Ambiorix

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Statue of Ambiorix in Tongeren.

Ambiorix was, together with Catuvolcus, prince of the Eburones, a Belgic tribe of north-eastern Gaul (Gallia Belgica), where nowadays Belgium is located. In the 19th century Ambiorix became a Belgian national hero because of his resistance against Julius Caesar, as written down in Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico.

1 Early history
2 The Revolt
3 Caesar's revenge
4 Legacy
5 Fact or fiction?
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Early history

In 57 BC Julius Caesar conquered Gaul and also Belgica (nowadays Northern France, Belgium and a southern piece of The Netherlands until the river Rhine.) There were several tribes in the country who fought against each other regularly. The Eburones were ruled by Ambiorix en Catuvolcus. In 54 BC Caesar's troops urgently needed more food and thereby the local tribes were forced to give up part of their harvest, which had not been good that year. Understandingly the starving Eburones were reluctant to do so and Caesar ordered that camps were built near the Eburones' villages. Each centurio was ordered to make sure the food supplies were delivered to the Roman soldiers. This in turn, created resentment with the Eburones.

Although Julius Caesar had freed him from paying tribute to the Atuatuci, Ambiorix joined Catuvolcus (winter, 54 BC) in an uprising against the Roman forces under Quintus Titurius Sabinus and I. Aurunculeius Cotta.

[edit] The Revolt

One day, Ambiorix and his troops attacked and killed Roman soldiers who were searching for wood. The survivors fled back to their camp, followed by Ambiorix and his men. There he realised there were too many Romans for his troops to fight and he decided to negotiate with them. Ambiorix explained to the Roman camp leaders, Sabinus and Cotta that he had no problems with them and in fact, was very happy with them, because now he had no troubles with the other tribes. He warned the Romans that these other tribes were planning to attack them and would get the support of German tribes who would cross the Rhine. Ambiorix advised them to relocate to another Roman camp so that they would be stronger to battle these troops. He also promised them he would leave them alone when they made this crossing.

Sabinus and Cotta debated the whole night on what they should do. Sabinus trusted Ambiorix and considered it would be wise to do what he had advised them. Cotta thought it would be better to stay and try to fight back when the attacks would happen. Ultimately, Cotta decided they would stay, but it wouldn't be his fault if they all got killed by doing so. This made the Roman troops very unsure and therefore they decided to leave anyway. The two closest Roman camps were behind hills and in the other option behind a plain near a valley. Sabinus and Cotta chose for the easy solution and followed option 2. While they crossed the valley Ambiorix and his men attacked them from up the hills and slaughtered them until there were no Roman soldiers left.

[edit] Caesar's revenge

When the Roman Senate heard what happened, Caesar swore to put down all the Belgic tribes. It was very important that the other Roman provinces knew that the almighty Roman empire couldn't be beaten so easily. After all, Ambiorix had killed a whole Roman legion and five cohorts. A Belgic attack on Quintus Cicero (brother of the orator), then stationed with a legion in the Nervii's territory, failed due to the timely appearance of Caesar. The Roman campaigns against the Belgae took a few years, but eventually the Belgae were no match against 50.000 trained Roman soldiers. The tribes were slaughtered or hunted away and their fields burned down. The Eburones were history from that point on. Ambiorix and his men, however, managed to cross the Rhine and disappeared without a trace.

[edit] Legacy

Caesar wrote about Ambiorix in his comment about his battles against the Gauls: "De Bello Gallico". In this text he also wrote the famous line: "Of all the Gauls, the Belgae are the bravest." ("...Horum omnium fortissimi sunt Belgae..."). This sentence has often been misquoted as "Of all the Gauls, the Belgians are the bravest.", while Caesar meant the tribes collected under the name, "Belgae" and not "the Belgians", because Belgium didn't exist until 1830.

Ambiorix remained forgotten until the 19th century. When Belgium became independent in 1830 the national government started searching through their historical archives for persons who could serve as national heroes. In Caesar's "De Bello Gallico" they discovered Ambiorix and his deeds. In 1841 the Belgian poet Joannes Nolet de Brauwere van Steeland wrote a lyrical epic about Ambiorix and on September 5, 1866 a statue of Ambiorix was erected on The Big Market of Tongeren in Belgium. There is no proof he ever lived there, but since Tongeren is Belgium's oldest village, Caesar referenced Atuatuca and Tongeren's original name is Atuatuca Tongorum it was placed there.

Nowadays Ambiorix is one of the most famous characters in Belgian history. Many companies, bars, french fries stands have named themselves after him and in many Belgian comics as Suske en Wiske and Jommeke he once played a guest spot.

In the French comic Asterix in the album Asterix in Belgium Asterix, Obelix, Dogmatix and Vitalstatistix go to Belgium because they are angry with Caesar about his remark that the Belgians are the bravest of all the Gauls. The Belgian chief in the album, Beefix, does resemble Ambiorix a bit.

In 2005 Ambiorix was nominated for the title De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian). In the Flemish edition he ended in fourth place. In the Walloon edition he ended in 50th place.

[edit] Fact or fiction?

It is not sure if Ambiorix really existed because there are, apart from Caesar's notes, no other sources about him. His statue in Tongeren is therefore a fanciful interpretation of what he might have looked like. There are suggestions Caesar made him up as an excuse why his troops were slaughtered in Belgica. On the other hand one could ask how else these 7,200 soldiers disappeared? And apart from this it should be noted that the entire Roman-Gaulish wars fought by Caesar descend from one source: his writings. This discussion was held again during De Grootste Belg competition in 2005. Most historians and fans of Belgian folklore do however agree he existed.

Ambiorix' name means "rich king" and is of Celtic origin though the Eburones are a Germanic tribe. The Eburones were part of a federation along with many tribes which were mostly Celtic.