Atuatuca
Encyclopedia
Atuatuca was the name of one or more fortified settlements in the region between the Scheldt
and Rhine rivers, during the "Gallic wars
" of Julius Caesar
. The word itself possibly meant "fortress". The pronuciation "Atuatuca" with a "t" is considered to be the original, despite many Latin documents using a "d". The modern city of Tongeren, referred to as Aduatuca Tungrorum in classical times, is at least one of these places, and if there were more places with this same name they were all in the same general region to the north of the Ardennes
, and in or near eastern Belgium
. At the time, this region was inhabited mainly by the Eburones
.
are the only surviving source of information. His first mention of "Aduatuca" by name, during discussion of his suppression of an Eburone rebellion, and subsequent involvement by Sigambri from Germany, says that it "is the name of a fort. [Id castelli nomen est.] This is nearly in the middle of the Eburones, where Titurius and Aurunculeius had been quartered for the purpose of wintering." He was referring to earlier sections of the commentaries where Q. Titurius Sabinus and L. Aurunculeius Cotta where slain during the start of this rebellion of the Eburones. These two lieutenants of Caesar had been ordered to winter amongst the Eburones after a drought year, which was a cause of the rebellion, although Aduatuca had not been named in the earlier discussion.
Unfortunately, although Caesar says the fort was in the middle of the territory of the Eburones, there is no consensus on the boundaries of the Eburone territory. At one point Caesar says that the chief part of the territory of the Eburones was between the Mosa (Maas
or Meuse
) and the Rhine. But it is generally agreed that the Eburone territory also included land between the Scheldt
and the Maas
, including all or most of the low-lying "Campine
".
Caesar described the surrounding area as a place where the Eburones were able to disperse dangerously; some, including the Eburone leader Ambiorix
, apparently into remote parts of the Ardennes, and others towards tidal islands in the Ocean. There was "no regular army, nor a town, nor a garrison which could defend itself by arms; but the people were scattered in all directions. Where either a hidden valley, or a woody spot, or a difficult morass furnished any hope of protection or of security to any one, there he had fixed himself".
Several arguments have been given for interpreting the name Atuatuca to mean fortress, and not to be the same as Tongeren.
Apart from Tongeren, proposals concerning the location of this earlier Atuatuca of the Eburones include Spa
(at a place called Balmoral) and Caestert at Kanne
, just south of Maastricht
, and very close to Tongeren. Dendrochronological
evidence was once thought to count against this proposal, but more recent review of the evidence has reinvigorated the idea.
Other proposals made in Belgium include Battice and Limbourg
, both in the old Duchy of Limburg
; Dolembreux, northeast of Esneux
(in the detached Sprimont
part of the old Duchy of Limburg); Thuin
, in Hainaut; and Chaudfontaine
. In Germany, Atsch in Stolberg, near Aachen
, has also been proposed.
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
and Rhine rivers, during the "Gallic wars
Gallic Wars
The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes. They lasted from 58 BC to 51 BC. The Gallic Wars culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the...
" of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
. The word itself possibly meant "fortress". The pronuciation "Atuatuca" with a "t" is considered to be the original, despite many Latin documents using a "d". The modern city of Tongeren, referred to as Aduatuca Tungrorum in classical times, is at least one of these places, and if there were more places with this same name they were all in the same general region to the north of the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
, and in or near eastern Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. At the time, this region was inhabited mainly by the Eburones
Eburones
The Eburones , were a Belgic people who lived in the northeast of Gaul, near the river Meuse and the modern provinces of Belgian and Dutch Limburg, in the period immediately before it was conquered by Rome. They played a major role in Julius Caesar's account of his "Gallic Wars", as the most...
.
Discussion about possible Atuatucas that are not Tongeren
Apart from later mentions of this placename which clearly refer to Tongeren, Caesar's commentaries on his wars in GaulCommentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. In it Caesar describes the battles and intrigues that took place in the nine years he spent fighting local armies in Gaul that opposed Roman domination.The "Gaul" that Caesar...
are the only surviving source of information. His first mention of "Aduatuca" by name, during discussion of his suppression of an Eburone rebellion, and subsequent involvement by Sigambri from Germany, says that it "is the name of a fort. [Id castelli nomen est.] This is nearly in the middle of the Eburones, where Titurius and Aurunculeius had been quartered for the purpose of wintering." He was referring to earlier sections of the commentaries where Q. Titurius Sabinus and L. Aurunculeius Cotta where slain during the start of this rebellion of the Eburones. These two lieutenants of Caesar had been ordered to winter amongst the Eburones after a drought year, which was a cause of the rebellion, although Aduatuca had not been named in the earlier discussion.
Unfortunately, although Caesar says the fort was in the middle of the territory of the Eburones, there is no consensus on the boundaries of the Eburone territory. At one point Caesar says that the chief part of the territory of the Eburones was between the Mosa (Maas
Maas
Maas is the name, in English borrowed from the Dutch language, of a river that is also named Meuse , in English borrowed from French language. The practical use in English may be influenced by the context at a lower or upper stream location....
or Meuse
Meuse
Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
) and the Rhine. But it is generally agreed that the Eburone territory also included land between the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
and the Maas
Maas
Maas is the name, in English borrowed from the Dutch language, of a river that is also named Meuse , in English borrowed from French language. The practical use in English may be influenced by the context at a lower or upper stream location....
, including all or most of the low-lying "Campine
Campine
The Campine is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-western Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands...
".
Caesar described the surrounding area as a place where the Eburones were able to disperse dangerously; some, including the Eburone leader Ambiorix
Ambiorix
Ambiorix was, together with Catuvolcus, prince of the Eburones, leader of a Belgic tribe of north-eastern Gaul , where modern Belgium is located...
, apparently into remote parts of the Ardennes, and others towards tidal islands in the Ocean. There was "no regular army, nor a town, nor a garrison which could defend itself by arms; but the people were scattered in all directions. Where either a hidden valley, or a woody spot, or a difficult morass furnished any hope of protection or of security to any one, there he had fixed himself".
Several arguments have been given for interpreting the name Atuatuca to mean fortress, and not to be the same as Tongeren.
- Caesar's remark mentioned above, id castelli nomen est, can be interpreted not only to mean "that is the name of a fort", but also alternatively "this is the name for a fort".
- A neighbouring tribe, whose settlements are not named, are called the Atuatuci, and had settled and defended themselves from a strongly fortified settlement (which is not named by Caesar). Their name, "Aduatuci" has therefore been interpreted as "fortress people".
- The site of Tongeren, the later Atuatuca of the region, has given no strong archaeological evidence of having been occupied before the Romans established it along their important military route between BavayBavayBavay is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies 15 m. ESE of Valenciennes by railway.-History:Under the name of Bagacum or Bavacum, the town was the capital of the Nervii and, under the Roman Empire, an important center of roads, the meeting-place of which was marked by a...
and CologneCologneCologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
. - The geography of Tongeren, while hilly, is not as hilly as Caesar seems to describe. What he describes appears to be more typical of regions to the south of Tongeren, towards the ArdennesArdennesThe Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
in modern Wallonia. Wightman remarks that the "only topographical detail" concerning the Atuatuca of the Eburones was a "narrow defile suitable for ambush" not too far to the west. But this "is too common a feature of the Ardennes landscape to be of assistance".
Apart from Tongeren, proposals concerning the location of this earlier Atuatuca of the Eburones include Spa
Spa, Belgium
Spa is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liège. It is situated in a valley in the Ardennes mountain chain, some southeast of Liège, and southwest of Aachen. As of 1 January 2006, Spa had a total population of 10,543...
(at a place called Balmoral) and Caestert at Kanne
Kanne
Kanne is a small town in the southeastern part of the Belgian province of Limburg right on the border with the city of Maastricht in the Dutch province of Limburg. The town has 1156 inhabitants of which a significant part have the Dutch nationality....
, just south of Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
, and very close to Tongeren. Dendrochronological
Dendrochronology
Dendrochronology or tree-ring dating is the scientific method of dating based on the analysis of patterns of tree-rings. Dendrochronology can date the time at which tree rings were formed, in many types of wood, to the exact calendar year...
evidence was once thought to count against this proposal, but more recent review of the evidence has reinvigorated the idea.
Other proposals made in Belgium include Battice and Limbourg
Limbourg
Limbourg is a medieval town located in the province of Liège, Wallonia, Belgium.On 1 January 2008 Limbourg had a total population of 5,680. The total area is 24.63 km² which gives a population density of 231 inhabitants per km²...
, both in the old Duchy of Limburg
Duchy of Limburg
The Duchy of Limburg, situated in the Low Countries between the river Meuse and the city of Aachen, was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its territory is now divided between the Belgian provinces of Liège and Limburg , the Dutch province of Limburg , and a small part of North Rhine-Westphalia in...
; Dolembreux, northeast of Esneux
Esneux
Esneux is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. On January 1, 2006 Esneux had a total population of 13,072. The total area is which gives a population density of 384 inhabitants per km²....
(in the detached Sprimont
Sprimont
Sprimont is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liege. On January 1, 2006 Sprimont had a total population of 12,782. The total area is 74.28 km² which gives a population density of 172 inhabitants per km²....
part of the old Duchy of Limburg); Thuin
Thuin
Thuin is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. The Thuin municipality includes the old communes of Leers-et-Fosteau, Biesme-sous-Thuin, Ragnies, Biercée, Gozée, Donstiennes, and Thuillies.-Origins:...
, in Hainaut; and Chaudfontaine
Chaudfontaine
Chaudfontaine is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. On January 1, 2006 Chaudfontaine had a total population of 21,012. The total area is 25.52 km² which gives a population density of 823 inhabitants per km²....
. In Germany, Atsch in Stolberg, near Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, has also been proposed.