The mighty Cimbri although victorious over Rome, still did not have the land they so desperately craved. Yet, in spite of this they make a most puzzling decision, and it would not be their last on their famous journey.
After their victory at Noricum, Rome was left with little defence, despite this the Cimbri and their allies decided not to march upon it. No one knows why they would seemingly ignore their greatest opportunity for land and instead turn west into Gaul, but they did. It is possible that the Cimbri were unaware of their tactical advantage, and having heard stories of Rome’s might decided to gather some allies in their noble quest land.
The Cimbri seemingly disappear from Rome’s sights for 3 years. They re appear in the Roman Province of Gallia Narbonensis, with friends. On their travels west through the Alps, they had picked up some more allies, the most notable were the Tigurini, A powerful Celtic Tribe residing in modern day Switzerland. They almost certainly, by their sheer audacity attracted many a hero and champion looking for fame and glory. This would of swelled their numbers, and is probably why the later writings comment on their almost impossible size.
Here The Cimbri once again meet a Roman Consul, Marcus Junius Silanus. Having already showed Rome their ferocity, and keeping true to their ultimate goal of land, they offer Rome a deal. One that all things considered would be hard to refuse. Lucius Florus, states that the Cimbri sent envoy to Rome,
“-and sent envoy to the camp of Silanus and thence to the senate asking that “the people of Mars should give them some land by way of pay and use their hands and weapons for any purpose it wished.”
Land was a sore issue in Rome, many attempts of land reforms had been met in murder and treachery. Given the political climate, Silanus and the Roman Senate decided to refuse the request…….
Then as Florus puts it,
“Thus repulsed they began to seek by force of arms what they had failed to obtain by entreaties”
No one is sure what occurred next or the size of the Roman force. All we know is Silanus as consul was charged with dealing with the Cimbri, and after refusing their offer his army was routed from the field. Silanus himself did manage to survive the encounter, but was later put on trial for his military failures.
Sometime in the same year of 107BC the Cimbrian Allies the Tigurini made an assault on the Roman allies the Allobroges somewhere around modern day Bordeaux. This again drew Roman attention sending the Consul Lucius Cassius Longinus. This again though, would again cost rome heavily.
The Tigurini Ambushed the Roman forces on route, killing Lucius, and much of his army. A plea was made by a Roman general for the lives of the remaining Soldiers. The Tigurini impressed by the resilience shown by the Roman troop, granted them their lives and freedom and were allowed to leave the field unharmed so long as they showed respect by passing “under the joke”. This was an act of submission by which the Roman soldiers would pass under a “yoke” of spears, so their lives may be spared.
As news of Romes defeats began to spread, Romes apparent invincibility was being questioned. Several conquered Gaulish tribes began to openly revolt. Running our of ideas, the Roman senate for fear of further humiliation, decided brute force was the only answer.
The senate began to call upon everything it had. Quintus Servilius Caepio, a former consul, and experienced general was first to be dispatched. His first mission was to re conquer the city of Toulouse that had been in open rebellion since the defeat of Longinus. Caepio along with his 40 thousand troops retook the city, and with it a semi mythical treasure known as “aurum Tolosanum”. This treasure believed to be the very same that had been stolen from the temple of Delphi by a former Cimbrian alliance and consisting of a 100 tonnes of each, Gold and silver was said to be cursed. Only the silver ever made it back to Rome, with many accusing Caepio of the golds disappearance.
Whatever happened to the Gold, it was the least of Romes worries, the Cimbrian confederation was still at large, and if previous defeats were anything to go by, Caepio’s forces would not be enough. A second army led by the inexperienced general and Consul Gnaeus Mallius Maximus was also sent north.
Maximus immediately sent word to Caepio that they should join forces, and repel the Cimbri together, but a Roman writer Tells us,
“The consul Mallius was alarmed by this victory of the Cimbri, and sent a letter begging Caepio to join forces with him and confront the Gauls with a large combined army; but Caepio refused”
Caepio’s family line could be traced to the founding of Rome, so if his refusal was down to Mallius being “Novus Homo” That is, the first of his line to be consul or that the cursed gold was preoccupying Capeio’s mind we are unsure. This decision though would prove fateful, and maybe even validate the myth of the “cursed Gold”.
Even when the senate demanded Caepio to join forces with Mallius, he still stubbornly refused. With no other option, Mallius set up camp on the opposite side of the river, but with little communication this meant that although the two armies were close in proximity, they were far from a unified force.
As before the Cimbri send Envoy to the Roman camps, Granius records,
“The Cimbri sent envoys to arrange a peace and to ask for land and for corn to sow”
And as before Rome dismissed their pleas, in such a manner that would only infuriate Boirix and his men. From the events that follow, it appears Cimbrian patience was exhausted, no matter their victories still the Romans refused them land.
The first contact was made between two advance parties, high ranking general Marcus Aurelius Scaurus, had been charged with constructing a cavalry camp but Before the camp was finished, the Cimbrian advance parties were upon it. With little time to prepare the camp was destroyed and Scaurus captured and ceremonially killed.
Caepio, seemingly wanting done with this expedition made little haste in an attempt to avenge this attack, and ordered his forces to advance upon the Cimbri. His impatience together with his arrogance, would prove fatal. His unexpected advance caught Mallius unprepared and unable to offer support. Capeio’s army was annihilated, not only that but the Cimbri angered by Roman arrogance fell upon its camp like fire and killed all in their path.
The Cimbri did not stop at one army and becoming aware of a second so close made hasty advance. Unable to retreat because of the River, Mallius’s forces were destroyed, along with his two sons.
Again, as seems common with Roman consuls, although their armies were destroyed to almost the man, both generals escape unharmed. Both were put on trial for their crimes of failure, and both were found guilty and “denied water or fire”, that is stripped of citizenship fined and exiled from Rome, never to return.
The battle of Arausio is arguably the heaviest ever Roman defeat. Estimated troop counts for the Romans are around 120 thousand, with 80,000 Romans and 40,000 allies. How many exactly perished is debated, but anywhere from 70,000 to 120,000 souls have been speculated. It was not just the numbers that make this Roman defeat so devastating, but like previous encounters, the ease at which it was achieved.
Five consuls had now attempted to stop the Cimbri and all of them failed. With each loss tens of thousands of Romes citizens had been killed. Despite Romes size, a nation can only take so many losses, before its human resources are depleted. After the battle of Noriea Rome was left at tactical disadvantage, after the battle of Arausio, they were left with almost nothing.
The panic that had began several years earlier, turned into complete hysteria. With a handful of troops and complete chaos within the capitol, the senate knew, if the Cimbrian alliance marched on Rome now, the best they could do would be to plead mercy and hand them the city.