field and prevented their occupation of Italy south of
the Apennines.

*The sack of Rome.* In 387 B. C., a horde of these marauders crossed the
Apennines and besieged Clusium. Thence, angered, as was said, by the
hostile actions of Roman ambassadors, they marched directly upon Rome. The
Romans marched out with all their forces and met the Gauls near the Allia,
a small tributary of the Tiber above Fidenae. The fierce onset of the
Gauls drove the Roman army in disorder from the field. Many were slain in
the rout and the majority of the survivors were forced to take refuge
within the ruined fortifications of Veii. Deprived of their help and
lacking confidence in the weak and ill-planned walls, the citizen body
evacuated Rome itself and fled to the neighboring towns. The Capitol,
however, with its separate fortifications, was left with a small garrison.
The Gauls entered Rome and sacked the city, but failed to storm the
citadel. Apparently they had no intention of settling in Latium and
therefore, after a delay of seven months, upon information that the Veneti
were attacking their new settlements in the Po valley, they accepted a
ransom of 1000 pounds of gold (about $225,000) for the city and marched
off home. The Romans at once reoccupied and rebuilt their city, and soon
after provided it with more adequate defences in the new wall of stone
later known as the Servian wall.

*Later Gallic invasions.* For some years the Gauls ceased their inroads,
but in 368 another raid brought them as far as Alba in the land of the
Aequi, and the Romans feared to attack the invaders. However, when a fresh
horde appeared in 348 the Romans were prepared. They and their allies
blocked the foe's path, and the Gauls retreated, fearing to risk a battle.
Rome thus became the successful champion of the Italian peoples, their
bulwark against the barbarian invaders from the north. In 334 the Gauls
and the Romans concluded peace and entered upon a period of friendly
relations which lasted for the rest of the fourth century.

III. THE DISRUPTION OF THE LATIN LEAGUE AND THE ROMAN ALLIANCE WITH THE
CAMPANIANS: 387-334 B. C.

*Wars with the Aequi, Volsci, and Etruscans.* The disaster that overtook
Rome created a profound impression throughout the civilized world and was
noted by contemporary Greek writers. But the blow left no permanent
traces, for only the city, not the state, had been destroyed. It is true
that, encou