The event profoundly changed Roman society and military thinking. The catastrophic defeat at the River Allia was attributed by Roman historians to poor discipline and a failure to perform proper religious rites, a spiritual failing that left them vulnerable. The Gauls, under Brennus, captured the city with ease, holding the Capitoline Hill under siege for months. While the dramatic last-minute rescue by the exiled general Camillus is considered a later patriotic legend, the historical impact was