Cimbrīcum bellum

, was begun by the Cimbri and Teutones, by an invasion of the Roman territories, B.C. 109. These barbarians were so courageous, and even desperate, that they fastened their first ranks each to the other with cords. In the first battle they destroyed 80,000 Romans, under the consuls Manlius and Servilius Cæpo. But when Marius, in his second consulship, was chosen to carry on the war, he met the Teutones at Aquæ Sextiæ, where, after a bloody engagement, he left dead on the field of battle 20,000, and took 90,000 prisoners, B.C. 102. The Cimbri, who had formed another army, had already penetrated into Italy, where they were met, at the river A thesis, by Marius and his colleague Catulus a year after. An engagement ensued, and 140,000 of them were slain. This last battle put an end to this dreadful war, and the two consuls entered Rome in triumph. Florus , bk. 3 , ch. 3 .— Pliny , bk. 7 , ch. 22 ; bk. 17 , ch. 1 .— Mela , bk. 3 , ch. 3 .— Paterculus , bk. 2 , ch. 12 .— Plutarch , Caius Marius .