Background
Prior to the battle, the Senones, a single tribe of Gaul, traversed the Appennines searching for new land to settle. They eventually camped outside the town of Clusium (in the Etruscan province of Siena) and began negotiations for land rights. The Clusians felt threatened by the Senones, and they called for help from Rome, who had recently exerted military influence over Etruria. Rome, weakened by recent wars, sent a delegation of three ambassadors, the Fabii brothers, to negotiate the situation.
When negotiations broke down, the Clusians sent an army to force the Senones off the land. At this point, the Roman historian Livy stated that the Roman ambassadors "broke the law of nations" (that is, broke their oath of neutrality as ambassadors) "and took up arms" against the Senones. In the resulting action, Quintus Fabius, an ambassador and a member of a powerful patrician family, killed one of the Gallic leaders (a chieftain). When the Senones realized that the sacred trust of the ambassador was broken, they withdrew from battle to discuss the issue.
The Senones sent their own ambassadors to Rome, demanding the Fabians be handed over to them for justice. Many Romans (especially priests) were sympathetic, and agreed that it was a breach of the law of nations. However, the Roman masses mocked the priests, and as Livy writes, "those who ought to have been punished were instead appointed for the coming year military tribunes with consular powers (the highest that could be granted).... The Celtic (Gallic) envoys were naturally - and rightly - indignant!" The enraged Senones promised war against the Romans to avenge the insult that they had been dealt.
The Senones marched 130 km from Clusium to Rome to take revenge. Livy describes their journey:
"Contrary to all expectation the Celts (Gauls) did them no harm, nor took aught from their fields, but even as they passed close by their cities, shouted out that they were marching on Rome and had declared war only on the Romans, but the rest of the people they regarded as friends."
Thus, the Senones came to engage the Roman army about 18 km north of the city, at the Battle of the Allia.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of The Allia
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