One of the earliest recorded use of the ambush was in 9 AD in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. A Germanic leader Arminius ambushed three Roman legions under the command of Varus. The 20,000 Roman soldiers were strung out in a long line of march through the densely wooded forest. They fought for days but in the end the Romans were completely destroyed. This was not just a military victory, it was a psychological victory over the Romans.