15. The Romans particularly took against the Celts after they sacked Rome
In 387 BC, Gaulish Celts under the leadership of Brennus, defeated Rome’s legions at the Battle of Allia. The victorious Gauls took and sacked Rome. They even entered the Senate House and pulled the senator’s beards. Unlike other Celtic invaders, Brennius wasn’t interested in keeping Rome. He just wanted to plunder her. So, he demanded his weight in gold before he and his men left the city. To rub salt into the Roman wounds, he even added his sword to the scales with the words “vae victis“— woe to the defeated. Once the Romans paid the ransom, the Celts left, leaving the eternal city to rebuild her defenses and nurse a grudge.
