"Vae victis"
Rome's rise to power and greatness had more than a few missteps. Nearly two centuries before Hannibal Barca's epic victory at Cannae, the Roman Army suffered a shocking defeat at the Allia that had monumental consequences. And, like the Seattle Seahawks' horrific decision to throw a quick slant from the 1 yard line on 2nd and Goal with 0:28 left in Super Bowl XLIX, it was entirely the Romans' own fault:
Leading up to the conflict, a wandering Gallic tribe, the Senones, who may have been mercenaries, sought to settle near the Etruscan city of Clusium, understandably alarming the locals. Lacking any major allies, the Clusians turned to Rome for help and the Romans, eager to expand their sphere of influence, sent a delegation of three ambassadors, the Fabii brothers, to negotiate a peaceful solution.
However, the brothers ended up instead enflaming the situation when, after negotiations broke down, they took up arms and killed one of the Gaulish leaders!
Then, after the Senones sent ambassadors to express their outrage, the Romans went all in and, in the words of Livy, "those who ought to have been punished were instead appointed for the coming year military tribunes with consular powers (the highest that could be granted).... The Celtic (Gallic) envoys were naturally - and rightly - indignant!"
Consequently, the Senones decided to march on Rome to express their frustration in a more direct (and pointy) way. To try to prevent this, the Roman Army intercepted them at the Allia, a brook about 18 kilometers north of the city that feeds into the Tiber river. The Romans' plan to avoid being outflanked, by committing their reserves to extend their line from the Tiber to a hill, spectacularly backfired when Brennus, commander of the Senones, assaulted and seized the hill.
Next, the Gauls successfully double enveloped the Roman Army, shattering the latter's flanks, consisting of the lower-class citizens armed as skirmishers and light infantry. Then the richer Roman citizens in the center, arrayed as Greek-style hoplites in phalanx, were encircled and slaughtered.
Thereafter, the Senones captured and sacked Rome, holding the city for months and extorting an indemnity of 1000 pounds of gold. In the meantime, Marcus Furius Camillus, recalled from exile and appointed dictator, managed to reconstitute the Roman Army and drive off the Gauls.
Of course, that was cold comfort for the devastation and humiliation wreaked by a single Gallic tribe on (supposedly) mighty Rome. The Romans spent the next century rebuilding their city and power in central Italy and the Day of the Allia (July 18) was considered unlucky for hundreds of years.
Like the old proverb says, "As you sow, so shall you reap."
Leading up to the conflict, a wandering Gallic tribe, the Senones, who may have been mercenaries, sought to settle near the Etruscan city of Clusium, understandably alarming the locals. Lacking any major allies, the Clusians turned to Rome for help and the Romans, eager to expand their sphere of influence, sent a delegation of three ambassadors, the Fabii brothers, to negotiate a peaceful solution.
However, the brothers ended up instead enflaming the situation when, after negotiations broke down, they took up arms and killed one of the Gaulish leaders!
Then, after the Senones sent ambassadors to express their outrage, the Romans went all in and, in the words of Livy, "those who ought to have been punished were instead appointed for the coming year military tribunes with consular powers (the highest that could be granted).... The Celtic (Gallic) envoys were naturally - and rightly - indignant!"
Consequently, the Senones decided to march on Rome to express their frustration in a more direct (and pointy) way. To try to prevent this, the Roman Army intercepted them at the Allia, a brook about 18 kilometers north of the city that feeds into the Tiber river. The Romans' plan to avoid being outflanked, by committing their reserves to extend their line from the Tiber to a hill, spectacularly backfired when Brennus, commander of the Senones, assaulted and seized the hill.
Next, the Gauls successfully double enveloped the Roman Army, shattering the latter's flanks, consisting of the lower-class citizens armed as skirmishers and light infantry. Then the richer Roman citizens in the center, arrayed as Greek-style hoplites in phalanx, were encircled and slaughtered.
Thereafter, the Senones captured and sacked Rome, holding the city for months and extorting an indemnity of 1000 pounds of gold. In the meantime, Marcus Furius Camillus, recalled from exile and appointed dictator, managed to reconstitute the Roman Army and drive off the Gauls.
Of course, that was cold comfort for the devastation and humiliation wreaked by a single Gallic tribe on (supposedly) mighty Rome. The Romans spent the next century rebuilding their city and power in central Italy and the Day of the Allia (July 18) was considered unlucky for hundreds of years.
Like the old proverb says, "As you sow, so shall you reap."
Warfare is a fascinating subject. Despite the dubious morality of using violence to achieve personal or political aims. It remains that conflict has been used to do just that throughout recorded history.
ReplyDeleteYour article is very well done, a good read.