One of only three times a Roman general earned the spolia opima by killing an enemy king in single combat, also won by cavalry alone.
Key Facts
- Year
- 222 BC
- Roman commander
- Consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus
- Enemy king killed
- Viridomarus (or Britomartus)
- Honor awarded
- Spolia opima (for killing king in single combat)
- Victory method
- Roman cavalry without legion support
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The cisalpine Insubres, a Celtic tribe in northern Italy, called upon the transalpine Gaesatae mercenary warriors to assist them against Roman expansion in the Po Valley. This alliance prompted a Roman military response led by consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus in 222 BC.
At Clastidium, Roman forces under Marcellus engaged a combined Celtic army of Insubres and Gaesatae. Marcellus personally slew the enemy king—named Viridomarus by Florus and Britomartus by Plutarch—in single combat. The Roman cavalry then routed the Celtic force without assistance from the legions, securing a complete Roman victory.
Marcellus was awarded the spolia opima, one of ancient Rome's rarest military honors, for killing the enemy commander in personal combat. The victory strengthened Roman control over Cisalpine Gaul and demonstrated the effectiveness of Roman cavalry as an independent combat force.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Marcus Claudius Marcellus.
Side B
2 belligerents
Viridomarus (Britomartus).