Battle of the Allia: Gauls Defeat Rome, Sack the City
The Gauls covered fifteen miles in a single day after their victory—no stopping, no camp, straight to an undefended Rome. At the Allia River, Roman commanders positioned inexperienced reserves on their flank instead of the center. The line broke in minutes. Survivors fled to Veii, abandoning the city entirely. For seven months, Gauls occupied Rome while residents hid on Capitoline Hill. The ransom: 1,000 pounds of gold, weighed on rigged scales. When Romans protested, the Gallic chief Brennus threw his sword onto the scales too. "Vae victis," he said. Woe to the conquered.
July 18, 390 BC
Key Figures & Places
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