp was captured and not even the messengers survived to report the disaster. The sucking of Rome of 387 BC could have very well ended the aspirations of Rome to be hegemon of Italy. Since the events that happened in 387 BC, the Romans both feared and hated the Gauls. This would lead to their willingness to conquer northern Italy and start defensive conquest wars against other barbarian tribes. The accounts I told you here are heavily based on Livy's account, but there are others that differ slightly and I'd suggest exploring this issue further if you're interested in the early Roman Republic. With that said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter for Roman History. If you did, make sure to check the videos on your screen right now. I've been Wolf, stay wonderful, and I'll see you all on the next one.