Tencteri
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The Tencteri or Tenchteri or Tenctheri (in
Name and language
While the Tencteri and their neighbours were referred to by the
The ethnic name Tencteri could be either interpreted as the
Tencteri and Usipetes in the time of Julius Caesar
In his
In the winter 55 BC, having failed to find new lands elsewhere in
Concerning the exact location of this slaughter, there has long been some doubt. Caesar describes a confluence of the Rhine and Maas rivers, but there is no such confluence. Archaeologist Nico Roymans has announced in 2015 that convincing evidence has been found that it was in fact in the confluence of Waal, a branch of the Rhine and not the Rhine itself, and the Maas/Meuse, near Kessel.[7] On the other hand, the 3rd century historian Cassius Dio described the place as being in the country of the Treveri near the Moselle, a river which had the same name as the Maas in Latin (Mosa) and does enter the Rhine in that region.[8] This is however very far from the Menapii.
Caesar, fearing how the Gauls on the left bank might react, hurried to deal with this threat to his command of the region. He discovered that a number of Gaulish tribes had attempted to pay these Germani generously to leave, but the Tencteri and Usipetes had ranged further, coming to the frontiers of the Condrusi and Eburones, who were both under the protection of the Treveri to their south. Caesar convened a meeting of the Gaulish chiefs, and, pretending he did not know of their attempts at bribery, demanded cavalry and provisions for war against the Tencteri and Usipetes.
The Tencteri and Usipetes sent ambassadors to Caesar as he advanced. While they boasted of their military strength, claiming that they could defeat anyone but the Suebi, they offered an alliance, requesting that Caesar assign them land. Caesar refused any alliance so long as the Tencteri and Usipetes remained in Gaul. He proposed settling them in the territory of the Ubii, another Germanic tribe who had sought his help against the aggression of the Suebi, there being no land available in Gaul.
The ambassadors requested a truce of three days, during which time neither side would advance towards the other, and they took Caesar's counter-proposal to their leaders for consideration. But Caesar would not accept this, believing the Germani were buying time for the return of their cavalry, who had crossed the
The Germanic cavalry, although outnumbered by Caesar's Gallic horsemen, made the first attack, forcing the Romans to retreat. Caesar describes a characteristic battle-tactic they used, where a horsemen would be accompanied by an infantrymen they would attack the same target. Accusing them of violating the truce, Caesar refused to accept any more ambassadors, arresting some who came requesting a further truce, and led his full force against the Germanic camp. The Usipetes and Tencteri were thrown into disarray and forced to flee, pursued by Caesar's cavalry, to the confluence of the Rhine and Meuse. Many were killed attempting to cross the rivers.[9][10] They found refuge on the other side of the Rhine amongst the Sicambri.
Plutarch reports that back in Rome,
Cato pronounced the opinion that they ought to deliver up Caesar to the Barbarians, thus purging away the violation of the truce in behalf of the city, and turning the curse therefore on the guilty man. Of those who had crossed the Rhine into Gaul four hundred thousand were cut to pieces, and the few who succeeded in making their way back were received by the Sugambri, a German nation. This action Caesar made a ground of complaint against the Sugambri, and besides, he coveted the fame of being the first man to cross the Rhine with an army.[11]
Later mentions
In 16 BC, the Tencteri, Usipetes and Sicambri once again crossed the Rhine and attacked Gaul. Marcus Lollius was defeated and the Germanic tribes took the standard of the 5th legion.[12]
Tacitus describes the Tencteri as living in his time (approximately 98AD), and also at the time of the
Orosius reports that the Tencteri, and not only the Sicambri and Usipetes, were defeated by Drusus.
Later, the difficult to interpret description given in
In the
See also
- The Gallic Wars
- List of Germanic peoples
References
- ^ Plut. Caes. 22
- ^ Geography 2.10
- ^ "Julius Caesar battlefield unearthed in southern Netherlands". The Guardian. 2015-12-11. Archived from the original on 2023-06-09.
- ^ Zimmer, Stefan (2006), Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde, vol. 31 (2 ed.). Older work: Ludwig Rübekeil, Diachrone Studien zur Kontaktzone zwischen Kelten und Germanen, Wien, 2002, p. 383f.
- ISBN 9789077922736.
- ^ Peck (1898), Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities
- ^ "'Genocidaire slachting' onder leiding van Julius Caesar bij Kessel - National Geographic Nederland/België". www.nationalgeographic.nl. Archived from the original on 2015-12-15.
- ^ Cassius Dio 39.47 English, Latin.
- ^ Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 4.1-15
- ^ Lee, K.H. "Caesar's Encounter with the Usipetes and the Tencteri." Greece & Rome 2nd vol. 2 (1969): 100-103.
- ^ Plut. Caes. 22
- ISBN 9789077922736