Battle of Arretium

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Battle of Arretium

Part of Roman-Gaulish Wars

Date	284 BC
Location	Arretium, Italy
Result	Gallic victory

Combatants

Roman Republic

The Senones

Commanders

Lucius Caecilius Metellus Denter

Britomaris

Strength

5000

8000

Casualties

3500-4000

1200-2000

Roman-Gaulish Wars
Allia River - Arretium – Lake Vadimo – Faesulae – Telamon – Clastidium - Cremona – Mutina

The Battle of Arretium was fought in 284 BC between the Roman Republic and the Gallic tribe known as the Senones. Lucius Caecilius Metellus Denter was the commander of the Roman army. The Gauls won the battle, destroying the Roman force. The city was under Gallic occupation in a short period of time only to be taken back by the SPQR in a retaliation. The Roman army crushed the Gallic army in a matter of hours forcing the Gauls to retreat to the northern area of Italy.

There is some confusion as to the result of the Gallic victory at Arretium. According to Appian, it was in the coming year 283 BC that the Consul Publius Cornelius Dolabella defeated Britomaris in retaliation for this battle:

[From Constantine Porphyrogenitus, The Embassies: §9] [283 VC] The Senones, although they had a treaty with the Romans, nevertheless furnished mercenaries against them, wherefore the Senate sent an embassy to them to remonstrate against this infraction of the treaty. Britomaris, the Gaul, being incensed against them on account of his father, who had been killed by the Romans while fighting on the side of the Etruscans in this very war, slew the ambassadors while they held the caduceus [3] in their hands, and wore the garments of their office. He then cut their bodies in small pieces and scattered them in the fields.

The consul [Publius] Cornelius [Dolabella], learning of this abominable deed while he was on the march, moved with great speed against the towns of the Senones by way of the Sabine country and Picenum, and ravaged them all with fire and sword. He reduced the women and children to slavery, killed all the adult males without exception, devastated the country in every possible way, and made it uninhabitable for anybody else. He carried off Britomaris alone as a prisoner for torture.

A little later the Senones (who were serving as mercenaries), having no longer any homes to return to, fell boldly upon the consul [Cnaeus] Domitius [Calvinus], and being defeated by him killed themselves in despair. Such punishment was meted out to the Senones for their crime against the ambassadors.