This week’s ‘ancient action heroes’ blog once again features a
Roman and a Gaul engaged in a brutal single combat and comes from the history
written by the Roman historian Livy.
In 349 B.C., twelve years after the heroics of Titus Manlius Torquatus, the Romans were still having trouble with the Gauls, the hairy barbarians who gave Roman children nightmares ever since their sack of Rome in 390 B.C. The Romans had manned their outposts and were preparing for whatever the Gauls threw at them. In typical Gallic fashion, at one of the outposts, a gigantic champion
stepped forward in bright and splendid armour (this time we only have the one description, so no confusion with being naked or clothed) throwing insults at the Romans and challenging them to single combat, interestingly through an interpreter.
Inside the Roman outpost a young military tribune decided to answer the challenge. Having asked permission of the consul, Marcus Valerius stepped forward into no man’s land armed with his sword, shield, helmet and armour. As Marcus stepped towards the Gaul a crow suddenly landed on top of his helmet. The tribune took this as a divinely-sent augury and prayed that the god or goddess who had sent him the crow would help him in the coming struggle. Amazingly as the two champions battled
it out, the crow stayed on Marcus’ helmet, attacking the Gaul’s eyes and face with beak and talons every time it was within range. Exhausted from the fighting and terrified of the crow and what it
possibly signalled, the Gaul was eventually cut down by Marcus who next began to
despoil the body. The crow then flew away, before the Gallic army furiously charged the Romans who were overjoyed at the brave young tribune’s victory.
During the battle, the consul shouted to his soldier to follow Marcus’ example, and “lay the Gauls in heaps round their fallen champion!" This the Romans did as they inflicted a crushing defeat on the Gauls.
Following the battle and his great victory over the Gallic champion, Marcus Valerius took the cognomen (Roman third name) Corvus in honour of the bird that joined his side in the duel.
Was this fight an example of divine assistance or just a case of a helmet with a crow crest? If you want to
hear more about Marcus Valerius Corvus and the many battles between the Romans and Gauls check out Livy’s History of Rome, 7.26.
Verdun Howells
Roman and a Gaul engaged in a brutal single combat and comes from the history
written by the Roman historian Livy.
In 349 B.C., twelve years after the heroics of Titus Manlius Torquatus, the Romans were still having trouble with the Gauls, the hairy barbarians who gave Roman children nightmares ever since their sack of Rome in 390 B.C. The Romans had manned their outposts and were preparing for whatever the Gauls threw at them. In typical Gallic fashion, at one of the outposts, a gigantic champion
stepped forward in bright and splendid armour (this time we only have the one description, so no confusion with being naked or clothed) throwing insults at the Romans and challenging them to single combat, interestingly through an interpreter.
Inside the Roman outpost a young military tribune decided to answer the challenge. Having asked permission of the consul, Marcus Valerius stepped forward into no man’s land armed with his sword, shield, helmet and armour. As Marcus stepped towards the Gaul a crow suddenly landed on top of his helmet. The tribune took this as a divinely-sent augury and prayed that the god or goddess who had sent him the crow would help him in the coming struggle. Amazingly as the two champions battled
it out, the crow stayed on Marcus’ helmet, attacking the Gaul’s eyes and face with beak and talons every time it was within range. Exhausted from the fighting and terrified of the crow and what it
possibly signalled, the Gaul was eventually cut down by Marcus who next began to
despoil the body. The crow then flew away, before the Gallic army furiously charged the Romans who were overjoyed at the brave young tribune’s victory.
During the battle, the consul shouted to his soldier to follow Marcus’ example, and “lay the Gauls in heaps round their fallen champion!" This the Romans did as they inflicted a crushing defeat on the Gauls.
Following the battle and his great victory over the Gallic champion, Marcus Valerius took the cognomen (Roman third name) Corvus in honour of the bird that joined his side in the duel.
Was this fight an example of divine assistance or just a case of a helmet with a crow crest? If you want to
hear more about Marcus Valerius Corvus and the many battles between the Romans and Gauls check out Livy’s History of Rome, 7.26.
Verdun Howells