The Battle of Sabis, condensed version

Tim Kindred has spent a lot of time and energy collecting materials and from those, has put together this quick overview of the Battle.  Sources (even Wikipedia!) are listed on the accompanying document.  Thanks, Tim!
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The Battle of the Sabis, also (erroneously) known as the Battle of the Sambre or the Battle against the Nervians (or Nervii), was fought in 57 BC in the area known today as Wallonia, between the legions of the Roman Republic and an association of Belgic tribes, principally the Nervii (a Belgian tribe). Julius Caesar, commanding the Roman forces, was surprised and nearly defeated. According to Caesar's report, a combination of determined defense, skilled generalship, and the timely arrival of reinforcements allowed the Romans to turn a near-defeat into a crushing victory.

Forces
Estimates of the forces available to each side vary, but the eight Roman legions had a strength in the neighborhood of 42,000 professional soldiers of infantry, with associated archers and auxiliary cavalry. An estimate of the Belgic forces, recruited from an estimated total population of some 300,000, gives them 25,000 men, though Caesar's figures are much higher (up to 150,000), almost entirely infantry (militia) and hidden in the woods.

Casualties
By the time their elders surrendered, Caesar writes, the force of 60,000 fighting men had been reduced to 500 and that only three of the 600 'councilors' (commanding officers) remained. This must be exaggerated because it is contradicted by Caesar himself.[11] Certainly a part of the defeated Nervii army later joined the Eburones and destroyed a complete legion.
 
Aftermath
The Nervii were severely defeated and all the neighboring tribes surrendered to Caesar, giving him control of most of what is now Belgium.

Attachment: Sabis.rtf (55.0KB)