Diviciacus (Aedui)
Encyclopedia
Diviciacus or Divitiacus of the Aedui
is the only druid
from antiquity
whose existence is attested by name. He should not be confused with the king of the Suessiones
also known by the Latinised name Diviciacus
; coins, possibly issued by the latter, give the Gaulish name in Greek lettering as Δειουικιιακος. The name may mean "avenger."
His date of birth is not known, but he was an adult during the late 60s BC, at which time he was a senator of the Aedui and escaped a massacre by the forces of the Sequani
, Arverni
and Germanic troops under the Suebi
an leader Ariovistus
.
He supported the preexisting alliance the Aedui had with Rome, and in 63 BC spoke before the Roman senate
to ask for military aid. While in Rome, he was a guest of Cicero
, who spoke of his knowledge of divination, astronomy and natural philosophy, and names him as a druid. Julius Caesar
, who knew him well, speaks of him several times in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico
and noted his particular skills as a diplomat without calling him a druid.
Delamarre contends that, in addition to holding the religious office of druid, Diviciacus may have been the Uergobretos, the annually elected political leader or chief magistrate of the Aedui, one of the most powerful nations in Gaul
. If true, his combination of military and religious office responsibilities in Aedua paralleled Caesar's duties among the Romans. For in Rome, Caesar was Pontifex Maximus
in addition to being a magistrate
and general.
Diviciacus had a brother, Dumnorix
, who was aggressively anti-Roman. After defeating him in battle, Caesar spared his life so as to avoid antagonizing Diviciacus. Later, however, Dumnorix attempted to escape from Caesar's control and was killed in the attempt.
Diviciacus would have been Uergobretos sometime before 52 BC
, when the election was contested between Convictolitavis
and Cotos. The date of Diviciacus's death is not known; Cicero speaks of him in the past tense in 44 BC.
Aedui
Aedui, Haedui or Hedui , were a Gallic people of Gallia Lugdunensis, who inhabited the country between the Arar and Liger , in today's France. Their territory thus included the greater part of the modern departments of Saône-et-Loire, Côte-d'Or and Nièvre.-Geography:The country of the Aedui is...
is the only druid
Druid
A druid was a member of the priestly class in Britain, Ireland, and Gaul, and possibly other parts of Celtic western Europe, during the Iron Age....
from antiquity
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
whose existence is attested by name. He should not be confused with the king of the Suessiones
Suessiones
The Suessiones were a Belgic tribe of Western Belgium in the 1st century BC, inhabiting the region between the Oise and the Marne, based around the present-day city of Soissons...
also known by the Latinised name Diviciacus
Diviciacus (Suessiones)
Diviciacus or Divitiacus was a king of the Belgic nation of the Suessiones in the early 1st century BC. Julius Caesar, writing in the mid-1st century BC, says that he had within living memory been the most powerful king in Gaul, ruling a large portion not only of Gallia Belgica, but also of...
; coins, possibly issued by the latter, give the Gaulish name in Greek lettering as Δειουικιιακος. The name may mean "avenger."
His date of birth is not known, but he was an adult during the late 60s BC, at which time he was a senator of the Aedui and escaped a massacre by the forces of the Sequani
Sequani
Sequani, in ancient geography, were a Gallic people who occupied the upper river basin of the Arar , the valley of the Doubs and the Jura Mountains, their territory corresponding to Franche-Comté and part of Burgundy.-Etymology:...
, Arverni
Arverni
The Arverni were a Gallic tribe living in what is now the Auvergne region of France during the last centuries BC. One of the most powerful tribes in ancient Gaul, they opposed the Romans on several occasions...
and Germanic troops under the Suebi
Suebi
The Suebi or Suevi were a group of Germanic peoples who were first mentioned by Julius Caesar in connection with Ariovistus' campaign, c...
an leader Ariovistus
Ariovistus
Ariovistus was a leader of the Suebi and other allied Germanic peoples in the second quarter of the 1st century BC. He and his followers took part in a war in Gaul, assisting the Arverni and Sequani to defeat their rivals the Aedui, after which they settled in large numbers in conquered Gallic...
.
He supported the preexisting alliance the Aedui had with Rome, and in 63 BC spoke before the Roman senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
to ask for military aid. While in Rome, he was a guest of Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, who spoke of his knowledge of divination, astronomy and natural philosophy, and names him as a druid. 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....
, who knew him well, speaks of him several times in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii 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...
and noted his particular skills as a diplomat without calling him a druid.
Delamarre contends that, in addition to holding the religious office of druid, Diviciacus may have been the Uergobretos, the annually elected political leader or chief magistrate of the Aedui, one of the most powerful nations in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
. If true, his combination of military and religious office responsibilities in Aedua paralleled Caesar's duties among the Romans. For in Rome, Caesar was Pontifex Maximus
Pontifex Maximus
The Pontifex Maximus was the high priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome. This was the most important position in the ancient Roman religion, open only to patricians until 254 BC, when a plebeian first occupied this post...
in addition to being a magistrate
Roman Magistrates
The Roman Magistrates were elected officials in Ancient Rome. During the period of the Roman Kingdom, the King of Rome was the principal executive magistrate. His power, in practice, was absolute. He was the chief priest, lawgiver, judge, and the sole commander of the army...
and general.
Diviciacus had a brother, Dumnorix
Dumnorix
Dumnorix was a chieftain of the Aedui, a Celtic tribe in Gaul in the 1st century B.C. He was strongly against alliance with the Romans, particularly Julius Caesar, who sparred with him on several occasions...
, who was aggressively anti-Roman. After defeating him in battle, Caesar spared his life so as to avoid antagonizing Diviciacus. Later, however, Dumnorix attempted to escape from Caesar's control and was killed in the attempt.
Diviciacus would have been Uergobretos sometime before 52 BC
52 BC
Year 52 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Pompeius and Scipio...
, when the election was contested between Convictolitavis
Convictolitavis
Convictolitavis was a prominent member of the Celtic civitas of the Haedui during the Gallic Wars. He played a significant role in the pan-Gallic rebellion of 52 BC, as narrated by Julius Caesar in Book 7 of his Commentarii de Bello Gallico.In the seventh year of the war, Caesar was surprised by...
and Cotos. The date of Diviciacus's death is not known; Cicero speaks of him in the past tense in 44 BC.
Sources
- Brunaux, Jean-Louis (2005) Les Gaulois. Paris, Les Belles Lettres. ISBN 2-251-41028-7
- CiceroCiceroMarcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
, De DivinationeDe DivinationeCicero's De Divinatione is a philosophical treatise in two books written in 44 BC. It takes the form of a dialogue whose interlocutors are Cicero and his brother Quintus....
1.41 - Delamarre, X. (2003). Dictionnaire de la Langue Gauloise (2nd ed.). Paris: Editions Errance. ISBN 2-87772-237-6
- Julius CaesarJulius CaesarGaius 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....
, Commentarii de Bello GallicoCommentarii de Bello GallicoCommentarii 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...
1.3, 1.16-20, 1.31-32, 2.5, 2.14-15, 6.12, 7.39