"Helvetians" redirects here. For other uses, see Helvetia (disambiguation).
Map of the Roman province Maxima Sequanorum (c. 300 AD), which comprised the territories of a part of the Helvetii, Sequani and several smaller tribes. The relative locations of the Helvetian pagi Tigurini and Verbigeni, though indicated on the map, remain unknown.[1]
Map of Gaul with tribes, 1st century BC; the Helvetii are circled.
The Helvetii (Latin: Helvētiī[hɛɫˈweːti.iː], Gaulish: *Heluētī), anglicized as Helvetians, were a Celtic[2] tribe or tribal confederation[3] occupying most of the Swiss plateau at the time of their contact with the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC. According to Julius Caesar, the Helvetians were divided into four subgroups or pagi. Of these, Caesar names only the Verbigeni and the Tigurini,[4] while Posidonius mentions the Tigurini and the Tougeni (Τωυγενοί).[5] They feature prominently in the Commentaries on the Gallic War, with their failed migration attempt to southwestern Gaul (58 BC) serving as a catalyst for Caesar's conquest of Gaul.
The Helvetians were subjugated after 52 BC, and under Augustus, Celtic oppida, such as Vindonissa or Basilea, were re-purposed as garrisons. In AD 68, a Helvetian uprising was crushed by Aulus Caecina Alienus.
The Swiss plateau was at first incorporated into the Roman province of Gallia Belgica[citation needed] (22 BC), later into Germania Superior (AD 83).
The Helvetians, like the rest of Gaul, were largely Romanized by the 2nd century.
In the later 3rd century, Roman control over the region waned, and the Swiss plateau was exposed to the invading Alemanni. The Alemanni and Burgundians established permanent settlements in the Swiss plateau in the 5th and 6th centuries, resulting in the early medieval territories of Alemannia (Swabia) and Upper Burgundy. The Helvetii were largely assimilated by their new rulers, contributing to the ethnogenesis of modern Swiss people.
^Butler, Samuel; Rhys, Ernest (1907). "Map 4, Gallia". The Atlas of Ancient and Classical Geography. Everyman. London; New York: J. M. Dent; E. P. Dutton.
^Freeman, Philip (2008). Julius Caesar. Simon and Schuster. p. 110. ISBN 978-0-7432-8953-5. Gaulish Helvetii.
^Freeman, Philip. John T. Koch (ed.). Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. Vol. I. ABC-CLIO. p. 901. ISBN 1-85109-440-7.
The Helvetii (Latin: Helvētiī [hɛɫˈweːti.iː], Gaulish: *Heluētī), anglicized as Helvetians, were a Celtic tribe or tribal confederation occupying most...
the river Rhine. The wars began with conflict over the migration of the Helvetii in 58 BC, which drew in neighboring tribes and the Germanic Suebi. By 57 BC...
importantly by Julius Caesar's defeat of the largest tribal group, the Helvetii, in the Gallic Wars in 58 BC. Under the Pax Romana, the area was smoothly...
the most important tribal groups was the Helvetii. Steadily harassed by Germanic tribes, in 58 BC, the Helvetii decided to abandon the Swiss Plateau and...
between the Helvetii and six Roman legions, under the command of Gaius Julius Caesar. It was the second major battle of the Gallic Wars. The Helvetii, a confederation...
the Gaulish Helvetii were chosen as representing the ancestral Swiss population (compare Helvetia as national allegory), as the Helvetii had settled in...
The Battle of the Arar was fought between the migrating tribes of the Helvetii and six Roman legions — The Seventh (Legio VII Claudia), Eighth (Legio...
trans Rhenum incolunt, quibuscum continenter bellum gerunt. Qua de causa Helvetii quoque reliquos Gallos virtute praecedunt, quod fere cotidianis proeliis...
first engagement was in April 58 BC when Caesar prevented the migrating Helvetii from moving through Roman territory, allegedly because he feared they would...
century AD, as the capital of the recently conquered territory of the Helvetii, across the road that connected Italy to Britain, built under Claudius...
Geneva and forbade the Helvetii to move into Gaul. While he went to Gallia Cisalpina to collect three other legions, the Helvetii attacked the territories...
BC, ostensibly to assist Rome's Gaullish allies against the migrating Helvetii. With the help of various Gallic clans (e.g. the Aedui) he managed to conquer...
Italy and other places. Another part of the nation moved west with the Helvetii into southern France, which was one of the events leading to the interventions...
The Tulingi were a small tribe closely allied to the Celtic Helvetii in the time of Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul. Their location is unknown; their...
and part of Burgundy. The Jura Mountains separated the Sequani from the Helvetii on the east, but the mountains belonged to the Sequani, as the narrow pass...
governorship of Transalpine Gaul the Helvetii tribe planned an invasion of western Gaul. Orgetorix, a prominent Helvetii chieftain, conspired with Dumnorix...
writings Caseus Helveticus, a hard Sbrinz-like cheese produced by the Helvetii. Cheese was an everyday food and cheesemaking a mature art in the Roman...
Caturix (Gaulish for "battle king") was the war god of the Helvetii. Caturix became known as Mars Caturix in Gallo-Roman religion by interpretation as...
remainder of Gaul as Gallia Comata – "Long-haired Gaul." In 58 BC the Helvetii planned to migrate westward but Julius Caesar forced them back. He then...
a lone inscription in Cisalpine Gaul Caletos Caturix - war god of the Helvetii Cernunnos (Carnonos) - an antlered god Cissonius - a Gallic god of trade...
region is tied to that of Alpine culture. Switzerland was inhabited by the Helvetii, and it came under Roman rule in the 1st century BC. The Gallo-Roman culture...
for the various people that ancient Romans encountered (e.g. Allemanni, Helvetii). -i.e. is rather used for English places. -iot or -iote Chios → Chiots...
Orgetorix was a wealthy aristocrat among the Helvetii, a Celtic-speaking people residing in what is now Switzerland during the consulship of Julius Caesar...
as a symbol of confederation. The name is a derivation of the ethnonym Helvetii, the name of the Gaulish tribe inhabiting the Swiss Plateau before the...
prehistoric times. Later, the Celtic tribe of the Helvetii inhabited the area. Caesar's troops defeated the Helvetii in 58 BC and as a consequence the Romans settled...
Raeti lived in the eastern regions, while the west was occupied by the Helvetii and the Allobroges settled in the Rhône valley and in Savoy. The Ligures...
Yoke (1858) by Charles Gleyre, imagining the subjugation of Romans following their defeat by the Helvetii around 107 BC (Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts)...
Piso Caesoninus. Eventually he led his people back to the tribes of the Helvetii, near present-day Switzerland where they settled in the Jura Mountains...
(Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 6.14) while also noting that the Helvetii had a written census (Caesar, De Bello Gallico 1.29). Rome introduced a...
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