Brennus (3rd century BC) facts for kids

Brennus (also called Brennos) was a famous leader of the Gauls. He led a large Gaulish army into Ancient Greece around 279 BC. His main goal was to reach Delphi and take the valuable treasures from the temple of Apollo. However, his army suffered a big defeat at Delphi. Brennus was seriously injured during the battle and died there. His army, which wasn't very experienced in fighting like the Greeks, was forced to retreat. Many of his soldiers were lost as they fled from Greece.

In 280 BC, a huge army of about 85,000 Gaulish warriors began a "great expedition." They came from a region called Pannonia. This army split into three groups. They marched south into Ancient Greece, first attacking Macedonia. Then they moved further south into central Greece, aiming for Delphi. This campaign against the Greek city-states did not last long and eventually failed.

One part of this army was led by Brennus and Acichorius. They moved to fight against the Paionians. Some historians believe that "Brennus" might have been a title, and Acichorius was the actual person. The other two parts of the army were led by Cerethrius and Bolgios. They fought against the Thracians, Triballi, Macedonians, and Illyrians.

Brennus was said to be from a tribe called the Prausi. These Gauls had settled in Pannonia because their homeland in Gaul was becoming too crowded. They were looking for new lands to conquer.

The Great Military Campaign

The Gaulish army was first led by a general named Cambaules. He led them as far as Thrace. In 279 BC, they decided to move forward again. They split their forces into three groups. Cerethrius led one group against the Thracians. Bolgios led another against the Macedonians. Brennus and Acichorius led the third group against the Paionians.

Bolgios's group caused heavy losses for the Macedonians. They even killed their king, Ptolemy Keraunos. But a Macedonian nobleman named Sosthenes pushed them back. Brennus's group then attacked Sosthenes and defeated him. After that, they raided the countryside.

Once these groups returned, Brennus suggested a big, united attack on Greece. He and Acichorius would lead it. The army was huge, with 152,000 foot soldiers and 24,400 cavalry (horsemen). The historian Pausanias wrote about a special tactic they used called trimarcisia. Each cavalryman had two servants on horseback. These servants could give him a fresh horse if needed. They could also take his place in battle if he was hurt or killed. This meant the actual number of horsemen was much higher, around 61,200!

The route of the Gauls during their migration.

Battle at Thermopylae

The Greeks gathered their forces at Thermopylae. Their general was Calippus from Athens. They learned that the Gauls had reached Phthiotis and Magnesia. The Greeks sent their cavalry and light infantry to meet the Gauls at the Spercheios river. They broke down the bridges and camped on the river bank.

But that night, Brennus sent 10,000 men to cross the river further downstream. There, the river formed a marshy lake. The Gauls were strong swimmers. Some even used their shields to float! The river was also shallow enough for the tallest soldiers to wade across. The Greeks had to retreat to their main army. Brennus then forced the local people to rebuild the bridges. This allowed the rest of his army to cross.

The Gauls attacked the Greeks at Thermopylae. At first, the Greeks pushed them back because they had better weapons. Brennus then sent 40,000 foot soldiers and 800 cavalry back over the Spercheius river. Their mission was to invade Aetolia. Brennus hoped this would make the Aetolian soldiers in the Greek army leave Thermopylae. He wanted them to go defend their homeland.

Brennus's plan worked! But the Aetolian soldiers caused so many losses for the Gauls. Less than half of them returned to Thermopylae. Meanwhile, local people were scared into showing Brennus a mountain pass. This pass would let him attack the Greek army from behind. He led 40,000 men over this pass. A thick fog hid them until the last moment. They scattered the Phoceans who were guarding the pass. However, the Phoceans quickly warned the Greek army at Thermopylae. This gave the Greeks enough time to retreat safely before being surrounded. The Athenian fleet helped evacuate the army. Brennus then marched straight for Delphi. He did not wait for Acichorius and the rest of the army to catch up.

Attack on Delphi

Historians like Pausanias and Justin both wrote about the attack on Delphi. They say the Gauls were defeated and driven away. A terrible thunderstorm hit them. It made it impossible for them to move or even hear their orders. The night that followed was very cold. In the morning, the Greeks attacked them from both sides.

Brennus was wounded. The Gauls had to fall back, and they even killed their own wounded soldiers who couldn't retreat. That night, panic spread through the Gaulish camp. The soldiers started fighting among themselves. Acichorius and the rest of the army finally joined them. But the Greeks forced them into a full retreat. Brennus took his own life.

The Aetolians chased the retreating Gauls. They fell back to the Spercheius river. There, the waiting Thessalians and Malians attacked them. Many Gauls were killed.

What Happened Next

The Gauls who managed to escape this defeat settled in different places. Some settled near the Hellespont in the area around Byzantium. There, they created a kingdom called Tylis. Others settled around Ancyra, where they founded the kingdom of Galatia.

To remember their victory, the Amphictyonic League started new games. These were called the Delphic Soteria, which means "deliverance" or "salvation."

The writer Strabo mentioned a story from his time. It said that 15,000 talents of gold and silver were taken from Delphi. This treasure was supposedly brought back to Tolosa (modern Toulouse, France) by the Tectosages tribe. They were said to be part of the invading army. However, Strabo did not believe this story. He argued that the defeated Gauls were in no position to carry off such riches. Also, Delphi's treasure had already been taken by the Phocians during the Third Sacred War a century earlier.