Rome's Dark Hour: The Battle of Allia, 387 BC

The Battle of the Allia, fought around 387 BC, was a significant conflict between the Senones, a Gallic tribe led by Brennus, and the Roman Republic in Northern Italy. Positioned at the confluence of the Tiber and Allia rivers, just 11 Roman miles north of Rome, the battle played a crucial role in shaping the early history of Rome.
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🧾 Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
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Written by House of History
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🖼 Photos, paintings and imagery: Public Domain, Wikicommons
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[@PilgrimBangs]

You left out the weighing of the gold when Brenner placed his sword upon the scale. When the Romans complained about the scale being unfair in the amount agreed, Brenner placed his sword on the scale and said Vae Victus! The Romans paid but never forgot that lesson.

[@dimitrioskontsiotis2267]

The weighing of the gold and Marcus Furius Camillus arriving at that exact time with a relief army and throwing his own sword on the scale saying, "We defend Rome not with gold, but with iron" and then attacking the Gauls and driving them out of the city, this is all very likely just Roman propaganda. This story comes from Roman historians Livy and Diodorus Siculus, and they wrote this centuries after the sack of Rome occurred. They were probably just trying to salvage some honour out of a particularly dark chapter of Roman history. Camillus' last minute heroic deeds were likely a complete fabrication. What really happened is the Gauls crushed the Romans, sacked and looted Rome, and the Romans were forced to pay them a ton of money to get them to leave. That's all the Gauls wanted, they weren't trying to conquer they just wanted loot and glory.

[@homelessjesse9453]

@@dimitrioskontsiotis2267 Yeah. Crazy to think had the Gauls been intent on crushing Rome, what would've happened. Carthage would've been the dominant power in Western Europe if you think about it.

[@JadenGregg-su9no]

​@@homelessjesse94533 REPLIES

[@ilmaio]

Vae victis. It's plural.

[@davidhughes8357]

I've been studying Roman military history since first becoming intensely interested in 1956. Absolutely one of the best videos on this particular battle that I have seen. I agree with the comment concerning the sword. Thank you all so much!!

[@odd-ysseusdoesstuff6347]

YES! I WOULD LOVE MORE EARLY BATTLES AND LIFE OF ROME! Its so underrated, like a prequel that is rarely appreciated!

[@tonyhawk94]

I am from Brennus's region (nowadays Burgundy), in the small city of Sens there is a small sculpture of Brennus on the Cathedral. :)

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Hello man! Thank you so much for all the hardwork you put into these videos! I specially appreciate the roman ones!

[@animeguy3221]

I dont know how I'm just finding out about this channel, but you got a new sub. Nice visuals mixed with battle animation.

[@klappkan]

I find these types of stories so interesting, Rome's alway's on the offense, attacking & winning but stories like these... where Rome is on the backfoot, is a very underrepresented story in Roman history & the contrast to the typical narrative was significantly more entertaining. Great watch!

[@Lochamp]

The victors write the history

[@JadenGregg-su9no]

​@@Lochamp2 REPLIES

[@brokenbridge6316]

This video was excellent. More video's on the Battles the Early Roman Republic fought would be nice to see on this channel. But that's completely up to you.

[@jacksoncole444]

Anyone can deal with Victory, only the mighty can deal with Defeat!

[@eduardoalexandri3228]

Just as a quick question, will House of History continue with the Wars of German Unification, it has been a bit since I have seen any new episodes, It would be quite nice if they continued it!

[@Thomas_Name]

I would love to see a video on the battle of Konigsgratz. Apparently the start of the open order revolution - the evolution of line infantry deployment to modern Infantry tactics.

[@JadenGregg-su9no]

​@@Thomas_Name2 REPLIES

[@DrKarmo]

Awesome video you guys! It's sometimes hard to imagine that the greatest nation in the ancient world initially suffered many adversities before their ascension to power.

[@PilgrimBangs]

And during their entire existence really. They lost great battles with huge losses more than a few too.

[@JadenGregg-su9no]

​@@PilgrimBangs2 REPLIES

[@voiceofreason2674]

These Gauls are largely from Tolosa and will help Hannibal in the Punic wars. But by the time Caesar conquers Gaul, these guys will have become much more civilized and will not resist the invasion

[@lyndallsymons9767]

You really make some great videos m8 well done 👍

[@HoH]

Glad you like them!

[@KHK001]

Great video as always HOH!

[@trajan8474]

This was great, thanks!

[@Hagall999]

I would like to hear more about Germanic or Scandinavian soldiers in the Roman army...and or anything related to the Varangians and Rus'. Thanks.

[@tudorm6838]

The Celts did not come from the steppes of Asia. They are, like many other Europeans, a mix of the old European hunter-gatherers, Anatolian farmers, and Indo-Europeans (they came from the steppes of Asia). After some time, since the arrival of the Indo-Europeans, the Celtic civilization crystallized in the center of Europe and in the west, to then spread in several directions.

[@micolashcage]

Exactly. The video is great but that thing should be corrected. It's wrong. He could have said "their ancestors" instead.

[@MM22966]

Can anybody say definitely where the Celts formed, or if there is any distinct line between them and any ancestor cultures? "Steppes of Asia" could be anywhere east of modern Berlin, honestly.

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

It was an informative and wonderful introduction series... Thank you for the (House of History) channel ...thank you Sir for sharing

[@gotbaka3]

Great video

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

It was an informative and wonderful historical coverage video thank you house of history channel

[@robbabcock_]

Wonderful work!⚔🔥🙌

[@Raphael-pt7rx]

another high quality history video ^^

[@MHG571]

As always awesome vid well done!! Can you do some of the battles and sieges of the "French and Indian War". Like the Siege of Fort William Henry, Ticonderoga, and the battles in Liousburg and Quebec - Montreal and why not Braddock's massacre in Mononhakela and more there a dozen of battles and sieges??

[@DarkPuppy9]

Rome always had dark days, getting entire legions destroyed was like a Tuesday

[@ThomasWhiteX]

Great video, really enjoyed it. How do you make your animations?

[@tudorm6838]

The Gauls were not a Celtic tribe, but a large group of Celtic tribes.

[@World3mpir3]

The Gauls almost changed history. If they would have wiped them out. There might never have been a Roman empire. Very interesting

[@FrostbornAlt]

Is that a 2 headed legionnary in @01:12

[@LuisBrito-ly1ko]

5:41 I mean, yeah, but at the time Rome wasn’t using the Legion, but the Phalanx. I don’t think the Manipular or Marian Legion figures translate well in this instance.

[@diogobarata6346]

Great video as always! Do you give tutorials on how to make these videos on your patreon?

[@CsStoker]

If you want footage of Roman hoplites for videos use the "Rise of the Republic" DLC for Rome 2

[@HoH]

Thanks!

[@pepebeezon772]

DeI is better, Rise of the Republic is overpriced

[@CsStoker]

DeI doesn't have pre-Camillian hoplites @@pepebeezon772

[@CsStoker]

@@pepebeezon772 What a surprise, DEI now remade Rise of the Republic so the DLC now has high quality pre-Camillian armies

[@ancorgarciaalvarez]

do you have battles of alexander's conquest? Or maybe Philips II control of greece?

[@daxdasche6112]

I thought this version of celts was a bit outdated and that they were as much an Atlantic seaborne people as an interior people. Herodotus said the Celts that attacked Greece originated from the source of the Danube, which he believed to be in the Pyrenees, later interpreted as the Alps by the Victorians as that is the actual source (but he didn't know that and actually said between Gaul and Iberia).

[@RemusKingOfRome]

Great video but you forgot to mention the Servian military system, that caused most of the problems. It was based off wealth - 1st class hoplites needed to pay for their own armour and weapons, that meant only the very rich could afford to be part of the 1st classis or Eques (cavalry) . The other infantry, the majority, were more poorly equiped. A vast number of the poor were excluded from military service.

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

Except the wealth based system continued for centuries until the so-called Marian reforms.

[@RemusKingOfRome]

@@BoxStudioExecutive The Marian reforms was the full professionalisation of the Roman army but there were many reforms before that, especially after the battle of Allia. The details here are mirky but between Allia and the Samnite wars, the Romans changed their entire army from Hoplite phalanx to Manipular legions, AND allowed the poor into the army, greatly enlarging it. As the poor could not afford the equipment needed, there must have been some sort of government assistance.

[@BoxStudioExecutive]

@@RemusKingOfRome Nope, as described by Polybius in Book 6, the poorest men were not eligible to serve in the legion because they were too poor to afford any equipment, and were instead assigned to serve as oarsmen in the navy. The next poorest class would have served as velites.

[@DeRegelaar]

A day of joy!

[@theblindlucario5093]

Give us a hero to deliver the Republic! Give us Marcus Furius! Give us Camillus!

[@RedTom0]

Amazing

[@MM22966]

REMEMBER: Always feed your guard-geese!

[@ziyadpepe6291]

Great content ❤ Can you please tell me where i can find the map you use??

[@sevoo1579]

Awesome cover

[@abhirupdas6767]

This battle change the history of rome and its surrounding

[@Thomas_Name]

4:13 and I had to watch two advertisements. Please, everyone. Upload your videos to dailymotion or some other alternate video-sharing platform. 3 advertisements in total.

[@synergistd519]

Pls finish the series of Cyrus the Great

[@bl1754]

Ah Roman history before Alexander is often so sparse

[@Yury5576]

Hmm. There was someone called Marcus Furius Camillus, the hero of Rome, who returned from exile and defeated Brennus thus relieving Rome in 386BC. His return coincided with romans getting ready to pay the gold tribute when Camillus threw a sword on the scale saying "this is the only payment you deserve". Your dislike of the russians was obvious in previous histories (although the Celts did come from there, as did the Sarmats, Allans...) but why not tell the full story here. The only facts we have are from the roman historians (disregard the modern history re-writers to suit their purpose) and they do tell this full story. It pays to tell it in full, I think.

[@knightwarffxi5252]

can't wait! 3 mins now

[@TheStrategos392]

The Gauls did what Hannibal should have.

[@Dannyboyefc]

They didn’t have any walls to breach

[@seymourskinner2533]

Just here for the “experts” correcting every detail and contradicting each other 🤣🤣

[@ailjesane4588]

What program is used to create such content? I am one of your followers from Iraq 🇮🇶

[@notthefbi7932]

If you don't first succeed, then come back 800 years later and try again 😂😂😂😂😂

[@solisgod]

i didn't realize that this channels uses ai images until i really looked at them, they look great nonetheless

[@beepboop204]

[@pkparck]

next could be the fall of cartago? i mean the final siege

[@treeman12815]

ancestors of the french invade rome

[@timuramanzhol00]

Nah, these are mostly cisalpine Gauls, while french ancestors are transalpine Gauls

[@tibsky1396]

@@timuramanzhol00 And yet, amongst the Gauls, Brennus was a chieftain of the Senonii, so he would have been born in the current Yonne region in Burgundy-Franche Comté, in Northern France.

[@lahire4943]

@@timuramanzhol00 The Senones were transalpine Gauls who created with other transalpine tribes Cisalpine Gaul around 400 BC.

[@hansoskar1911]

wait I thought the name of the commander was made up my monty python. (the german version of Biggus Diggus)

[@MrLoobu]

Why would modern historians have a respected estimation? Their opinion is thousands of years from the event, lol.

[@Spiderfisch]

Because unlike contemporary ones they have no reason to lie

[@MrLoobu]

@@Spiderfisch Everyone has ample reason to lie, especially these days.

[@MrLoobu]

@@Spiderfisch They also have no primary sources.

[@Mephiston1984LoD]

🧐

[@tannerdenny5430]

I love to root for the underdog. Go gauls! Of course its rough being fan of the likely loser. I wanna hear about losses in the roman heyday and wins in the decline.

[@calvanoni5443]

The world has always been a melting pot!

[@iseeyou5061]

Yay. More shouting man thumbnail

[@giacomobrasini8877]

what are your sources? Basically everything you said about the origins and migrations of the celts is completely wrong. Use actual academic sources like Kruta and Vitali. For example: the Celts weren't a single people and didn't migrate from the steppes, what we refer as "Celts" was a macro culture (the La Tène culture) originated in central europe around the first half of the V century b.c., while the proto-celtic cultures (Hallstatt culture in central europe and Golacessa culture in northern italy) developed from the Urnfield culture of central europe during the end part of the bronze age and early iron age; the Hallstatt culture expanded in most of western and central europe in the early iron age. Also the Gauls were not a tribe, as you said "Galli" was a roman word to define the Celts (also the word Galli derived from the greeks, but ok), and the descent into italy was not orchestrated by Brennus nor the Senoni: the legend told by Livy is that of Bellovesus, son of high king Ambicatus of the Bituriges who controlled most of Gaul at the time, who took a lot of tribes and migrated in italy while his brother migrated along the danube; archeological evidence shows that the migrations took place over at least 2 decades and weren't a single big invasion. Also the etruscans didn't occupy that much of the Po valley, both the Veneti and the Golasecca celts were north of the river Po, while one of the most northern etruscan colony was Mantua (which is built along the Po) and Melpum was most likely south of the Po river, in your map you put it basically where there's Milan. Last thing is that the siege of Clusium is not in 391 b.c., but according to all the ancient sources that mention it (for example Livy and Polybius) it was just before the battle of the Allia river, so much so that the Senoni were sieging it, lift the siege and went straight to Rome. All this errors are in the first 3 minutes of the video and i also didn't mention the intro with its "30.000 naked warriors" which is pure fantasy.

[@unitor699industries]

the firs sackof rome

[@PoetofHateSpeech]

Hmm I don't believe the celts come from the steppes...what about the British isles?...

[@Yulo2000Leyje]

So sad to see this episode. There never was a 'celtic' Tribe. Celt was as way of language and culture. I realy hope you did more research on the battle it self.

[@nre1553]

So what are you saying that there were no Germanic tribes either then?

[@noahahlstrom3834]

garbage

[@h.w.barlow6693]

Cry about it.

[@jothegreek]

ΗοW sure are we that the celts arrived from the steps? Where they another case of Goths?