How a goose saved ancient Rome from disaster

In Ancient Rome, the sacred geese were considered divine animals and were devoted to the goddess Juno, the queen of the gods.

The Romans believed that these geese had the power to act as intermediaries between the gods and humans, helping them understand the will of the divine.

These geese were specifically associated with Juno Moneta, an epithet of Juno, who presided over monetary finances.

Moneta means "warner" in Latin, and it is interesting to note that our modern term "money" is derived from this name because coins were minted in the temple on the Capitoline Hill where the geese were kept.

The sacred geese were primarily a breed known as the Greylag goose, which is native to Europe and North Asia.

These geese were well cared for and were often better fed than the Roman citizens during times of famine due to their religious significance.

The importance and sacredness of the geese were particularly showcased in the tale of the Gaulish invasion, where the geese's alertness is said to have saved the Capitoline Hill, and by extension, Rome itself, from being overtaken.

It all started in the year 390 BC when Rome found itself at odds with a Gallic tribe known as the Senones, led by the fierce warrior Brennus.

On July 18, Rome suffered a crushing defeat in the Battle of Allia, leading to the subsequent Gallic Siege of Rome.

According to Livy and Plutarch, the Gauls managed to infiltrate Rome, primarily due to the Romans' lack of vigilance, except for a single fortress on the Capitoline Hill.

And here is where the geese come into the story.

The Capitoline Hill was the home of the Temple of Juno Moneta, which housed the sacred geese of Juno, the Roman queen of the gods.

In this period of distress, as the Gauls crept up the hill in the dead of night, aiming to silently overtake the fortress, an unlikely source of alarm came not from the Roman guards on duty but from the sacred geese of Juno.

Despite the famine that had forced the Romans to ration their food supply, the sacred geese were well-fed due to their religious significance.

Vigilant and alert, the geese sensed the stealthy intruders and started squawking and flapping their wings wildly.

The noise roused Marcus Manlius Capitolinus, a former consul, who immediately sprung into action.

With his swift response, the Romans were able to repel the invaders, and the Capitoline Hill remained in Roman hands.

The geese's role in preventing the Gauls from overtaking the fortress earned them a privileged position in Roman society.

They were given special attention during festivals and feasts, and golden statues were erected in their honor.

Meanwhile, Marcus Manlius, the defender of the Capitoline Hill, gained great honor and respect among his fellow Romans.

He was often referred to as "the savior of Rome," earning him a place in the annals of Rome's greatest heroes. However, his tale is a story for another day.

The story of the sacred geese of Juno alerting the Romans to the Gallic attack during the Battle of Allia is indeed a captivating tale, but its historical accuracy is difficult to confirm.

This story, like many others from ancient times, is passed down through generations and primarily documented by Roman historians like Livy and Plutarch, who lived centuries after the event.

These accounts were often shaped by moral, didactic, and narrative purposes rather than strict historical accuracy.

They were intended to serve lessons about Roman virtue, the importance of vigilance, or the favor of the gods.

Moreover, it's important to remember that ancient historians often incorporated elements of the divine and the miraculous into their accounts of historical events.

The inclusion of such elements helped explain events and outcomes that might have been otherwise difficult to understand.

The geese in the Battle of Allia could be one such symbolic element, representing divine intervention in a time of crisis.

Lastly, there are practical considerations. Some historians have questioned the feasibility of keeping geese well-fed during a siege and the likelihood that the noises made by geese would be distinct and alarming enough to rouse a slumbering city.