The Gallic Sack of Rome - Part 6

We have finally reached the LAST part of our coverage of the Gallic Sack of Rome.

Once again, whilst there are similar elements in our sources, it is astonishing to see the different way the authors weave the details together.

Another Amazing Camillus Montage

It is not often that Diodorus Sicilus is praised for his accuracy, but this is one of those rare moments. Savour it, everyone! Dr G takes us through the details of his account, in which Camillus is on a military rampage. Forget the Rocky training montage that Livy includes. This is a Rambo montage, with Camillus kicking ass all over Italy. He’s taking down the Volscians, the Aequians, the Etruscans…. where does he find the time?

It is during his escapades that Camillus recovers the ransomed gold, not the rather more dramatic intervention included in Livy’s history. However, Diodorus and Livy are not the only sources to have different explanations for the return of the gold! Some sources claim it was the people of Caere who retrieve the ransom after defeating the Gauls in a battle, and others claim it was one of the Emperor Tiberius’ ancestors who won it back in a battle with a Gallic chieftain.

We will let you guess which version Dr Rad prefers…

There’s No Place like Rome

Unlike Diodorus, Livy is content to keep the focus on affairs inside Rome. Camillus gets a triumph and then keeps his dictatorship because things are not yet as they should be. Camillus needs to make sure that Rome remains on the good side of the gods. Purification and restoration of the temples was the name of the game.

However, most of the remainder of Livy’s account for this year is dedicated to Camillus giving the MOTHER of all speeches. The tribunes of the plebs were stirring up trouble by pushing for Rome to be moved to Veii. Urgh, the tribunes. They were the only people Camillus did not miss whilst he was in exile.

Why go to the effort of rebuilding the city when there’s a perfectly good abandoned one right over there?

Well, Camillus can tell you exactly why and in a painful level of detail. To cut a long story short:

· Rome is far too amazeballs to leave

· It seems incredibly DUMB to have defended it fiercely against the Gauls if they just planned to up sticks

· Um, the location?! The views?

· You can’t just relocate your religion – we JUST patched things up with the gods, guys

· This is just lazy behaviour and he doesn’t like it. In fact, it is UN-ROMAN

Camillus’ rhetoric was incredibly powerful, but a sign sent straight from the gods helped to seal the deal. The Romans were staying put! Time to get Bob the Builder on the phone.

Whichever historian you prefer, we both end up in roughly similar places by the end of 390 BCE (or thereabouts): the gods have been taken care of, the city has been rebuilt, the gold is back in Roman hands, and Camillus is the most awesome general… well, ever!

And THAT brings the Gallic Sack of Rome to a close.

Things to Look Out For:

· The famously preserved head that was allegedly discovered on the Capitoline

· The possible founding of the Capitoline Games for Jupiter Optimus Maximus

· The building of a temple to Aius Locutius who TRIED to warn them about the Gauls. Schwoops!

· Matrons! Yes, finally some women briefly grace our podcast once more

· A mention of the Social War (91-87 BCE) between Rome and its Italian allies over their rights. Some of Camillus’ speech may have been shaped by pro-Roman propaganda that originated during this conflict.

· Ancient building programs – state-funded, no less

· Very sweaty historians by the end of this show

For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

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For our full show notes and edited transcripts, head on over to https://partialhistorians.com/

Support the show