Brennus (4th century BC)

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A sculpture, depicting this Brennus that adorned an 18th or 19th century French naval vessel

See also: Brennus (3rd century BC) and Brennus

Brennus is the god to whom the Celts attributed their victory, in the Battle of the Allia, in their attack on Rome. Under a Chieftain named Ambicatus, the Roman army was annihilated on July 18, 390.

The Senones captured the entire city of Rome except for the Capitoline Hill, which was successfully held against them. However, seeing their city devastated, the Romans attempted to buy their salvation from Brennus. The Romans agreed to pay one thousand pounds weight of gold. According to legend, during a dispute over the accuracy of the weights used to measure the ransom of gold Brennus demanded, he threw his sword upon the scales and uttered the famous quote "Vae victis", which translates to "woe to the vanquished".

The argument over the weights had delayed Brennus, so that the exiled dictator Marcus Furius Camillus appeared with an army and refused to allow him to take the gold. In an initial battle through Rome's streets, the Gauls were ejected from the city and in a second battle away from the city, Camillus defeated the invaders, earning the title of the 'Second Founder of Rome' and 'Pater Patriae' for saving the city.

Some historical accounts say that Senones besieging the Capitoline Hill were afflicted with an illness and thus were in a weakened state they took the ransom for Rome. This is plausible as dysentery and other santitation issues have incapacitated/killed large numbers of combat soldiers up until and including modern times.

It has been theorized that Brennus was working in concert with Dionysius of Syracuse, who sought to control all of Sicily. Rome had strong allegencies with Messana, a small city state in north west Sicily, which Dionysius wanted to control. With Rome's army pinned down by Brennus' efforts Dionysius led a campaign which ultimately failed. Brennus may have been paid twice to sack Rome.

It has been theorized that Brennus is actually a title rather than a name.