In the year 390 BC, a Gallic tribe known as the Senones moved into northern Italy. Their leader was Brennus, a chieftain who had already led his people across the Alps. They settled near what is now Rimini on the Adriatic Coast. The story of their invasion began in the Etruscan town of Clusium. An influential young man named Aruns asked them to intervene in a local dispute. He wanted revenge against Lucumo because Lucumo's son had seduced Aruns' wife. When the Senones appeared at Clusium, the locals felt threatened and asked Rome for help.
Rome sent three ambassadors from the powerful Fabia family. These were the sons of Marcus Fabius Ambustus. They told the Gauls not to attack Clusium or else Rome would fight. The Roman envoys then tried to negotiate peace. The Senones agreed to peace if the Clusians gave them land. A quarrel broke out during these talks. One of the Roman ambassadors killed a Senone chieftain. This act violated the ancient rule that ambassadors must remain neutral. The brothers took sides in the conflict and one of them killed another Senone leader. The Gauls withdrew to discuss their next move.
The Battle Of Allia
The battle took place at the confluence of the Tiber River and the Allia brook. It was located 11 Roman miles north of Rome. Ancient sources give conflicting numbers for the forces involved. Livy wrote that no special measures were taken in Rome before the army marched out. The levy was no larger than usual for ordinary campaigns. The Gauls moved so quickly that Rome was thunderstruck by their speed. The Romans struggled to get any further than the eleventh milestone on the road.
At the eastern juncture of the rivers, the two armies met. The Romans presumably were outnumbered. They did not set up camp or build a defensive rampart. They failed to divine the gods as they were supposed to do. They extended their wings to avoid being outflanked but this made their line too thin. The center could hardly be kept together. Brennus suspected the reserves on the hill were a ruse. He attacked the hill instead of the plain. The Romans panicked when the attack began. The left wing threw down their arms and fled toward the river bank. Those who could not swim drowned under the weight of their armor. Most survivors reached Veii, an Etruscan city near the other bank.The Sack Of Rome
The Senones entered Rome after sunset on the day following the battle. They found the city gates open and the walls unmanned. This surprised them greatly. They decided to avoid fighting at night in an unknown town. Instead they encamped between Rome and the River Anio. The inhabitants of Rome were in panic. They sent men of military age and able-bodied senators to the Capitoline Hill with weapons and provisions. The Flamen of Quirinus and the Vestal Virgins took sacred objects away from the city. They buried some items under the chapel next to the Flamen's house.
Lucius Albinus saw the priests walking and gave them a lift to Caere. He ordered his wife and children off his wagon so they could use it for the sacred vessels. Those who had been officers of state met their fate wearing ceremonial dresses. They sat on ivory chairs in front of their houses. The next day the Senones passed through the Colline Gate into the Roman Forum. They left a small body to guard against attacks from the Capitoline. Fires did not spread as widely as expected on the first day. Livy speculated that the Gauls wanted only to intimidate the defenders.