Vergobret

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The Vergobret ( Latin Vergobretus ) was after Caesar the holder of the highest office ("highest magistrate") with the Celtic Häduern . Literally translated the word means "legal worker". Like the consuls in Rome , it was elected annually by the druids , but the Vergobret had considerably more power: He decided on the life and death of the tribesmen ( [...] qui creatur annuus et vitae necisque in suos habet potestatem ) . A well-known Vergobretus was Diviciacus , who took office in 58 BC. Chr. Held.

According to J. F. Nagy, in Caesar's time the kingship of the Celtic tribes of Gaul had largely been replaced by the system of government of Vergobret , as was the case with the Haeduern , Biturigen , Santonen and Lexoviern , where there were two such officials according to a coin inscription. However, certain structures in some tribes still point to the past royal rule. Caesar also reports that Liscus, the Vergobret of the Haeduer, admitted to him that despite his office he had less power than Dumnorix, who was more respected among the tribe .

Vergobretus is derived from the Gallic * ṷergobritos , which contains the ancient Celtic elements * ṷerg- (“work”, “work”) and * brit- (“judgment”).

See also

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ “ [...], who was elected annually and had the power of life and death over his own. “ Gaius Julius Caesar , De Bello Gallico I, 16.5f.
  2. ^ Bernhard Maier: Lexicon of the Celtic religion and culture. P. 327 f.
  3. ↑ a b Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 1001 f.
  4. ^ Joseph F. Nagy: Celtic Religion. History of Study. P. 1491.
  5. ↑ a b Wolfgang Meid: The Celts. P. 89.