- Battle of Faesulae
Infobox Military Conflict
caption=
conflict=Battle of Faesulae
partof=Roman-Gaulish Wars
date=225 BC
place=Faesulae ,Italy
result=Gaulish victory
combatant1=Roman Republic
combatant2=Gaul s
commander1=Lucius Aemilius Papus and a Roman Praetor
commander2=
strength1=
strength2=~10,000
casualties1=~6.000
casualties2=The Battle of Faesulae was fought in
225 BC between theRoman Republic and a group ofGauls living inItaly . The Gauls defeated the Romans, but later the same year, a decisive battle at Telamon had the opposite outcome.A general call to arms was issued throughout Italy in the early months of 225 BC because of the growing threat of the Gauls to the Romans. Seventy thousand
Samnites ,Etruscans ,Umbrians , Campanians and Romans joined forces to meet the common threat that faced them to the North. Roughly a quarter of this huge force was called up for active service,while the rest was employed in garrison duty,or held back in reserve. One of the consuls, Gaius Atilius Regulus, who was fighting inSardinia , received orders to return immediately without delay. The other consul,Lucius Aemilius Papus ,with a full consular army, took up position atAriminum , to guard the eastern coast route. Another army,composed ofSabines and Etruscans, and commanded by apraetor , advanced intoEtruria , and it was here that the engagement took place. The Gauls, wishing to avoid an encounter with Aemilius, marched rapidly through the central passes of the Apennines, and, entering Etruria, passed on unopposed as far asClusium , plundering and burning as they went. Here they were brought to a stand by the praetor, who had made a hasty retrogade movement on perceiving that the enemy had got between him and Rome. The Gauls then fell back toward Faesulae, leaving their cavalry to cover their retreat, and the Roman general, pursuing them incautiously, allowed himself to be drawn into an ambush and suffered a grave defeat. The Roman force was only saved from total destruction by the arrival of Aemilius Papus, who had left his position at Ariminum as soon as he learnt that the Gauls were on the march to Rome.
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