Ambiorix

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Ambiorix monument in Tongeren

Ambiorix was around 54/53 BC. Next to Catuvolcus double king of the Celtic tribe of the Eburones , who settled between the Rhine and the Meuse . Under his leadership, the Eburones rebelled in November 54 BC. Against the Roman occupation forces. In Atuatuca while half were legions destroyed.

The uprising of Ambiorix against the Roman rule

Ambiorix became famous for his victory over Gaius Iulius Caesar , who represented the most devastating defeat of the Romans during the entire Gallic War. In the fall of 54 BC Caesar put a legion (one legion = ten cohorts ) and five cohorts under the command of the legates Quintus Titurius Sabinus and Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta in their winter camp near Atuatuca, a fortified place, almost in the middle of the Eburon border ( hoc fere est in mediis Eburonum finibus ). Although Ambiorix and Catuvolcus had made themselves available to Quintus Titurius Sabinus and Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta on the border of their territory and delivered grain to the winter storage, an uprising began after 15 days.

The pictorial representation of an Eburonian coin is said to have served specifically to prepare for the Ambiorix uprising, based on the coin motifs of the Ubier on the right bank of the Rhine .

The Ambiorix uprising in the Palais Provincial in Liège

Caesar outlines Ambiorix in Book 5 of the Gallic War as a cunning and unscrupulous leader. He puts a long text of indirect speech into the mouth of the Eburon king, from which some biographical details from his life emerge. After that, Ambiorix had a son who was held hostage by the neighboring Atuatuk tribe , freed by Caesar and sent back to his father. Apparently Ambiorix was in good contact with Caesar, and a messenger traveled regularly between them.

Ambiorix's victory over the Roman legions at Atuatuca was based on a ruse that bears some resemblance to the tactics used by Arminius in the Battle of Varus . Using false pretenses, he induced the legate Quintus Titurius Sabinus , the commander of the Roman winter camp that had been set up in Atuatuca, to flee without a plan by guaranteeing them a safe exit. The armed forces of the Ambiorix targeted the elongated and difficult to defend entourage of the Romans, which was in an unfavorable position in a valley basin. Most of the legionaries perished. Caesar describes Ambiorix as an excellent tactician and general who quickly recognizes the situation and reacts appropriately. Ambiorix had ordered to retreat where the Romans attacked and to follow them when they retreated.

After this victory, Ambiorix immediately went to the neighboring tribes to get them to revolt as well. Both the Atuatuk and the Nervian appear to have joined Ambiorix. The Treveri were also involved in the uprising under their prince Indutiomarus . It was only through Caesar's intervention that the uprising was put down. At the end of winter in early 53 BC Chr. Ambiorix was with his Eburones in a treaty of alliance with Treviri, Nervii, Atuatucern, Menapii , Senonen , Carnutes involved and the worldly Germans. But this uprising quickly collapsed.

Caesar's campaign of revenge against Ambiorix

In autumn 53 BC Caesar attacked the Eburones under their king Ambiorix in a campaign of revenge in order to avenge himself for the defeat of Atuatuca. Ambiorix was evidently only barely able to escape a Roman commando. At this point he was no longer able to gather his own troops and had to give up the land of his tribe to the Romans. His fellow king Catuvolcus then committed suicide. The Roman general Iulius Caesar claimed that Catuvolcus did not see the plundering, pillaging and murdering Romans who invaded his country, but rather his rival Ambiorix as the culprit and cursed Ambiorix as the instigator of the failed uprising. Possibly the public cursing of Ambiorix by Catavolcus was the only possibility for him to obtain grace from the Romans for at least a few of His people. The Romans plundered the tribal area of ​​the Eburones on a lasting basis.

Even during his campaign of revenge in 51 BC BC Caesar could not get hold of Ambiorix. Since he no longer believed that he could catch the fugitive Ambiorix, he once again devastated the Eburonian tribal area. Then Ambiorix 'trail is lost in the dark of history. According to Florus, he is said to have escaped his persecutors with the Germans on the right bank of the Rhine.

Aftermath

The giant figure of Ambiorix in the Ducasse d'Ath

Its aftermath is still great today. He is considered the Gauls' freedom hero in their fight against Caesar. Belgian Tongeren in particular sees itself in close contact with the Celtic king. The Ambiorix monument was also erected there. Ambiorix is ​​described as one of Caesar's most serious opponents , alongside Vercingetorix and Ariovistus . A coin treasure of 102 Celtic gold coins from the years 54/53 BC is associated with Ambiorix . BC, which is exhibited in the Gallo-Roman Museum of Tongeren. Ambiorix is ​​also one of the giant figures of the Ducasse d'Ath .

Ancient sources

  • Gaius Iulius Caesar: Commentarium libri VII de bello Gallico , Book 5, 24-37; 6, 32–40 [main source]
  • Livy : From Urbe Condita liber CVI (Periocha)
  • Cassius Dio : Roman History , Book 40, 5, 6, 7
  • Florus : Epitoma de Tito Livio bellorum omnium annorum , VII Bellum Gallicum, XLV

literature

Web links

Commons : Ambiorix  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ Livy calls Ambiorix "rex" ( Ambiorige duce, Eburonum rege , per. CVI)
  2. ^ C. Julius Caesar: De bello Gallico . 5, 24.
  3. ^ C. Julius Caesar: De bello Gallico . 6, 32.
  4. ^ C. Julius Caesar: De bello Gallico . 5, 26
  5. ↑ Eburonischer Goldstater Sch 31 I, Heinrichs, Verwickung, p. 281ff. with fig.
  6. ^ C. Julius Caesar: De bello Gallico . 5, 34/35.
  7. ↑ De bello Gallico VI, 31
  8. ↑ RGA, 2A, Vol. 1
personal data
SURNAME Ambiorix
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prince or King of the Eburones
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd century BC BC or 1st century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 1st century BC Chr.