Battle of the Sabis

  • The Battle of the Sabis (57 BCE), also known as the Battle of the Sambre, was fought between Julius Caesar and the Belgae during the Gallic Wars (58-51 BCE).
  • The outcome was a narrowly won victory for Julius Caesar.

Date and Location

  • 57 BCE near Saulzoir on the River Selle (not the Sambre as previously thought) in Northeastern France.

The Reason for the Battle

  • The Belgae became concerned at the Roman successes, and planned to assemble an army of 300,000 in North-eastern Gaul, march south and eliminate the Romans.

The Winner

  • Winner: Roman Republic under Julius Caesar
  • Loser: The 4 Belgae Tribes, The Nervii, Atrebates, Viromanduii, and Aduatuci

The Adversaries

  • Roman Republic under Julius Caesar
    • versus
  • A Coalition of Belgic Tribes under the Nervii leader, Boduognatus.
    • The Nervii
      • They were a Spartan-like Tribe who dominated the other Galllic Tribes and demanded Tribute from them.
      • They did not permit anybody to pass through their territory, they maitained a secretive existence, and were dedicated to warfare.
      • They were known to march long distances to conduct wars with or for other Tribes.
      • Although they did not use Cavalry, they were reknowned for making screens between trees of dense hedges that hindered any advance into their territory.
    • Their Allies: The Atrebates, Viromanduii, and Aduatuci.

The Commanders

The Build-up to the Battle

  • Caesar decided to head north quickly with 8 legions and strike first, before they could group together.
  • The Remi:
    • They were a Roman Client Tribe, who called on Julius Caesar for assistance, as they were being attacked by the Belgae at Bibrax. Julius Caesar sent the Legions to Bibrax, whereupon the Belgae promptly departed, burning Remi territory as they passed out of it. They then massed on the Aisne and awaited Caesar for a pitched battle.
  • The Belgae:
    • Their preferred method of fighting was by using a wall of shields. Julius Caesar countered this by using Cavalry, Numidian archers, Peltors and Slingers to break their defensive system. However, Julius Caesar did not offer a pitched Battle, realising they were too strong. Eventually, the Belgae decided to leave for home.
  • The Suessiones:
    • The next day Caesar arrived with his siege towers at Noviodunum, a city of the Suessiones, at which point they surrendered.
  • The Bellovaci:
    • Then Caesar entered the lands of the Bellovaci, who also surrendered.
  • The Nervii:
    • Caesar then moved into the territory of the Nervii, led by Boduognatus, who was waiting for him with three other Tribes who had also refused to submit to Rome, the Atrebates, the Viromandui and the Aduatuci.

The Strength of the Forces under Julius Caesar

  • Auxiliaries and Allie Cavalry: 20,000
  • Losses: Unknown

The Strength of the Forces under Boduognatus

  • 25-75,000 men (Sources vary)
    • Nervii 50,000
    • Viromanduii 10,000
    • Atrebates 15,000
    • Aduatuci 19,000, who never made it to the Battle in time.
  • Losses: 60,000 men

How the Armies were Deployed

  • After marching through Nervii territory, the 8 roman Legions were looking to make Camp for the night.
  • The Nervii formulated a Plan based on information from Gallic observers, that the leading Roman legion always made Camp for the night. They would conceal themselves, then separate the leading Legion whilst it was making camp, and annihilate it before the others could come forward to its aid. The signal to attack would be the arrival of the Baggage train behind the leading Legion.
  • However Caesar had reformed his column into 6 Legions, followed by the Baggage train, followed by the 2 newly recruited Legions, Legio XIII Gemina and Legio XIV Gemina. This change proved to be the saving factor. The 6 Legions then prepared the camp on a hillside sloping down to the easily fordable river.
  • The Roman Cavalry and Skirmishers were sent to find small dispersed groups of Belgae to pursue and attack.

How the Battle was Fought

  • Surprised but undeterred by the arrival of six and not one Legion, the Belgae still attacked en masse.
  • Using surprise, they charged across the shallow river from concealed positions and up the slope into the Roman legions, catching them completely unawares as they were making camp.
  • The Legions had no time to regroup into their units or put on their armour properly.

Four reasons why the Legions were not instantly annihilated

  1. The Legionaries did not need to wait for orders, but made their own decisions and headed for the nearest centurion.
  2. The Legionary Commanders had been ordered to stay with their troops and were able to rally them and give orders.
  3. There were six Legions making camp, instead of one, as Caesar had reorganised the marching order. This reduced the effectiveness of the surprise attack.
  4. There were 2 Legions, guarding the Baggage train and so held in reserve, who could be brought into the existing battle, which tipped the balance in Julius Caesar’s favour.
  • The Left Flank:
    • Legio X Equestris and Legio IX Hispana threw their spears, then charged down the hill pushing the Atrebates into the River. The Atrebates regrouped and counter-attacked but were repulsed again.
  • The Centre:
  • The Front and Right Flank;
    • Legio VII Claudia and Legio XII Fulminata: Unfortunately a gap opened up between these two Legions and the other four.
    • Immediately Boduognatus led a column of his Nervii into the gap. He then split his force, one group encircled the two Legions and the other pushed up to the top of the hill.
    • The camp followers and Baggage train, seeing the disaster unfolding started to flee, along with the Allied Treveri Cavalry.
    • Julius Caesar recognised he was at a crisis point. The two Legions on the right flank were being cut to pieces by the Nervii, they had no reserves, were losing their officers and the Cohorts had become too compressed to be effective.
    • Julius Caesar went to the Legio XII Fulminata and took a shield from a soldier at the rear. He called his Centurions by their names, and gave them orders to advance. This opened up the Cohorts, gave new hope to the men, who now started fighting back, and checked the Nervii advance.
    • Julius Caesar then sent the Tribunes to the Legio VII Claudia to unite with the XII and fight back to back. The renewed confidence gave the men the spirit to re-engage the Nervii.

How the Battle turned in favour of Caesar

  • Meanwhile the Legio X Equestris had defeated the Atrebates and seized the enemy camp on the opposite hill. From here they rushed back to attack the Nervii in their rear.
  • The two Legions accompanying the Baggage train, the Legio XIII Gemina and the Legio XIV Gemina, had doubled their speed on hearing of the ambush, and had now helped reclaim the camp. Together with the Legio X Equestris they turned to help the two Legions under attack from the Nervii. At this point the Cavalry and Skirmishers who had been scattered by engaging small dispersed groups, re-engaged, along with the camp followers.
  • However, even though the Nervii realised they were outnumbered and now losing, they never broke and ran.
  • The Nervii were trained to fight to the last man, and make a Last Stand, and fought on top of the pile of bodies of their dead comrades. Finally, the Romans overwhelmed the Nervii.

The Outcome

  • The Nervii:
    • Julius Caesar was nearly defeated and annihilated by the Nervii.
    • Instead, it was the Nervii who were defeated and annihilated as a force. They admitted they were reduced from 600 to 3 senators, and from 60,000 soldiers to 500.
  • The Aduatuci:
    • This Tribe never reached the battle and went home, where they fortified themselves into their city.
    • Julius Caesar pursued them with his siege engines, whereupon the Aduatuci surrendered their weapons. Caesar declined to occupy the town that night. During the night the Aduatuci produced hidden weapons and tried to catch the Romans in a surprise attack. To punish their deception, Caesar sold the whole town of 53,000 into slavery.
  • The other Gallic Tribes:
    • The Veneti, Unelli, Osismii, Curiosolitae, Sesuvii, Aulerci, and Rhedones all gave their allegiance to Rome.

Sources

 

River Selle

Get Directions Go to Visitor Map
Posted in .