390 



ROMAN EMPIRE. 



Roman 

 Empire. 



Maelius 

 aims at the 

 sovereignty, 



War with 

 the Vei- 



entes. 



Camillas 

 takes Veii, 



and Faltrii 



died by his own hands in prison. Oppius, one of his 

 colleagues, shared the same fate, and the other decem- 

 virs fled from the country. 



The demands of the popular party now became more 

 clamorous, and the Senate was obliged to pass a law 

 which permitted the Plebeians to intermarry with the 

 Patricians. Still, however, they were not satisfied, and 

 had recourse to their former plan of refusing to enlist 

 upon the approach of an enemy. In order ta remedy 

 this evil, it was agreed to appoint military tribunes, 

 who should have the power of consuls ; but this mea- 

 sure, though carried into effect, was neither useful nor 

 popular ; and consuls were again appointed, who were 

 to be assisted by censors, chosen every fifth year. The 

 first two censors were Papirius and Sempronius ; and 

 the office was filled for 100 years by Patricians. 



The tranquillity which followed these changes, 

 though enlivened by the triumph gained by the Consul 

 Geganius, over the Volsci, was disturbed by a famine 

 which occasioned new discontents. In this conjuncture, 

 Spurius Maelius, an opulent merchant, bought up all 

 the corn in Tuscany, and distributing it among the 

 poor, he acquired a sort of influence which prompted 

 him to aim at the sovereignty of Rome. The plot which 

 he had for this purpose organised was detected by Minu- 

 cius. The election of a dictator was again resorted to,and 

 Cincinnatus,at the age of 80, was again summoned to the 

 deliverance of his country. Maelius was commanded to 

 appear before him, but having refused to obey, Attila, 

 master of the horse, killed him on the spot. Cincinnatus 

 commended the heroism of Attila, and ordered the 

 house of Maelius to be demolished, and his goods di- 

 vided among the poor. 



The insolence of the Veientes induced the Romans 

 to resolve upon the destruction of their capital. This 

 resolution, however, was more easily made than exe- 

 cuted. The Roman army which invested Veii, con- 

 tinued their operations with various success for ten 

 years. The loss which they sustained had become very 

 alarming to the state, and a law was on that account 

 made, that the bachelors should marry the widows of 

 the soldiers who were slain. Vigorous measures, how- 

 ever, now became necessary, and Furius Camillus was 

 chosen dictator, for the purpose of putting an end to 

 the war. Already distinguished as a military tribune 

 and as a consul, he had acquired the confidence of the 

 people. Unable to take Veii by force of arms, he con- 

 trived by arduous labour to carry a mine beneath the 

 citadel. When the operations were nearly finished, 

 he wrote to the Senate, requesting that all who wished 

 to partake in the plunder of Veii should repair to the 

 army ; and having directed his men how to get through 

 the breach, his legions entered without opposition, to 

 the utter consternation of the besieged, who were 

 unable to make any effectual resistance. The fortu- 

 nate issue of this siege, while it rewarded the victors, 

 gained a splendid triumph for the general who achieved 

 it. 



The same good fortune attended the arms of Camil- 

 lus, in an expedition against the Falisci. When the 

 capital Falerii was vigorously resisting the Roman 

 arms, a schoolmaster contrived to decoy the children 

 whom he taught to the Roman carnp, for the purpose 

 of putting them into the hands of Camillus. Horrified 

 with this act of treachery, Camillus ordered the mis- 

 creant to be stripped, to have his hands tied behind 'his 

 back, and to be whipped into the town by his own 

 scholars. Struck by the generosity of this action, the 

 magistrates of Falerii submitted to the Senate; and the 



city was received into an alliance with the con- 

 querors. 



Notwithstanding these signal triumphs, Camillus 

 speedily felt the ingratitude of his countrymen. Petty 

 charges were constantly brought against him, and, re- 

 solving to avoid the ignominy of a trial, he embraced 

 his wife and children, quitted Rome ; and as he wa 

 about to leave its gates, he turned his face to the capi- 

 tol, and with uplifted hands he prayed to the gods, that 

 his country might one day be sensible of their injustice 

 and ingratitude. 



The destinies of Rome soon required to be guided by 

 the spirit of Camillus. An army of Gauls under Bren- 

 nus, had been for some years occupying the country 

 from Ravenna to Picinura, and were slowly advancing 

 to the Roman territories. At the instigation of Arunx, 

 a wealthy Clnsian, who had been ill used by the ma- 

 gistrates, Brennuslaid siege to Clusium. The Romans 

 sent three young patricians of the Fabian family to of- 

 fer their mediation between the Gauls and the Clusini ; 

 but they accompanied this offer with the taunting re- 

 quest, to know the pretences which a remote nation 

 could have upon Hetruria. Brennus replied, that every- 

 thing was the property of the brave; that his right 

 lay in his sword ; and that the Romans themselves had 

 in all their conquests acknowledged no other right than 

 that which the strong exercises over the defenceless. 



The Fabii smothered the feelings which that answer 

 excited, and obtained leave to enter Clusium, to confer 

 with the magistrates. Forgetting the character with 

 which they were invested, Q. Fabius headed a sally 

 against the besiegers, and slew with his own hand one 

 of the chief officers of the Gauls. Incensed at this act 

 of treachery, Brennus raised the siege, and marched 

 deliberately to Rome at the head of 70,000 men. A 

 herald who preceded him, demanded that the Fabii 

 should be delivered up to him ; but the senate hav- 

 ing referred the question to the people, the request was 

 not only refused, but at the next election the Fabii 

 were chosen the first three of the military tribunes. 



After this expression of popular opinion, Brennus 

 proceeded on his march. An army of 40,000 men, 

 commanded by the six military tribunes, marched out 

 against him, and the hostile armies met near the river 

 Allia, about sixty furlongs from Rome. The flower of 

 the Roman army, amounting to 24,000 men, was post- 

 ed between the river and the neighbouring fields, while 

 the remainder occupied the hills. Brennus attacked the 

 latter, and having soon thrown them into disorder, the 

 forces on the plains were panic struck, and fled with- 

 out drawing their swords. Most of the Roman soldiers 

 fled to Veii, others were drowned in the Tiber, many 

 fell beneath the avenging sword of Brennus ; and a few 

 who fled to Rome, filled the capital with terror and 

 consternation. Brennus marched towards Rome, and 

 encamped on the Arnio. The Romans, abandoning the 

 city, retired into the capitol, with all that could bear 

 arms ; while the old men, women, and children, sought 

 for refuge in the neighbouring towns. The vestals 

 carried off the sacred utensils to Caere, in Hetruria, 

 where they performed their sacred rites, which were 

 hence called Ceremonies. About eighty of the most illus- 

 trious and venerable old men in Rome resolved to await 

 their destiny in the city, and, clothed in their pontifical, 

 consular, and triumphal robes, they seated themselves 

 in their usual chairs in the forum. 



After many needless precautions, Brennus entered 

 Rome four days after the battle of Allia. Advancing 

 into the forum with his troops., he saw with amazement 



Roman 

 Empire. 



The Gauls 



under 



Brennus 



invade 



Rome. 



Misconduct 

 of Quintu* 



L'abius. 



Battle of 



Allia. 



B. C. 390. 



Romans 

 Defeated. 



Brennus 



enters 



Rome. 



