For six whole days, it is said, their bands were defiling beneath the ramparts of the Romans, and crying, "Have you any message for your wives?
We shall soon be with them." Marius, too, struck his camp, and followed them.

They halted, both of them, near Aix, on the borders of the Coenus, the barbarians in the valley, Marius on a hill which commanded it.

The ardor of the Romans was at its height; it was warm weather; there was a want of water on the hill, and the soldiers murmured.

"You are men," said Marius, pointing to the river below, "and there is water to be bought with blood." "Why don't you lead us against them at once, then," said a soldier, "whilst we still have blood in our veins ?" "We must first fortify our camp," answered Marius quietly.
The soldiers obeyed: but the hour of battle had come, and well did Marius know it.

It commenced on the brink of the Coenus, between some Ambrons who were bathing and some Roman slaves gone down to draw water.