The
Cimbri were an ancient people, either
Germanic or
Celtic who, together with the
Teutones and the
Ambrones,
fought the
Roman Republic between 113 and 101 BC. The Cimbri were initially successful, particularly at the
Battle of Arausio, in which a large Roman army was routed, after which they raided large areas in
Gaul and
Hispania. In 101 BC, during an attempted invasion of
Italy, the Cimbri were
decisively defeated by
Gaius Marius, and their
king,
Boiorix, was killed. Some of the surviving captives are reported to have been among the rebelling
Gladiators in the
Third Servile War.