By 112 BC, Rome had its first encounter with migrating Germanic tribes, who five hundred years hence would overthrow their empire. Before this time, most of Western Europe was inhabited by Gauls, and the Germans were confined mostly to northern Germany and Scandinavia. The Cimbri, and Teutones, were two Germanic tribes who were thought to have left their homeland in Jutland, possibly due to flooding. They were several hundred thousand strong and were searching for a new homeland, with their wives, children, and belongings packed into wagons. To the Romans they appeared to be giants—most of the men being over six feet tall, and the women nearly as large.
![]() |
Fortunately for Rome, the two migrating tribes split up and crossed the Alps at different passes, so Marius met them separately. He laid an ambush for the Teutones at Aquae Sextie, and then annihilated them. The entire tribe was slain or taken into slavery, and many of the women killed their children and then themselves. The following year, when the Cimbri passed over the Alps, they met the same fate at Vercellae.
Date | Battle Summary | |
---|---|---|
Battle of Noreia
Cimbri-Teutones victory
Fought B.C. 112 a Roman legion under Carbo, and a tribe of migrating Teutones and Cimbri. The teutones were retreating from the Roman territory of the Taurisci on the Danube border when they were informed of an ambushed and turned unexpectedly on, and routed the Romans, whom they far out-numbered. The victorious Teutones then headed towards Gaul rather than pressing on toward Rome. | ||
Battle of Arausio
Cimbri-Teutones victory
Fought B.C. 105, when the Cimbri under Boiorix, and Teutones under Teutobod totally routed two consular armies under Caepio and Cn. Mallius Maximus. It is said that 80,000 Romans fell. | ||
Battle of Aquae Sextiae
Romans victory
Fought B.C. 102, when the Teutones under the king, Teutobod, were totally routed by the Romans under Marius. | ||
Battle of Vercellae
Romans victory
Fought July 30, 101 B.C., between 50,000 Romans, under Marius, and the Cimbri, under Boiorix. The Cimbri were almost annihilated, and their king slain. |
Renowned general. Modernized legions. Waged a bloody feud with party of Sulla. | |
Leader of the Cimbri tribe of Germans. Defeated at Vercellae. | |
Leader of the Teutone tribe of Germans. Defeated at Aquae Sextiae. |
Swarm from the North in | Helmet and Spear by Alfred J. Church |
Barbarians in | The Story of the Romans by H. A. Guerber |
Caius Marius in | Back Matter by books/horne/soldiers/_back.html |
Jugurtha Is Brought to Rome in Chains in | The Story of Rome by Mary Macgregor |
Marius Conquers the norsees in | The Story of Rome by Mary Macgregor |
Marius Mocks the Ambassadors of the Cimbri in | The Story of Rome by Mary Macgregor |
norses and Romans in | The History of Germany by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall |
Image Links | ||
---|---|---|
![]() Defeat of the Cimbri in the Battle at the Waggons in Helmet and Spear |
![]() The Teutones Passing from Italy into Gaul in Greatest Nations - Germany |
![]() The Teutones Wandering in Gaul in Greatest Nations - Rome |
![]() Defence of the Cimbrian Women at Vercellae in Greatest Nations - Rome |
![]() On and on they came, hungering for battle in The History of Germany |
![]() Marius and the Ambassadors of the Cimbri in Plutarch's Lives W. H. Weston |