Battle of Arausio

The Battle of Arausio took place on 6 October 105 BC, at a site between the town of Arausio, now Orange, Vaucluse, and the Rhône river, when two Roman armies, commanded by proconsul Quintus Servilius Caepio and consul Gnaeus Mallius Maximus, suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Cimbri and Teuton migratory tribes who were led by Boiorix and Teutobod respectively.

Differences between the Roman commanders prevented regular coordination between their armies, resulting in their annihilation by the united Cimbrian-Teutonic force. Roman losses are thought to have been as high as 80,000 legionaries and another 40,000 auxiliary troops, with total losses numbering up to 120,000 soldiers, the entirety of both armies. In terms of losses, this battle is regarded as the worst defeat in the history of ancient Rome, surpassing the Battle of Cannae. The battle resulted in the Roman military being restructured under Gaius Marius through his Marian reforms, which significantly changed the organisation and recruitment of Roman legions. These changes would remain principally intact for centuries. However, some historians have questioned the implementation of sudden reforms under Marius.