User:Fornadan/temp/Gauls

367

Rumours reached Rome of that the Gauls were invading. M. Furius Camillus was nominated Dictator for the fifth time with T. Quinctius Poenus as his Master of the Horse. The Gauls plundered the Alban district, gorging themselves on food and drink and becoming lazy and unfit as a result. In a speech to his men Camillus stressed the superiority of Roman arms, how the terrain favoured the Romans and the uselessness of the barbarians' bravado. In the battle Roman fighting technique proved superior to that of the Gauls. Following the majority of his sources, Livy records that Camillus defeated the Gauls in pitched battle on Alban territory and celebrated his victory with a triumph. He notes however that according to Claudius Quadrigarius, the battle was fought at the Anio, and that it was in this year, rather than 361, that T. Manlius Torquatus killed a Gaul in a famous duel and took his golden torc as spoils. Appian also wrote of how Camillus, in his eightieth year, defeated a second Gaulish invasion and celebrated a triumph.

Camillus had special smooth iron helms and long bronze rimmed shield forged and trained his soldiers in using their javelins like spears. Hearing that the Gauls were encamped on the Anio encumbered with plunder, Camillus concealed the most of his men in a glade. Only a few men were left in the open, these acted like they were seeking refuge in the hills. The Gauls were meanwhile left free to gorge themselves on drink. Then, one dawn Camillus finally led his men out to battle. While the Romans were forming their main battle line, their light troops attacked the Gauls, forcing the Gauls to attack without properly forming themselves up first. In the battle the Romans made use of the special equipment and tactics prepared by Camillus and the Gauls were put to flight with great slaughter.

Before the battle there was a duel between champions. For the Romans fought Titus Manlius, a patrician and military tribune. He defeated the Gaul and took to wearing the Gaul's golden collar which he had stripped off the corpse. Hence he became known as Torquatus. The Roman army then defeated the Gauls in. The Gauls therefore stopped their march on Rome and proceeded to plunder the Alban territory. The Romans permitted them to plunder so they might indulge in food and drink and become easier to attack. The Romans killed a large number of Gauls and captured their camp. Camillus returned to Rome and resigned his dictatorship.

366

The Gauls were rumoured to be wandering through Apulia, having reunited their forces, but nothing was done to prevent any action from being taken by the plebeian consul.

361

T. Quinctius Pennus was nominated dictator with Ser. Cornelius Maluginensis as master of the horse. According to Licinius Macer, the dictator was nominated by the consul Licinius because his colleague, Sulpicius, wanted to preside over the elections himself in hope of being re-elected. Considering however Licinius Macer's attempts at enhancing the history of the Licinii and that the older annalists consulted by Livy made no mention of this story, Livy concluded that most likely the Gaulish war was the cause for nomination of the dictator. The Gauls formed a camp by the Salarian road, three miles from Rome at the bridge across the Anio. The dictator enrolled all men liable for military service and marched out from Rome with an immense army, setting up camp on the southern side of the Anio, neither side having destroyed bridge in order not to appear fearing the other. After frequent skirmishes for the bridge a huge Gaul strode forth and challenged the bravest of the Romans to single combat. Having first asked for and received the Dictator's permission, T. Manlius took up the challenge wearing plain armour, an infantry shield and a Spanish sword. The Gaul was clad in many-coloured coat and painted and gilded armour. In the duel the Roman evaded the Gaul's downward blow and pushed aside his enemy's shield to stab him in the belly. Manlius took no spoil except the Gaul's torc which he placed around his own neck. From this T. Manlius received the name Torquatus. After this the Gauls abandoned their camp and moved to the neighbourhood of Tibur where the Gauls and the Tiburtines formed an alliance. After being resupplied by the Tiburtines the Gauls moved into Campania.

360

The Gauls reappeared from Campania and under Tiburtine leadership the territories of Labici, Tusculum and Alba were raided. The consuls were both in the field, against the Tiburtines and the Hernici. The Romans nominated Q. Servilius Ahala as Dictator. He selected T. Quinctius as Master of the Horse. Servilius vowed to celebrate the Great Games if he was victorious. The Dictator enrolled all the juniors without a single refusal. The battle was fought near the Colline Gate. The Gauls were defeated and fled towards Tibur, but were intercepted by consul C. Poetilius Balbus not far from that town. The Tiburtines sallied to assist their allies, both Tiburtines and Gauls were driven within the gates. The Dictator praised the consuls and laid down his office. Poetilius celebrated a double triumph over the Gauls and the Tiburtines.

358

Rumours of hostilities by the Gauls became more frequent. A new treaty was granted to the Latins on their request. The Latins sent a strong contingent to fight against the Gauls, in accordance with the old treaty which for many years had not been observed. When news reached Rome that the Gauls had reached Praeneste and had settled in the country round Pedium, the Romans nominated C. Sulpicius as Dictator. The consul C. Plautius was summoned home to nominate the Dictator. M. Valerius was appointed Master of the Horse. A new treaty was granted to the Latins on their request. The Latins sent a strong contingent to fight against the Gauls, in accordance with the old treaty which for many years had not been observed. The Dictator led a force of the finest troops selected from the consuls' armies against the Gauls. The Roman soldiers were anxious to fight, but this ran counter to the strategy of the Dictator who wished to weaken the Gauls who were caught in a disadvantageous position without supplies. The Dictator therefore announced he would inflict severe punishment on anyone who fought against orders. This caused further grumbling among the men, eventually taking the form of an Assembly with Sextius Tullius as the spokesman for the army. Tullius was the first centurion of the army for the seventh time and the most distinguished soldier among the infantry. He presented the soldiers' complaint to the Dictator that he would not lead them out to fight against the Gauls. The Dictator undertook to carry out the soldiers' wishes and discussed the matter with Tullius in private. During the conversation, a battle almost started by accident when two Romans captured some cattle from a Gaul, but the centurions stopped the fighting. Accordingly the Dictator issued orders to prepare for battle on the following day. He also came up with a stratagem where he dressed up the army's muleteers as cavalry and ordered them to conceal themselves in the wood overlooking the camp. At daylight the Dictator formed his battle lines. The Gauls, seeing the Romans descending to the plain, rushed out to meet them. The Gauls pressed their attack on the Roman right, but the Dictator rallied his men and the Gauls were driven back, and then routed in a cavalry attack. The Dictator turned his attention to the left and gave the agreed signal to the muleteers, who moved out in direction of the Gauls' camp. Afraid of being cut off, the Gauls fled to their camp only to be met by Marcus Valerius, the Master of the Horse. He forced them towards the woods were many were cut down by the muleteers. C. Sulpicius celebrated a triumph for his victory. He dedicated a large quantity of gold from the spoil and stored away beneath the Capitol

350

An immense army of Gauls encamped in Latium. One of the Roman consuls, L. Cornelius Scipio, was seriously ill, so command against the Gauls was entrusted to the other, M. Popilius Laenas. Popilius ordered all men liable for military service to muster outside the Capene Gate at the temple of Mars, the quastors were ordered to carry the army standards to the same place. After bringing four legions up to full strength, he left the remaining troops to the praetor, P. Valerius Publicola, and advised the senate to raise a second army in case of an emergency. Preparations complete, he marched against the enemy. The consul and the Roman army set up camp on a hill near the Gauls. The impulsive Gauls believed the Romans to be smitten by fear since, they were not coming down to fight, and decided to attack the Romans at once while they were still constructing entrenchments. The triarii formed the Roman work party, guarded by the hastati and the principes who now took up the fight. The pila of the hastati were made more effective by the higher ground and the charge of the Gauls was stopped just short of the hilltop. The Romans then counter-charged and put the Gauls to flight. More Gauls were crushed in the stampede down the hill than by the sword. But the battle was not over as fresh Gauls were brought up and the consul was wounded by a javelin while riding in the front. After the consul had exhorted his troops with a speech the Romans renewed their charge, taking up a wedge formation. The Gauls were routed and fled past their camp to the Alban Citadel, the highest hill they can see. Troubled by his wound and reluctant to fight uphill the consul did not pursue the Gauls beyond the camp. All the spoils in the camp was given to the soldiers and he led his army back to Rome With both consuls disabled, L. Furius Camillus was nominated dictator to hold the elections. Camillus secured his own election as consul with Appius Claudius Crassus as his colleague. Before the new consuls entered office, Popilius celebrated his triumph over the Gauls.

349

The Gauls came down from the Alban hills and plundered across the plains and coastal districts. Greek pirates attacked the cost around Antium and Laurentum, and entered the mouth of the Tiber. At one point the Gauls and Greeks fought each other in a battle ending in a draw and both sides withdrawing. The Latins refused to supply Rome with soldiers. In this emergency, recruiting from both the city and countryside, Rome managed to raise ten legions, each containing 4200 foot and 300 horse. Ap. Claudius then died, leaving Camillus as sole consul in charge of the government. Leaving 2 legions to protect the City, Camillus divided the remaining 8 with the praetor, L. Pinarius. While Pinarius was left to protect the coast against the Greeks, Camillus marched into the Pomptine region where he set up camp, his plan being to defeat the Gauls by stopping the raids they needed to sustain themselves. While the Romans were passing their time in this way, they were approached by a gigantic Gaul in splendid armour challenging them to single combat. The challenge was taken up by Marcus Valerius, a young military tribune, after obtaining permission from the consul. Just as the fight was about to start a raven sat down on the Roman's helm, which Valerius took as a sign from the gods. Each time he and the Gaul clashed, the raven rose and attacked the Gaul in the face and eyes, until terrified and confused the Gaul was killed by Valerius, and the raven soared away. A fight over the body of the fallen Gaul then turned into a battle as Camillus ordered his men into action and the Gauls were routed, fleeing across the Volscian and Falernian districts back to Apulia. The consul presented Valerius with ten oxen and a golden crown for his victory. Camillus then joined forces with the praetor at the coast. Since the Greeks were unwilling to risk battle the war dragged on, and Camillus was forced to appoint T. Manlius Torquatus dictator to conduct the consular elections (in which Marcus Valerius Corvus was elected). In the end, being prevent from landing and supplies becoming short, the Greeks withdrew. No information of where these Greeks came from was available to Livy. In his opinion they were most likely to belong to the tyrants of Sicily.