Few words evoked as much emotion in ancient Rome as vae victis or “woe to the vanquished.” They harkened back to a period when a Gallic tribe called the Senones had sacked the fledgling city of Rome. These two Latin words were reminders of this catastrophic failure and humiliation, but also Rome’s ultimate triumph over the barbarians, thanks to their hero: Marcus Furius Camillus who became known as Rome’s second founder. While Camillus has historically received much of the credit for saving Rome, there is ample debate over what role he played and the details surrounding Rome’s sacking.
The Barbarians Before Rome, by Evariste-Vital Luminous. (Public domain)
The Prelude to the Sacking of Rome by the Gauls
The canonical legend—found in Plutarch, Livy and elsewhere—begins with the Gauls’ migration into the Italian peninsula where they quickly fell in love with the moderate weather, bountiful countryside and delicious wine. However, their arrival naturally didn’t please many of the locals, and in time, the Senones began waging war against the Etruscan people of Clusium, modern day Chiusi. Staring down an ominous barbarian threat that could lead to their demise, the Clusians turned to the Roman Republic for help.
The Romans and the Clusians weren’t allies, nor enemies, but the Romans felt it prudent to at least investigate the situation. So, Rome forwarded emissaries to learn more about the Senones and possibly broker a peace deal between the warring parties. Within the Roman…
