The Roman army of about 40 thousand legionaries on 18 July 390 (or 387) BC on the river Alley twenty kilometers from Rome was destroyed by the Celts (Gauls). This day went down in Roman history as a “dies ater” (black day) and was in the eyes of future generations a serious injury. While this is the first date in Roman history, which to some extent confirmed.
The Roman generals ordered the attack is not erecting a permanent camp and asked the gods for advice or omens. Proven in battle, the Celts under the leadership of Brenna attacked which consisted mainly of young soldiers the right wing of the Romans and largely destroyed it. Only a few legionaries managed to escape.
The Celts without delay unfortified win Rome, which was supposed to remain only for older members of the Senate. All of it was destroyed. Most of the population hid on Capitol hill. The night RAID of the Gauls prevented his cry of geese, which made them sacred birds of the goddess Juno.
After months of fighting izgledala the Romans were forced to give up for a large ransom of 1000 pounds. When weighing gold, a dispute arose, then, the stories, Brenna threw his sword into the scales with the famous cynical phrase: “Vae victis” (Woe to the vanquished).
The version that was written by ancient historians in a few centuries, if one deblocking army under the leadership of the Romans eventually drove the Gauls, considered a legend. She had to convince that Rome never had to pay a ransom.
It is true that the Roman Republic was restored to its ruling position in Central Asia. In this regard, the German expert on ancient history Michael Sommer (Michael Sommer) is the thesis that the Celts were in the service of the Greek tyrant Dionysius of Syracuse, who waged war with the city of Caere, and ally of Rome.
The Romans have learned from this defeat, strengthening the city wall and after the military reform. A stationary phalanx on the Greek model was gradually replaced by a flexible construction of their three parts, so that the rear ranks could fight. Also the sword was replaced with spear, he became the weapons of choice.
However, the most important result of the assault of the Celts was of mental nature. “Woe to the vanquished” was a phrase that was “intolerable for a Roman ear,” writes a new era historian Livy. Fear, what ever it may be repeated, was the injury which for a long time shaped the political culture. Meritocracy Roman elite focused on what achievements for the benefit of society was measured by the number of victories of one or another aristocrat.
Only 800 years later after the defeat in Alley in 410 BC someone else’s army came again as the winner in Rome. It was the Western Goths.
