Well don't expect Veii to become the new Rome. I'm not sure if I am going to have a single state dominate the Italian peninsula yet.
The Eternal Flame Dies Out: Rome Loses The Siege of Veii
- Thread starter SlyDessertFox
- Start date
Well don't expect Veii to become the new Rome. I'm not sure if I am going to have a single state dominate the Italian peninsula yet.
I have something in store for the Sennones. There won't be any "Vae Victus!" though.
The Eternal Flame Dies Out
Chapter I: The Sons of Tarchon and Aeneas
Part V: The Sack of Rome
According to the Hellenic historian Aeschylus of Cumae, the Celts first crossed the Alps and arrived in the Padus Valley[1] around 377 (399 BCE). He tells us that Ambigatus, King of the Biturges, sent his two nephews along with with a massive retinue to migrate somewhere else in order to avoid overpopulation. One of the nephews, Bellovesus, followed the signs of the flights of the birds and led his people over the Alps and into Italy. Aeschylus gives us the names of the groups in this initial wave as the Bituriges, Arverni, Senones, Aedui, Ambarri, Lingones, Carnutes, and Aulerci. These were followed by the Boii, who would soon overrun the northern Rasna town of Felsina [2], the Cenomani who settled east along the Adige River, and the Insubres, who settled in Insubria, founding the city of Mediolanum [3]. Only the territory of the Veneti in northeastern Italy, remained free from the Celtic emigration waves.
The first Rasna city to fall to these invaders, was Melpum in 380. A Rasna army was soon defeated at the Tecina [4], and it can be presumed that this is when Felsina fell to the Boii. By the time the Third Roman-Veientine War had ended, the Rasna cities to the north were feeling the pressure of the rapid Celtic advance into Italy. Spina became one of the few Rasna cities left in the north of Tyrrhenia, thanks to its marshy and easily defensible location on the Padus and along the Adriatic Sea. Most of the northern Rasna cities were not so lucky.
Aeschylus spends a disproportionate amount of time on dealing with the Senones, which is not surprising when we consider that he was likely living in Clevsin at the time they quarreled with the city. The Senones pushed even further south into Picenum, where they displaced the native Umbrian speaking Picentines, founding the city of Sena. The land was poor for farming however, and a breakaway group of Senones led by a chieftan named Brennus migrated into Tyrrhenia proper, demanding productive land to settle on. They cast their covetous eyes on the fertile land surrounding Clevsin, arriving at the city gates in 388 (388 BCE). Unwilling to give up prosperous farmland to this roving band of Celts, the citizens of Clevsin petitioned Velthur Hathisna of Veii for assistance.
Rather than prepare an expeditionary force to march to the aid of Clevsin, Hathisna decided to play the role as mediator. The arrival of the Brennus and his Senones had been a gift by the gods in his eyes. He had the perfect use for the, and told them as much. Rather than plunder the land of Clevsin, he offered to enlist them as mercenaries in his army. Brennus was told that he and his followers would be allowed to settle on the land they conquered as a part of his army. Hathisna assured the Senones that the land, Latium, was as fertile as the Tyrrhenian hills. With Veientine gold in their pockets, the Senones accepted Veii’s offer and began their march towards Rome. In one fell swoop, Hathisna had become the savior of Clevsin, and had recruited an army that could finally wipe out Veii’s longtime rival. No Veientine troops had to be spared, as he calculated the 12,000 Senones, known for their ferociously and effective charge, would be able to crush any Roman army sent against them.
It did not take long for the news that a Celtic army was on the march towards Rome to reach the Romans. By sheer coincidence, Roman ambassadors found themselves in Clevsin right at the time the Senones arrived and negotiated a deal with Veii. Confident in their ability to defeat Brennus and his band of barbarians with numbers alone, a Roman army numbering 24,000 under the command of Lucius Papirius Cursor, marched out to meet them. The Roman army, largely made up of the static and inflexible hoplites fighting in a phalanx, soon were exposed to the frightening fighting capability of the Celtic army in battle.
The Battle of the Allia as it would become known, was a complete disaster for the Romans. The far more flexible fighting style of the Celts allowed them to completely outflank and shatter both wings of the Roman army in a single devastating charge. While the wings fled desperately back to Rome, the center of the army was left to its own fate. They were surrounded and massacred to the last man. After the battle, Brennus sought out Cursor’s fallen body, tying it to his chariot and parading it parading it around his camp. The Roman army defeated, the Senones pushed on, intent on capturing their prize, the city of Rome.
Rome was thrown into panic at the news of the crushing defeat at the Allia River. Some Senators fled south to Tusculum, the city that had saved Rome decades earlier when Sabine had occupied the Capitoline. Many Roman soldiers, convinced that the city would be sacked, continued retreating on past Rome, following the senators south. The Celts arrived shortly thereafter, and those remaining at Rome barricaded themselves inside the Capitoline as their last means of defense. An initial assault on the city failed with heavy loss of life, and it appeared the Romans may have been able to salvage an impossible situation.
Their hopes were soon dashed the next night. Brennus had sent patrols around the hill to find a way up the cliffs, and finally a few Senones managed to scale a cliff side and infiltrate the Capitoline. The men managed to successfully kill the men guarding the hill in case of a night attack, and Brennus led his men to storm the Roman camp. Caught completely off guard, the Romans had no chance to defend against the onslaught, and those who could simply attempted to flee the city and make a desperate dash south to join up with their fellows in Tusculum. The city was plundered of any loot the Celts could get their hands on, and Brennus soon made his way to the top of the Capitoline, on the steps of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. He was in awe of the massive structure, and prevented strictly forbade his men from looting it. The following day the Senones gathered around the temple, where Brennus declared himself Senonorix[5]. Rome was to be his new capital.
[1] The Po valley.
[2] Modern Bologna
[3] Milan
[4] Ticinus, where Hannibal would later defeat the Romans OTL.
[5] King
Chapter I: The Sons of Tarchon and Aeneas
Part V: The Sack of Rome
According to the Hellenic historian Aeschylus of Cumae, the Celts first crossed the Alps and arrived in the Padus Valley[1] around 377 (399 BCE). He tells us that Ambigatus, King of the Biturges, sent his two nephews along with with a massive retinue to migrate somewhere else in order to avoid overpopulation. One of the nephews, Bellovesus, followed the signs of the flights of the birds and led his people over the Alps and into Italy. Aeschylus gives us the names of the groups in this initial wave as the Bituriges, Arverni, Senones, Aedui, Ambarri, Lingones, Carnutes, and Aulerci. These were followed by the Boii, who would soon overrun the northern Rasna town of Felsina [2], the Cenomani who settled east along the Adige River, and the Insubres, who settled in Insubria, founding the city of Mediolanum [3]. Only the territory of the Veneti in northeastern Italy, remained free from the Celtic emigration waves.
The first Rasna city to fall to these invaders, was Melpum in 380. A Rasna army was soon defeated at the Tecina [4], and it can be presumed that this is when Felsina fell to the Boii. By the time the Third Roman-Veientine War had ended, the Rasna cities to the north were feeling the pressure of the rapid Celtic advance into Italy. Spina became one of the few Rasna cities left in the north of Tyrrhenia, thanks to its marshy and easily defensible location on the Padus and along the Adriatic Sea. Most of the northern Rasna cities were not so lucky.
Aeschylus spends a disproportionate amount of time on dealing with the Senones, which is not surprising when we consider that he was likely living in Clevsin at the time they quarreled with the city. The Senones pushed even further south into Picenum, where they displaced the native Umbrian speaking Picentines, founding the city of Sena. The land was poor for farming however, and a breakaway group of Senones led by a chieftan named Brennus migrated into Tyrrhenia proper, demanding productive land to settle on. They cast their covetous eyes on the fertile land surrounding Clevsin, arriving at the city gates in 388 (388 BCE). Unwilling to give up prosperous farmland to this roving band of Celts, the citizens of Clevsin petitioned Velthur Hathisna of Veii for assistance.
Rather than prepare an expeditionary force to march to the aid of Clevsin, Hathisna decided to play the role as mediator. The arrival of the Brennus and his Senones had been a gift by the gods in his eyes. He had the perfect use for the, and told them as much. Rather than plunder the land of Clevsin, he offered to enlist them as mercenaries in his army. Brennus was told that he and his followers would be allowed to settle on the land they conquered as a part of his army. Hathisna assured the Senones that the land, Latium, was as fertile as the Tyrrhenian hills. With Veientine gold in their pockets, the Senones accepted Veii’s offer and began their march towards Rome. In one fell swoop, Hathisna had become the savior of Clevsin, and had recruited an army that could finally wipe out Veii’s longtime rival. No Veientine troops had to be spared, as he calculated the 12,000 Senones, known for their ferociously and effective charge, would be able to crush any Roman army sent against them.
It did not take long for the news that a Celtic army was on the march towards Rome to reach the Romans. By sheer coincidence, Roman ambassadors found themselves in Clevsin right at the time the Senones arrived and negotiated a deal with Veii. Confident in their ability to defeat Brennus and his band of barbarians with numbers alone, a Roman army numbering 24,000 under the command of Lucius Papirius Cursor, marched out to meet them. The Roman army, largely made up of the static and inflexible hoplites fighting in a phalanx, soon were exposed to the frightening fighting capability of the Celtic army in battle.
The Battle of the Allia as it would become known, was a complete disaster for the Romans. The far more flexible fighting style of the Celts allowed them to completely outflank and shatter both wings of the Roman army in a single devastating charge. While the wings fled desperately back to Rome, the center of the army was left to its own fate. They were surrounded and massacred to the last man. After the battle, Brennus sought out Cursor’s fallen body, tying it to his chariot and parading it parading it around his camp. The Roman army defeated, the Senones pushed on, intent on capturing their prize, the city of Rome.
Rome was thrown into panic at the news of the crushing defeat at the Allia River. Some Senators fled south to Tusculum, the city that had saved Rome decades earlier when Sabine had occupied the Capitoline. Many Roman soldiers, convinced that the city would be sacked, continued retreating on past Rome, following the senators south. The Celts arrived shortly thereafter, and those remaining at Rome barricaded themselves inside the Capitoline as their last means of defense. An initial assault on the city failed with heavy loss of life, and it appeared the Romans may have been able to salvage an impossible situation.
Their hopes were soon dashed the next night. Brennus had sent patrols around the hill to find a way up the cliffs, and finally a few Senones managed to scale a cliff side and infiltrate the Capitoline. The men managed to successfully kill the men guarding the hill in case of a night attack, and Brennus led his men to storm the Roman camp. Caught completely off guard, the Romans had no chance to defend against the onslaught, and those who could simply attempted to flee the city and make a desperate dash south to join up with their fellows in Tusculum. The city was plundered of any loot the Celts could get their hands on, and Brennus soon made his way to the top of the Capitoline, on the steps of the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. He was in awe of the massive structure, and prevented strictly forbade his men from looting it. The following day the Senones gathered around the temple, where Brennus declared himself Senonorix[5]. Rome was to be his new capital.
[1] The Po valley.
[2] Modern Bologna
[3] Milan
[4] Ticinus, where Hannibal would later defeat the Romans OTL.
[5] King
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And the Eternal Flame is snuffed out, Rome is conquered. Hathisna while not the commanding general can be seen as lawgiver AND conqueror now - wonder how much that strengthens his position if any against the hinted at rebellious aristocratic undercurrent in Veii. Also I've got to wonder if the Romans can accomplish anything in exile from Tusculum and how much they can do to relight what would now be a "nearly-eternal flame". 
And the Eternal Flame is snuffed out, Rome is conquered. Hathisna while not the commanding general can be seen as lawgiver AND conqueror now - wonder how much that strengthens his position if any against the hinted at rebellious aristocratic undercurrent in Veii. Also I've got to wonder if the Romans can accomplish anything in exile from Tusculum and how much they can do to relight what would now be a "nearly-eternal flame".
Well Hathisna might have just replaced one enemy with another future one-or maybe the Senones will remain friendly with him. The Romans are down but it remains to be seen if they are knocked out.
You have a url typo at the beginning there.
Also HOLY SHITSPACE YOU DID IT!!! YOU ACHIEVED MY WILDEST DREAMS AND ENDED ROME!!!!
Thanks, fixed.
Even better. That would be a nice wasp nest. The Marsian tribes are my favorite...
May I suggest a more historically plausible 4th C. BC Rome than the one you used to illustrate the sacking of Rome? It wasn't even that grandiose in the OTL imperial times you've now aborted in your TL.
It was more on these lines:
Plausible Senones:
this works, too!
By the way, nice update!
It was more on these lines:
Plausible Senones:
this works, too!
By the way, nice update!
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May I suggest a more historically plausible 4th C. BC Rome than the one you used to illustrate the sacking of Rome? It wasn't even that grandiose in the OTL imperial times you've now aborted in your TL.
It was more on these lines:
View attachment 225602
Plausible Senones:
this works, too!
By the way, nice update!
Thanks for the images, I was rushing to get out the door for school when I put that one in so I just picked the first one I saw. I'll make the changes immediately.
Also, I might flesh out that part a little more since I kind of rushed it out.
One more thing to everyone reading: if you guys have any suggestions for the future (not just of Italy but of anywhere) or have some information on groups or *inesert thing here* that you want to share, you can post it here or PM me, I am open to suggestions. I'm very much learning as I go along in this thread since I haven't touched this era much before I decided to do this TL.
Not necessarily. The Sennones aren't very keen on being ruled by a foreign power, and any allegiance they may owe to Veii is in fiction only. For the moment they appear to be more content to plunder and settle Latium (think of like the Aequi and Volsci in this regard).
Would you happen to have any information on them that you could point me to? I've heard of them before but can't seem to find much info on them.Russian said:
Contrary to what it may seem, I do have a life you know...
I don't know when the next update is-sometime this week. I just had to spend all day re-installing Windows 8 and Im probably gonna be spending all day tomorrow after school reinstalling all my fallout mods because they were lost with the reinstallation.
So, at the earliest Tuesday. I might be able to get a map out before then though.
There is not much.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsian_language
The Marsi joined the Samnites in 308 BC, and, on their submission, became allies of Rome in 304 BC. After a short-lived revolt two years later, for which they were punished by loss of territory, they were readmitted to the Roman alliance and remained faithful down to the Social War, their contingent being always regarded as the flower of the Italian forces.
There was an Italian proverb during that period:
- There was never a Roman triumph over the Marsi and there was never ever a Roman triumph in which the Marsi did not take part in.
As I see it the Roman Empire was built by the Romans AND(!) by the Marsi. If you take the Romans (best warriors of Italy) out of this equation then the Marsi (the second best) have the bright future. They might dominate the central Italy probably together with the Samnites or instead of them.
Sorry for no update this week yet. I've had to research a lot on Sicily and Syracuse (guess where the next update's going to be located?). I'm trying to aim for one or two updates a week since I have to do a lot of research for each update.
Gracias. I'll try and feauture the Marsi into the picture more (since Latium is going to be a mess anyway).
Here's a fun mini-update while I continue doing some research:
Chapter I: The Sons of Tarchon and Aeneas
Part VI: The Senonorix
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Brennus' claim to being Senonorix had not gone uncontested. His cousin Crixus emerged as a rival claimant, claiming the credit for victory at the Alia. He had been the one who had led the charge that crushed the right flank of the Roman army and won the day for the Senones. Having always commanded the loyalty of a significant portion of the Senone warriors, Crixus had to be taken very seriously as an obstacle to uncontested kingship.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] So when Crixus challenged Brennus to single combat over the title of Senonorix, Brennus was forced to accept. Single combat was an effective way to solve the dispute with limited conflict and bloodshed. Through single combat, the entire clan or tribe could participate in the battle indirectly. A crowd of Celtic warriors gathered outside the Campus Martius to witness the occasion. Supporters of Brennus and Crixus gathered with their claimant. Even some of the Romans who had not fled the city when the Celts had arrived, never ones to miss out on the opportunity to see some blood spilled (particularly if it was Celtic blood rather than Roman), gathered around to witness the occasion. After all, Brennus and Crixus were fighting over who would rule [/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]their[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] city.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] The two men approached each other, hurling insults as they neared. There was a pause as they both stopped just outside of melee range, both sizing up his opponent. Brennus and Crixus were easily the most experienced and adept warriors in the tribe, and were both extremely confident in their martial abilities. Brennus made the first move, a wide slash with his falcata that was easily avoided by Crixus. It was more of an attempt to gauge his opponent rather than actually making a serious attempt to end the fighting before it began.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Insults became as common as slashes and thrusts as the combat heated up. Crixus managed to bring Brennus to the defensive, preventing him making any attempts at attacking himself, as he had to block and dodge repeated blows. A sword thrust scraped mail, and another blow to the head cracked his helmet in two. Crixus moved in for the kill, convinced Brennus was finished. In the heat of the combat, he became reckless and careless. Crixus now seriously underestimated Brennus' martial prowess, and Brennus took full advantage. Blocking another reckless sword swing with ease, Brennus noticed Crixus had left his torso wide open to a counter attack. He slashed his sword across Crixus' body, plunging into and gashing open his stomach. Immedietaly Crixus collapsed from the fatal blow. [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Brennus stood over his vanquished foe, prepared to deliver the final blow that would end Crixus' life. A Latin inscription in the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus records his final words to the man who dared challenge his claim to Senonorix. It was hardly poetic, but rather short and straightforward. He uttered the line “[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Vai Victus[1][/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]” -”Woe to the Vanquished”. His point made, the falcata seared through Crixus' chest, putting him out of his misery. Crixus' body was tied to the end of Brennus' chariot, where he dragged it around the Campus Martius, sending a message regarding the fate of anyone who challenged his right to rule as Senonorix. If that was not enough, Crixus' head was placed on a spike on the Capitoline, where it remained for weeks, as a gruesome reminder of his martial valour that earned him his title. [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][1] Obviously this would be done in his native Celtic tongue, but only the Latin inscription comes down to us here. Plus, I could not find any good dictionary on ancient Celtic.[/FONT]
Chapter I: The Sons of Tarchon and Aeneas
Part VI: The Senonorix
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Brennus' claim to being Senonorix had not gone uncontested. His cousin Crixus emerged as a rival claimant, claiming the credit for victory at the Alia. He had been the one who had led the charge that crushed the right flank of the Roman army and won the day for the Senones. Having always commanded the loyalty of a significant portion of the Senone warriors, Crixus had to be taken very seriously as an obstacle to uncontested kingship.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] So when Crixus challenged Brennus to single combat over the title of Senonorix, Brennus was forced to accept. Single combat was an effective way to solve the dispute with limited conflict and bloodshed. Through single combat, the entire clan or tribe could participate in the battle indirectly. A crowd of Celtic warriors gathered outside the Campus Martius to witness the occasion. Supporters of Brennus and Crixus gathered with their claimant. Even some of the Romans who had not fled the city when the Celts had arrived, never ones to miss out on the opportunity to see some blood spilled (particularly if it was Celtic blood rather than Roman), gathered around to witness the occasion. After all, Brennus and Crixus were fighting over who would rule [/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]their[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] city.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] The two men approached each other, hurling insults as they neared. There was a pause as they both stopped just outside of melee range, both sizing up his opponent. Brennus and Crixus were easily the most experienced and adept warriors in the tribe, and were both extremely confident in their martial abilities. Brennus made the first move, a wide slash with his falcata that was easily avoided by Crixus. It was more of an attempt to gauge his opponent rather than actually making a serious attempt to end the fighting before it began.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Insults became as common as slashes and thrusts as the combat heated up. Crixus managed to bring Brennus to the defensive, preventing him making any attempts at attacking himself, as he had to block and dodge repeated blows. A sword thrust scraped mail, and another blow to the head cracked his helmet in two. Crixus moved in for the kill, convinced Brennus was finished. In the heat of the combat, he became reckless and careless. Crixus now seriously underestimated Brennus' martial prowess, and Brennus took full advantage. Blocking another reckless sword swing with ease, Brennus noticed Crixus had left his torso wide open to a counter attack. He slashed his sword across Crixus' body, plunging into and gashing open his stomach. Immedietaly Crixus collapsed from the fatal blow. [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif] Brennus stood over his vanquished foe, prepared to deliver the final blow that would end Crixus' life. A Latin inscription in the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus records his final words to the man who dared challenge his claim to Senonorix. It was hardly poetic, but rather short and straightforward. He uttered the line “[/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]Vai Victus[1][/FONT][FONT=Book Antiqua, serif]” -”Woe to the Vanquished”. His point made, the falcata seared through Crixus' chest, putting him out of his misery. Crixus' body was tied to the end of Brennus' chariot, where he dragged it around the Campus Martius, sending a message regarding the fate of anyone who challenged his right to rule as Senonorix. If that was not enough, Crixus' head was placed on a spike on the Capitoline, where it remained for weeks, as a gruesome reminder of his martial valour that earned him his title. [/FONT]
[FONT=Book Antiqua, serif][1] Obviously this would be done in his native Celtic tongue, but only the Latin inscription comes down to us here. Plus, I could not find any good dictionary on ancient Celtic.[/FONT]
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