In 390 BC, a Gaulish war band defeated the Roman army at the Battle of Allia and then sacked Rome. The ancient writers report that, in 389 BC, the Etruscans, Volsci, and Aequi all raised armies in the hope of exploiting this blow to Roman power. According to Livy and Plutarch, the Aequi gathered their army at Bolae. However, the Roman dictator, Marcus Furius Camillus, had just inflicted a severe defeat on the Volsci. He surprised the Aequian army and captured both their camp and the town.Livy, 6.2.14; Plutarch, Camillus 33.1, 35.1 According to Diodorus Siculus, the Aequi were actually besieging Bolae when they were attacked by Camillus.D.S., xiv.117.4 According to Livy, a Roman army ravaged Aequian territory again in 388, this time meeting no resistance.Livy, 6.4.8 Oakley (1997) considers these notices of Roman victories against the Aequi in 389 and 388 to be historical, confirmed by the disappearance of the Aequi from the sources until 304. Owing to the dispute in the sources, however, the precise nature of the fighting around Bolae cannot be determined. Bolae was a Latin town, but it was also the scene of much fighting between Romans and Aequi, and it changed hands several times. Either an (unreported) Aequian capture followed by Roman recapture, or a failed Aequan siege, are therefore possible.
In 390 BC a Gaulish war band defeated the Roman army at the Battle of Allia and then sacked Rome The ancient writers report that in 389 BC the Etruscans Volsci and Aequi all raised armies in the hope of exploiting this blow to Roman power According to Livy and Plutarch the Aequi gathered their army at Bolae However the Roman dictator Marcus Furius Camillus had just inflicted a severe defeat on the Volsci He surprised the Aequian army and captured both their camp and the townLivy 6214; Plutarch Camillus 331 351 According to Diodorus Siculus the Aequi were actually besieging Bolae when they were attacked by CamillusDS xiv1174 According to Livy a Roman army ravaged Aequian territory again in 388 this time meeting no resistanceLivy 648 Oakley (1997) considers these notices of Roman victories against the Aequi in 389 and 388 to be historical confirmed by the disappearance of the Aequi from the sources until 304 Owing to the dispute in the sources however the precise nature of the fighting around Bolae cannot be determined Bolae was a Latin town but it was also the scene of much fighting between Romans and Aequi and it changed hands several times Either an (unreported) Aequian capture followed by Roman recapture or a failed Aequan siege are therefore possible