Chapter XIX - The 2nd Gaul War (160 BC)
A. Situation in Gaul (197 - 161BC)
After the collapse of the Parisian realm in 197 BC, it seems, that the Parisii aggressively tried to build up a new Kingdom by expanding to the northeast into the territory of the Eburones. After two decades of constant quarrels, the Senones intervened from the south in favor of the Eburones and completely annexed the former territory of the Parisii, probably in the early 160s.
In the following years, they could expand their influence into the tribal territories of the Pictones and Bellovaci. Thus, the Senones controlled most parts of northern / northwestern Gaul, while the Eburones still settled in today`s Belgium / northern France.
In 160 BC, Rome decided to attack the Eburones.
B. Progress
Although we have little knowledge about this war, there is no doubt, that Rome had stationed three Legions in Gaul. The II. and VIII. in the north, the XII. in the west
(80).
Fig. 18: Gaul in late 161 BC
In early 160 BC, the two northern Legions advanced into the territory of the Eburones under the command of Numerius Fabius Asina, the young and, as we might suggest, militarily skilled governor of Belgica. He marched to the northwest, and after only three months he seized Nemetocenna
(81), the former capital of the Atrebates.
Shortly after, there must have been negotiations with the Eburonic Chief, that acknowledged Rome`s claim to the seized territories.
Fig. 19: Gaul in late 160 BC
C. Result
The roman sources are very scarce, when it comes to the 2nd Gaul War. Historians quote three theses for that:
1. "Not justified". Although reports from northern Gaul are rare for the period from 197 - 161 BC, there is no sign for a tense coexistence between Eburones and Rome. This leads to the conclusion, that the 2nd Gaul War was simply another step in Rome`s strategy to gain control over whole Gaul and that there was no "reason" for this expansion, that would have justified such an aggressive move. So there was no need to explain an event, that didn`t fit into official annal-writing.
2. "Not important". For the common Roman, northern Gaul was a random place in the middle of (by roman standards) uncivilized and largely unknown territory. We might assume, that he didn`t made distinctions between the several tribes or showed interest into their societal structure, political relations among each other or their culture. Thus, an elaborated display of this event had hardly found a large base of interested readers.
3. "Not successful". A third and more recent approach is the analysis of things, that didn`t happen. Vogondy
(82) applies attention to the deployment of roman troops. Especially the fact, that one Legion had been sufficient to defeat the Eburones and that a third Legion had been moved from Iberia to the Gaul Atlantic coast. He comes to the conclusion, that Rome either feared or maybe even anticipated, that the Senones would intervene in support of their Eburonic neighbors, but obviously nothing happened.
At this moment of time, there is a consensus, that probably all three theses have a share on the truth. Undoubtedly, the 2nd Gaul War was another, yet no crucial victory for Rome, although it encircled the Senones (thus limiting their possibilities for expansion) and granted access to the English Channel (thus bringing Britannia within roman sight).
(80) It is an interesting fact, that the Legio XII. Iovia`s usual base was in northern Iberia.
(81) Today Arras
(82) Charles Vogondy, "Eagles over Gaul", 2006