Parisii (Yorkshire)
Encyclopedia
The Parisii were a Celtic tribe who in pre-Roman
times controlled almost all of the area which is now known as the East Riding of Yorkshire
. Under Roman administration, the capital of their civitas
was Petuaria
, which today is known as Brough
.
A tribe of the same name inhabited the part of Gaul presently occupied by central Paris; the notion that the tribes are connected—however conjectural—has proven powerful, the two peoples sharing Arras cultural characteristics in addition to a nominative identity. On the island of Great Britain
, the Parisii were bordered by the Brigantes
in the rest of the Yorkshire
area and just across the Humber
were the Corieltauvi.
After the Romans had left Britain following three and a half centuries of rule, the petty kingdom
of Deira
(eventually absorbed into Northumbria) occupied much the same area as the pre-Roman Parisii. Deira is thought to be derived from the Celtic word for 'oak' and this may be evidence for a temporary reappearance of a Celtic kingdom.
. The burial customs of the Gaulish and British tribes differ slightly but the Iron Age
Arras Culture
of the early La Tène period
seems to have strongly influenced that of East Yorkshire. Barry Cunliffe
states that the Arras Culture, which is associated with the Parisii, demonstrates economic and social continuity from the 5th century BC onwards, however, and the view that the East Yorkshire Parisii were a colony of the Gaulish Parisii may be a simplistic one.
With the Suessiones
, the Gallic Parisii participated in the general rising of Vercingetorix
against Julius Caesar
in 52 BC. Following their defeat by Caesar in 52 BC
, some may at this time have fled to Britain although it is more likely that Parisii had already colonised part of the island before this time and preceding the waves of Belgic immigration.
Burials involving placing the deceased in a wheeled vehicle beneath square barrows
, as found in both the Marne
region of France and in the homeland of the British Parisii, was once considered proof of a genetic link. An alternative explanation to a folk movement however is that the British Arras culture was an attempt by some of the native Britons to ape continental society. It may be that the upper echelons of British society were trying to distinguish themselves by copying foreign ways. The vehicle burial aspect of the culture developed in Britain in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC which suggests that it was adopted independently and prior to the historic defeat of Vercingetorix. Alternatively the practice may have been forgotten and then re-introduced by an immigrant group.
Either way, it is clear from the archaeological record that the two groups of Parisii had some affinity.
Barry Cunliffe in Iron Age Communities in Britain (1974) p. 45, distinguishes the Parisii as those in the Nanterre-Paris region, and the Parisi as those in Britain, based on Ptolemy
's descriptions.
British Iron Age
The British Iron Age is a conventional name used in the archaeology of Great Britain, referring to the prehistoric and protohistoric phases of the Iron-Age culture of the main island and the smaller islands, typically excluding prehistoric Ireland, and which had an independent Iron Age culture of...
times controlled almost all of the area which is now known as the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
. Under Roman administration, the capital of their civitas
Civitas
In the history of Rome, the Latin term civitas , according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the cives, or citizens, united by law . It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities on the one hand and rights of citizenship on the other...
was Petuaria
Petuaria
Petuaria was originally a Roman fort situated where the town of Brough-on-Humber in the East Riding of Yorkshire now stands. Petuaria means something like 'quarter' or 'fourth part', incorporating the archaic Brythonic *petuar, 'four' .It was founded in 70 AD and abandoned in about 125...
, which today is known as Brough
Brough, East Riding of Yorkshire
Brough , or Brough-on-Humber, is a small town in the civil parish of Elloughton-cum-Brough in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The town has a population of around 7,000.-Location:...
.
A tribe of the same name inhabited the part of Gaul presently occupied by central Paris; the notion that the tribes are connected—however conjectural—has proven powerful, the two peoples sharing Arras cultural characteristics in addition to a nominative identity. On the island of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, the Parisii were bordered by the Brigantes
Brigantes
The Brigantes were a Celtic tribe who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of what would become Northern England, and a significant part of the Midlands. Their kingdom is sometimes called Brigantia, and it was centred in what was later known as Yorkshire...
in the rest of the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
area and just across the Humber
Humber
The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal River Ouse and the tidal River Trent. From here to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the East Riding of Yorkshire on the north bank...
were the Corieltauvi.
After the Romans had left Britain following three and a half centuries of rule, the petty kingdom
Petty kingdom
A petty kingdom is one of a number of small kingdoms, described as minor or "petty" by contrast to an empire or unified kingdom that either preceded or succeeded it...
of Deira
Deira
Deira was a kingdom in Northern England during the 6th century AD. Itextended from the Humber to the Tees, and from the sea to the western edge of the Vale of York...
(eventually absorbed into Northumbria) occupied much the same area as the pre-Roman Parisii. Deira is thought to be derived from the Celtic word for 'oak' and this may be evidence for a temporary reappearance of a Celtic kingdom.
History and culture
Traditionally the people have been seen as immigrants from the Gaulish tribe of the same nameParisii (Gaul)
The Parisii were a Celtic Iron Age people that lived on the banks of the river Seine in Gaul from the middle of the third century BC until the Roman era...
. The burial customs of the Gaulish and British tribes differ slightly but the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
Arras Culture
Arras Culture
The Arras culture is an archaeological culture of the Middle Iron Age in East Yorkshire It takes its name from the cemetery site of Arras near Market Weighton in the East Riding of Yorkshire, which was discovered in the 19th century...
of the early La Tène period
La Tène culture
The La Tène culture was a European Iron Age culture named after the archaeological site of La Tène on the north side of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland, where a rich cache of artifacts was discovered by Hansli Kopp in 1857....
seems to have strongly influenced that of East Yorkshire. Barry Cunliffe
Barry Cunliffe
Sir Barrington Windsor Cunliffe, CBE, known professionally as Barry Cunliffe is a former Professor of European Archaeology at the University of Oxford, a position held from 1972 to 2007...
states that the Arras Culture, which is associated with the Parisii, demonstrates economic and social continuity from the 5th century BC onwards, however, and the view that the East Yorkshire Parisii were a colony of the Gaulish Parisii may be a simplistic one.
With 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...
, the Gallic Parisii participated in the general rising of Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix was the chieftain of the Arverni tribe, who united the Gauls in an ultimately unsuccessful revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars....
against 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....
in 52 BC. Following their defeat by Caesar in 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...
, some may at this time have fled to Britain although it is more likely that Parisii had already colonised part of the island before this time and preceding the waves of Belgic immigration.
Burials involving placing the deceased in a wheeled vehicle beneath square barrows
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
, as found in both the Marne
Marne
Marne is a department in north-eastern France named after the river Marne which flows through the department. The prefecture of Marne is Châlons-en-Champagne...
region of France and in the homeland of the British Parisii, was once considered proof of a genetic link. An alternative explanation to a folk movement however is that the British Arras culture was an attempt by some of the native Britons to ape continental society. It may be that the upper echelons of British society were trying to distinguish themselves by copying foreign ways. The vehicle burial aspect of the culture developed in Britain in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC which suggests that it was adopted independently and prior to the historic defeat of Vercingetorix. Alternatively the practice may have been forgotten and then re-introduced by an immigrant group.
Either way, it is clear from the archaeological record that the two groups of Parisii had some affinity.
Barry Cunliffe in Iron Age Communities in Britain (1974) p. 45, distinguishes the Parisii as those in the Nanterre-Paris region, and the Parisi as those in Britain, based on Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
's descriptions.