Battle of Arausio: It is an autumn morning, 105 BC. From his camp positioned near the Rhône river, Roman commander Quintus Servilius Caipio waited in anticipation for the looming battle. An enormous Roman army, numbering over 100,000 including camp followers, faced a tribal force led by the Cimbri king Boiorix and Teuton king Teutobod.
Their warriors presented an overwhelming challenge, numbering over 200,000. As the Romans faced the imminent clash, a discord had already emerged among their ranks. Capio and consul Gnaeus Mallius Maximus, driven by personal ambition, found themselves at odds. Despite Malleus' plea for cooperation, Capio's refusal resulted in disjointed Roman forces. As time progressed, more and more Cimbrian warriors surrounded the Roman camps.
As the battle became inevitable, the repercussions of the fractured Roman command unfolded, with Capio hoping for Malleus' support in the face of the impending Cimbrian assault. In the 2nd century BC, the European continent bore witness to a tapestry of tribes and cultures. At the heart of it all stood Rome, the emerging juggernaut of antiquity. But beyond the reach of Roman dominance, in the shadowed corners of this ancient continent, lay a multitude of distinct tribes, each with their own stories, customs, and aspirations.
Amidst this patchwork of peoples, one name stirred both curiosity and alarm, the Cimbri, hailing from the distant reaches of northern Jutland in the late 2nd century BC. They embarked on a migration that sent ripples of unease through Europe's tribal landscapes. They were but one of many tribes, indiscriminately raiding any others they came across, the Suebi, Teutones, Semnones, Marcomanni, and Boii, to name just a few.
The Cimbri, led by their King Boiorix, continued their trek through Europe. Together with Teutons and Ambrones, they engaged in conflict with the Boii and other Celtic tribes. The first inklings of their migration were sounded by Rome's treaty-bound allies, the Taurisci, who raised the alarm about the Cimbri's impending arrival.
It was the year 113 BC when Roman consul Caius Papirius Carbo decided to defend their allies and confront the Cimbri. His chosen battleground was Noria, located in the heart of Austria. However, the Roman consul's ambition exceeded his military prowess, and he suffered a resounding defeat at the hands of the Cimbri.
The Cimbri, not content with their victory over Carbo, continued their migration, leaving Rome in a state of apprehension. Instead of turning to the Italian peninsula, they turned west into Gallia Narbonissus. Together with the Teutons, they continued their migration, disrupting the balance of power and engaging in clashes with other tribes and Roman allies. Amidst these threats, Rome faced another challenge across the Mediterranean Sea.
Emerging tensions in Numidia, exacerbated by King Jugurtha's betrayal – led to war. From 107 BC, one of Rome's most promising commanders, Gaius Marius, replaced Rome's commander in Numidia to wage war against the unruly king. The simultaneous management of these two wars tested Roman military prowess.
In 107 BC, as the war in Numidia lingered on, the Roman Senate organized another campaign against the Cimbri. A 40,000 strong army, led by the consul Lucius Cassius Longinus, defeated a Germanic-Celtic alliance near Tolosa. However, at Bodega, an enormous army consisting of Cimbri, Teutones and Tigurini defeated the Roman army, killing the consul and the high-ranking officers. News of the defeat enraged Rome, but it also endangered the city.
Other Gallic tribes, often subjugated by the Romans, saw a chance and rose up in rebellion. The following year, Rome's new consuls, Quintus Servilius Capio and Gaius Attilius Serranus, began preparing their retribution. Capio was assigned Gaul as a province, and embarked on a mission to reassert Roman authority over rebellious allies.
In the course of his campaign, he recaptured Tolossa, where he amassed a staggering treasure, believed by some to have originated from the famed Temple of Delphi. However, the focus is on the treasure's theft, the famed Temple of Delphi. However, the focus on the treasure's theft obscures much of the campaign's details.
There is a dearth of information regarding the local tribe's activities during this time. The Cimbri, after their earlier victory against Rome, seem to change their course, moving away from southern Gaul and refraining from advancing towards Italy, despite a prior inclination to settle in those territories. Frustration and desperation may have set in for the Cimbri, as they had not yet found a peaceful settlement after seven years of conflict.
While understanding they could not settle in Italy, they likely believed they could not settle in southern Gaul or Spain until Roman influence north of the Alps was removed. they likely believed they could not settle in southern Gaul or Spain until Roman influence north of the Alps was removed. But in the Cimbri's absence, Rome dispatched reinforcements to the region to prevent marauding tribes from endangering their capital.
They had two armies in Gaul, one led by proconsul Carpio and the other by the new consul Malleus, who were assigned different provinces along the Rhone River, as per Roman tradition. Despite being on the same side, Caipio and Malleus were known for being fierce rivals, often unwilling to cooperate or help each other out. The events leading up to Arausio are not well documented, but it appears that in early 105 BC, King Boiorix and the Cimbri, accompanied by the Teutones and their King Teutobod, returned to southern Gaul.
They ran into fresh Roman armies, controlling and pacifying the region. These Romans aimed to eradicate the tribal threat once and for all. Roman strength numbered around 120,000 in total. 80,000 of these were troops, divided into 10 to 12 legions. Additionally, the Romans marshaled 40,000 auxiliaries and camp followers.
The Roman armies faced an overwhelming tribal force that could have reached as many as 300,000 warriors, according to some accounts. This enormous force included the Cimbri, Teutones, Tigurini, and Ambrones. They were commanded by the Cimbri king Boiorix and Teuton king Teutobod. Before the Battle of Arausio, there was an initial encounter between the Romans and the Cimbri, during which a Roman force under the command of Aurelius Scorus, serving as a legate under Malleus, faced the Cimbri.
Heavily outnumbered, Scorus' forces were ambushed and defeated. Some of his troops fled, but most were captured or killed. Scorus was captured and brought before Boiorix. He refused to lead the Cimbri across the Alps. Considering the language barrier, it remains unclear how the Romans eventually learned this story, but it appears Skorus demanded the Cimbri turn back. He dissuaded them from crossing the Alps and invading Italy.
His defiance was not appreciated, and King Boiorix had him executed. Meanwhile, near the Rhone River, Malleus and Capio set up their respective camps near the Rhône river, Malleus and Caipio set up their respective camps near the river banks. Both commanders were driven by personal ambition and a desire to claim individual glory.
The closest settlement was the town of Arausio. Consul Malleus, recognizing the looming threat, sent a letter to Caipio, urging him to combine their forces to confront the Cimbri. However, Caipio refused to cooperate. Caipio's refusal to cooperate with Malleus resulted in the Roman forces operating as separate armies rather than a unified front. Before the battle, the Cimbri had sent emissaries to the Romans, perhaps driven by dread or a desire for land for their tribe to settle on.
However, any cooperation or acceptance of the Cimbri's terms would have been highly unlikely. Capio's subsequent brusque dismissal of the envoys angered the Cimbri, and Kings Boiorix and Tutobod committed to an attack. As the battle became inevitable, it remains unclear precisely how the failure to cooperate between the Roman commanders affected the battle itself. Caepio's army, closer to the Cimbri, bore the initial brunt of the battle.
As the Cimbri attacked, Roman historians alluded that Caepio launched a counterattack with hopes that Malleus would offer support. Roman legionaries and Cimbrian warriors engaged in a brutal melee. The clash was chaotic and close quarters, with disciplined Roman cohorts facing the relentless attacks of the Cimbrian. The battlefield echoed with the sounds of weapons clashing and warriors grappling as both sides fought fiercely for control in the intense hand-to-hand combat.
However, Caipio's attack ultimately failed, leading to his retreat. With Caipio's camp exposed, the Cimbri plundered and ransacked his camp. Some legionaries attempted to defend the camp, but the Cimbri mercilessly slaughtered camp followers and troops alike. Some surviving Romans likely retreated into Malleus' army. Though unsure if the armies collided and became intertwined, this may have only increased chaos among the Roman ranks.
Hungry for victory after such an effortless triumph, the Cimbri surged forward to assault Maximus' camp. Internal discord had already pushed the Roman contingent to the brink. According to Roman historians, their camps were close together, and most troops witnessed the utter annihilation of comrades. This led to even more crumbling morale. As the Cimbri came closer and launched attacks against the Roman camp, many legionaries stood firm attempting to defend, but the overwhelming number of warriors quickly proved too much for them.
Under different circumstances, a retreat might have ensued, but the poorly positioned camp left them cornered against the river. The river Rhône acting as a natural barrier left the Romans trapped and vulnerable. Although many attempted a river escape, armor-laden difficulties thwarted their efforts. Only a few, including servants and camp followers, successfully slipped away.
The battle itself resulted in a catastrophic loss for the Romans. According to Rutilius Rufus, the casualties were staggering, with at least 70,000 regular troops and light-armed soldiers perishing in a single day. Casualty figures in other ancient accounts vary from 60,000 to 80,000 Roman and allied troops lost. Livy references Valerius Antaeus, for example.
He asserts the Romans lost an estimated 80,000 soldiers and 40,000 servants and camp followers. This defeat at Arausio stood as one of Rome's most significant and devastating military setbacks, paralleling the magnitude of the renowned Battle of Cannae in terms of losses. Despite the lack of a detailed account of the battle, its impact on Roman history remains profound, showcasing the severe consequences of divided leadership and military mismanagement.
Only ten men are said to have survived the devastating defeat. In the aftermath, the Cimbri, having gained control of Roman caps and a substantial amount of plunder, engaged in a destructive frenzy. They systematically destroyed captured clothing, discarded gold and silver into the river, hacked apart breastplates, ruined horse trappings, drowned horses, and hanged men from trees.
However, the critical factor contributing to the Roman defeat lay not only in the numerical disadvantage but also in the lack of coordination between the two Roman commanders. This fatal combination of personal ambition and overconfidence in Roman military invincibility proved disastrous. Many details remain relatively unknown due to the lack of surviving narratives covering the battle. The aftermath of the devastating battle brought widespread grief to Italy.
In this grim atmosphere, the Romans believed that an invasion by the Gauls, such as the Cimbri, was imminent. They feared a repeat of the Gallic Sack of Rome, which still loomed as a specter in collective Roman history.
In 387 BC at the River Allia, a Gaul coalition defeated the Romans before sacking the capital city. However, into this troubled backdrop arrived news of Gaius Marius' success in capturing Jugurtha and ending the Jugurthine War. Marius was elected consul for 104 BC and subsequently re-elected four more times, ushering in the age of Marius and positioning him as a central figure in the upcoming Cimbrian Wars.
