Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume I Part 2.djvu/216

GALUA TRANS. said of Germans in this part of Gallia after the battle near the Rhine : the news of the defeat pre- vented others from coming over. Caesar only came into the ooantry of the Seqnani to drive oat the Germans, but he left his army there for the winter, and crossed the mountains into Cisalpine Gallia to hold his circuits ('* conveutus agere," B. G, i. 54). In the winter the Belgic nations formed a nnion to defend themselves, for they suspected that Caesar would attack them after he had reduced the country of the Celtae. They were ni^ed to arms by some of the Celtae, who did not like to see the Bomans wintering in their country. Caesar, who gives these reasons for the combination of the Belgae, adds another; that the great men in Gallia, and those who had the means of hiring followers, were accustomed to usurp royal power whenever they had a chance, and, if the Roman dominion were esta- blished, they knew this mode of making what their modem imitators coll a *' coup d^^tat ** would not be possible (B. G, ii. 1). Caesar in his Commentarii mentions several instances of this kind of usurpa- tion. His second book contains his history of the war with the Belgae (b. c 57). The Remi sub- mitted from the first. The submission of the Suessioncs. Bellovaci, and Ambiani followed. He defeated the Nervii and thdr allies in a great battle on the Sabis (5aifiirs) ; and then took the strong- hold of the Aduatud, who were the descendants of the Cimbri and Teutoni. (B. G. ii. 29.) The sur- vivors of the Aduatuci were sold, and the number reported to Caesar was 53,000. They were pur- chased by the mercatores who of old followed the Roman camp (Liv. x. 12) and followed Caesar's camp (B. tr. vi. 31). We do not see how the mer- catores could make anything of their baigain, unless they had some escort to assist in conveying the slaves to the nearest market, which would be the Provincia; or it may be that the Belgians would have no objections to buy a few of these intruders. The sale of slaves was one way tlmt Caesar had of rai«ing money. After the great battle with the Nervii, P. Cmssus with a single legion was sent to the Veneti, Unelli, O^ismi, Curiosolitae, Sesuvii, Anlerci. and Bedones, whom Caesar calls " the mari- time states which border on the Ocean." All these people submitted to a mere youth at the hesd of a few thousand men. The Translienane Germans also sent to Caesar to profit hostages and to do as they wen bid. The proconsul was in a hurry to visit Italy and Illyricum, and he told the Germans to come and see him the next summer. We have no evidence of the Roman armies having been led north of the basin of tle Rhone before Caesar s Belgian campaign. The rapidity of his movements, his snocees, and his savage treatment of those who re- sisted, struck terror into the barbarians. He placed his soldiers in winter quarters between the Seine and the ZirO«re,and south of tbeLott^e, in the territory of the. Camntes, Andes, and Turones, and imme- diately went to Italy. (JB, G. ii. 35.) Caesar sent a l^ion and some cavalry under Ser. Galba to winter in the country of the Nantuates, Yeragri, and Seduni, who occufned the country from the north-eastern boundary of the Allobroges and the Leman hike to the highest Alps. They were in the great valley called the Vallais, between the Bernese and the Peimine Alps. Galba phu»d part of his tvoops in the country of the Nantuates, who were nearest to the lake, and he fixed himself with the remainder at Octodams {Martiffny), Caesar GALLIA TRANS. 957 says that the purpose of Galba's misaon was to clear the pass over the Alps by which the " mer- catores " were accustomed to go at great risk and with the payment of heavy tolls. These "mer- catores ** irere the enterorising Italian traders who crossed the pass of the drecUSt Bernard from Cis- alpine Gallia to carry their wares among the Galli. Galba was attacked by the people in his quarters at Octodunis, which he left after driving off the enemy ; and, retreating through the country of the Nantuates into the territory of the Allobroges, where he was within the Provincia, he spent the winter there. (B. G. iii. 7.) Caesar was recalled from Italy (b. c. 56) by ■ rising of the maritime states, whose submission had perhaps only been made to gain time; but the im- mediate provocation was the demand for supplies made on swne of them by P. Crassus, who was win- tering somewhere about Angers with a legion. The movers of this war were the Veneti, a skilful mari- time peot^e, who had many ships with which they traded to Britain. (B* G. iii. 8.) Caesar's cam- paign against these states, and the sea-fight, are one of the most difficult parts of Uie Commentarii to ex- plain [VE?iRn.] He defeated the fleet of the Veneti; and Q. Titurius entered the country of the Unelli, who submitted. Before the battle Caesar sent P. Cfbssus into Aquitania with twelve cohorts, to prevent the Aquitani from coming to the aid of the Armoric states. Crassus first defeated the So- tiates, who lived about the modem 5m, between AwA and Basos. (B. C7. iii. 21.) The Vocates and Ta- rusates, who were next attacked, sent for aid from Spain, which is some evidence in confirmation of the relationship of these Aquitani to some of the Spanish peoples. [Aquitani.] The Spanish auxiliaries whom Caesar names were Cantabri. (B. G, iii. 26) After defeating the Aquitani and their Spanish allies in the wide plains soiith of the Gircnde^ Crassus re- ceived the submission of the greater part of Aqui- tania; the names of the peoples are mentioned by Caesar. (B. G. iii. 27.) The position of several of these tribes can be determined ; but the position of others is uncertain. The sununer was near ended, and Caesar had put down all his enemies except the Morini and Menapii, who were in arms. The Morini lived along the cliannel, from Gesoriacum (^Boulogne) northwands at least as far as Castellum Morinorum ( Ceusel), [C as- TBLLUH MoKiNORUM.] The enemy fled into the forests and marshes, where the Romans followed them, not without loss. Caesar began to cut a road through the forests, and he had just reached the enemy, when the heavy rains compelled him to re- tire. (B. G, iii. 29.) Before taking leave of the Morini he wasted their lands, and burnt all the build- ings that he could reach. He placed his army in quarters between the Seme and the Loire^ in the country of the Aulerci and Lexovii. In the next year (b. c. 55) the Usipetes, whom Caesar calls Germani (iv. 1), and tho Tenctheri, crossed the Rhine, and fell on the Menapii. These invaders were themselves driven on by more power- ful enemies, the Suevi, whose habits Caesar describes (JB, G. iv. 1); and he states that the " mercatores" used to go into their country. Here we have the evidence of the Roman proconsul to the fact of mer- catores crossing the Rhine into Germany before the Roman arms luid been carried over the river. It is here assumed that these mercatores were Italians. Caesar determined to stop these German invaders,