The Battle of Lutetia was a battle between Roman forces under Titus Labienus

Titus Labienus

Titus Atius Labienus was a professional Roman soldier in the late Roman Republic. He served as Tribune of the Plebs in 63 BC, and is remembered as one of Julius Caesar's lieutenants, mentioned frequently in the accounts of his military campaigns...

 and an anti-Roman Gallic coalition in 52 BC

52 BC

Year 52 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Pompeius and Scipio...

 during the Gallic Wars

Gallic Wars

The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes. They lasted from 58 BC to 51 BC. The Gallic Wars culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the...

. It was a Roman victory.

Course

Labienus had been sent to fight the peoples of the Seine by Caesar, whilst Caesar himself attacked Gergovia. Having already captured the oppidum of Metlosedum (possibly present-day Melun), Labienus crossed the River Seine to attack the coalition near Lutetia

Lutetia

Lutetia was a town in pre-Roman and Roman Gaul. The Gallo-Roman city was a forerunner of the re-established Merovingian town that is the ancestor of present-day Paris...

. Threatened by the Bellovaci, he decided to re-cross the Seine aiming to rejoin Caesar's force at Agedincum (Sens). Feinting a general retreat, Labienus in fact crossed the river and the Gauls blocked his path to Caesar and battle was joined.

At the first shock the Seventh Legion

Legio VII Claudia

Legio septima Claudia Pia Fidelis was a Roman legion. Its emblem, like that of all Caesar's legions, was the bull, together with the lion....

 placed on the right wing pushed back the enemy. On the Roman left, made up of the Twelfth Legion

Legio XII Fulminata

Legio duodecima Fulminata , also known as Paterna, Victrix, Antiqua, Certa Constans, and Galliena, was a Roman legion, levied by Julius Caesar in 58 BC and which accompanied him during the Gallic wars until 49 BC. The unit was still guarding the Euphrates River crossing near Melitene at the...

, the pilum

Pilum

The pilum was a javelin commonly used by the Roman army in ancient times. It was generally about two metres long overall, consisting of an iron shank about 7 mm in diameter and 60 cm long with pyramidal head...

 volleys broke up the first charge, but the Gauls still put up a fierce resistance, encouraged by their old chieftain Camulogene

Camulogene

Camulogene was an Aulerci elder and leader of the 52 BC coalition of the Seine peoples according to Caesar. He put a scorched earth policy in place, burning Lutetia then trying to ensnare Titus Labienus's troops. He died in the battle of Lutetia. The Rue Camulogène in Paris is named after him....

. The moment of decision came when the military tribune

Military tribune

A military tribune was an officer of the Roman army who ranked below the legate and above the centurion...

s of the Seventh Legion fell on the enemy rear. The Celtic troops left in reserve intervened, taking a nearby hill, but were unable to reverse the course of the battle and took flight. The reserves' losses were increased when the Roman cavalry was sent to pursue them. Labienus's force thus advanced to Agedincum, recaptured their baggage train and found themselves able to rejoin Caesar, returning to Gergovia