Brennus jetant son glaive dans la balance

This painting depicts a famous episode from the Gauls’ sack of Rome in 390 BC. Led by the Senones chieftain Brennus, the Gauls impose a heavy ransom on the defeated Romans. During the weighing of the gold, the Romans protest against rigged scales. As a sign of domination, Brennus throws his sword onto the balance and utters the famous phrase “Vae victis” (“Woe to the vanquished”). The scene illustrates the brutality of victory and the unforgiving power relationship between victors and defeated in antiquity.