ɪnðə wˈʌnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti z bˌiːsˈiː ɹˈoʊm hæd bɪkˌʌm ɪŋkɹˈiːsɪŋli ˈæktɪv ɪn mˌɛdɪɾɪɹˈeɪniən ɡˈɔːl, lˈɑːntʃɪŋ θɹˈiː sˈɛpɹət kæmpˈeɪnz ˌɪntʊ ðə ɹˈiːdʒən ɪnðə jˈɪɹz ɪmˈiːdɪətli bᵻfˌoːɹ ˈæhənˌɑːbɑːɹbəs kˈɑːnsəlʃˌɪp: ɪn wˈʌnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti fˈaɪv tə pɹətˈɛkt ɹˈoʊmz ˈælaɪ mæsˈeɪliə fɹʌmðə sˈæluːvˌɪaɪ, ɪn wˈʌnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti fˈoːɹ bˌiːsˈiː ɹˈoʊm sˈiːzd ðə kˈæpɪɾəl ʌvðə sˈæluːvˌɪaɪ ðə sˈɪɾi ʌvðə ɡˈɔːlz nˌɪɹ ðɪ ʌv ɛntɹˈɛmɔnt, nˌɪɹ mˈɑːdɚn ˈeɪksˈɛnpɹɑːvˈɑ̃s, ænd ɪn wˈʌnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti θɹˈiː bˌiːsˈiː ɐɡˈɛn dᵻfˈiːɾɪŋ ðə sˈæluːvˌɪaɪ ænd ɪstˈæblɪʃɪŋ ɐ pˈɜːmənənt ɡˈæɹɪsən fɔːɹ ɹˈoʊmən tɹˈuːps æɾə nˈɪɹbaɪ plˈeɪs hˈɛns kˈɔːld mˈɑːdɚn ˈeɪksˈɛnpɹɑːvˈɑ̃s.
In the 120s BC Rome had become increasingly active in Mediterranean Gaul, launching three separate campaigns into the region in the years immediately before Ahenobarbus' consulship: in 125 to protect Rome's ally Massalia from the Salluvii, in 124 BC Rome seized the capital of the Salluvii (the city of the Gauls near the  of Entremont, near modern Aix-en-Provence), and in 123 BC again defeating the Salluvii and establishing a permanent garrison for Roman troops at a nearby place hence called  (modern Aix-en-Provence).