Battle of Agen
| date | 107 BC Chr. |
|---|---|
| place | Agen , on the banks of the Garonne |
| output | Celtic-Germanic victory |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| unknown | approx. 2,500 legionaries (5 cohorts plus auxiliary troops) |
| losses | |
|
low |
over 1,500 men |
Noreia - Agen - Arausio - Aquae Sextiae - Vercellae
The battle of Agen took place in the summer of 107 BC. Between Roman legions under Lucius Cassius Longinus against a mixed army of Tigurines , Tougener , Cimbri and Teutons under the Tiguriner Divico . This battle was the second battle in the Cimber Wars and ended in a defeat for the Romans.
prehistory
The Germanic tribes of the Ambrones , Cimbres and Teutons had come from the north and the great pillars of the march were joined by many smaller Germanic and Celtic tribes. So also parts of the Helvetian tribes of the Tigurines and Tougener, who came to 111 BC. Joined the Cimbri and Teutons. Since these marching armies could not move through the wooded area of southern Gaul as one, they split up. A partial army, in which members of all tribes mingled, was led by the Tigurin tribal duke Divico . He led it through the tribal area of the Celtic Nitiobrogen , along the Garonne in the direction of the city of Tolosa , where he promised rich booty.
To protect their province, the Romans sent an army to the invaders, which was led by the general and consul Lucius Cassius Longinus and his legate , the consular Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus . The Roman army marched alongside the enemy army in the summer of 107 BC. Along the Garonne. They were ambushed by Divico near the Celtic oppidum at today's Agen on the banks of the Garonne.
course
The valley of the Garonne was surrounded by wooded hills near Agen, in which Divico could - unnoticed by the Romans - position his fighters for an ambush. He divided his troops into three meetings. His Tigurines formed in the center, the remaining fighters formed the wings and hid in the undergrowth.
The Tigurines opened the attack on the Romans marching on the right bank of the Garonne. They succeeded in tricking the Romans into following them into the forest. Bound there in battle with the Tigurines, the wings hidden in both flanks attacked the Roman troops, who now saw themselves surrounded by enemies on three sides, while with the Garonne behind them they had hardly any room to evade. Panic soon broke out among the Romans and many turned to flee. Lucius Cassius Longinus, Lucius Piso and most of the Roman soldiers were killed, the rest of them managed to escape to their fortified camp, where they holed up under the command of Gaius Popillius.
Gaius Popillius eventually capitulated under humiliating conditions. He and his men were given free travel, but had to leave half of their belongings behind, take hostages, and walk through the yoke under the mockery of the victors without weapons or armor (see painting).
consequences
The significant weakening of the Roman military presence in the region has meant that belonging to the Roman provincial town of Tolosa, the inhabitants of the Celtic tribe of Volker came from, rebelled against the Romans and put her Roman garrison in chains. After all, Divico and the other armies of the Cimbri and Teutons first advanced into other Celtic areas after the victory at Agen, instead of visiting the Roman province of Gallia ulterior . As a result, the Roman consul Quintus Servilius Caepio had the opportunity to retreat Tolosa before he was killed in October 105 BC. Was defeated by the Cimbri and Teutons in the battle of Arausio .
Later, in the Gallic War in 58 BC. BC, the humiliation caused by the defeat at Agen was still so vividly remembered by the Romans and by Gaius Iulius Caesar that he communicated it to the Senate as a message of joy when he defeated the Tigurines on the Saône and his victory as a revenge for the shame declared by Agen. Lucius Piso, who died at Agen, was the grandfather of Caesar 's father-in-law of the same name .
Swiss nationalist history painting from 1858
reception
The battle was depicted in numerous patriotic-nationalist paintings in the 19th century, and the mistake was made of locating the battle on Lake Geneva . There were also numerous poems and heroic songs about this event.
literature
- Theodor Mommsen , Roman history . Volume 2. From the Battle of Pydna to Sulla's death. 3. Edition. Weidmann, Berlin 1861, p. 178 ( complete online version in the Google book search)
- Gilbert Kaenel : Battle of Agen. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Cf. Theodor Mommsen , Römische Geschichte . Volume 2. From the Battle of Pydna to Sulla's death. 3. Edition. Weidmann, Berlin 1861, p. 178.
- ↑ Caesar De bello Gallico 1, 12 .
- ↑ See François Paschoud : Les Romains sont-ils passés sous le joug à Montreux? A propos d'un célèbre tableau de Charles Gleyre. In: Museum Helveticum 52, 1995, pp. 49-62