European Kingdoms

Caerosi / Caeraesi (Belgae)

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In general terms, the Romans coined the name 'Gaul' to describe the Celtic tribes of what is now central, northern, and eastern France. The Gauls were divided from the Belgae to the north by the Marne and the Seine, and from the Aquitani to the south by the River Garonne, while also extending into Switzerland, northern Italy, and along the Danube (see feature link for a discussion of the origins of the Celtic name).

The Caerosi or Caeraesi were one of four tribes described by Julius Caesar as Germanic but with at least one leader who bore a Celtic name. These tribes were the Caerosi, Condrusi, Eburones, and Paemani. Another, similar tribe not mentioned by Caesar was the Segni.

By the middle of the first century BC, the Caerosi were located in modern central-eastern Belgium, to the south of the River Meuse and the west of the Rhine, amongst the tribes of the Belgae. They were neighboured to the north by the Tungri and Atuatuci, to the south and south-east by the Treveri, to the south-west by the Segni, and to the west by the Condrusi.

The Belgae appear to have been formed of tribes which were seaborne and which lived along the North Atlantic and/or Baltic coastlines. They would seem to have been a branch of Celts who had established themselves in Northern Europe, although precisely where is entirely open to speculation (not to mention some heated debate).

Their dialect probably used a 'b' or a 'v' sound where their western cousins in Gaul used a 'w' sound, opening up different interpretations for their names. This tribe's name can be rendered in at least two forms but, as is the case with most tribal names, both forms stem from the same original meaning.

It has been suggested (by L'Arbre Celtique amongst others) that 'Caerosi' means 'sheep people', but deer would be as likely as sheep - coming from the root 'karwo-' in the conjectural proto-Celtic word list. The other Celtic possibility is that they were named after a leader called Caros (meaning 'dear' or 'beloved' as a proper noun). Given the 's', that would seem more likely, making them 'the people [followers] of Caros'.

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(Information by Peter Kessler and Edward Dawson, with additional information by Trish Wilson, from The Oxford History of England: Roman Britain, Peter Salway, from The La Tene Celtic Belgae Tribes in England: Y-Chromosome Haplogroup R-U152 - Hypothesis C, David K Faux, from A Genetic Signal of Central European Celtic Ancestry, David K Faux, from Celts and the Classical World, David Rankin, from The Civilisation of the East, Fritz Hommel (Translated by J H Loewe, Elibron Classic Series, 2005), from Europe Before History, Kristian Kristiansen, from The History of Rome, Volume 1, Titus Livius, translated by Rev Canon Roberts, from the Encyclopaedia of European Peoples, Carl Waldman & Catherine Mason, from Caesar's Conquest of Gaul, TR Holmes, from Roman History, Cassius Dio, from Geography, Strabo, translated by H C Hamilton Esq & W Falconer, M A, Ed (George Bell & Sons, London, 1903), from The Celtic Encyclopaedia, Harry Mountain, from Geography, Ptolemy, from Encyclopaedia of the Roman Empire, Matthew Bunson (1994), from The Oxford History of England: Roman Britain, Peter Salway, from Reallexicon der Germanischen Altertumkunde, J Hoops & H Beck (1968-2008, in German), from De voorgeschiedenis der Lage Landen, S J Laet (J B Wolters, 1959, in Dutch), from Keltisch en Germaans in de Nederlanden, Lauran Toorians (Belgisch Genootschap voor Keltische Studies, 2005, in Dutch), from Histoire de la Gaule, Danièle Roman & Yves Roman (Fayard, 1997, in French), from La civilization de la Tene/en Champagne, le faciès marnie, Denise Bretz-Mahler (CNRS, 1997, in French), from Gallia Belgica, Edith Wightman (Batsford, 1985), and from External Links: The Works of Julius Caesar: Gallic Wars, and Proto-Celtic Word List (PDF), and The Natural History, Pliny the Elder (John Bostock, Ed), and Jones' Celtic Encyclopaedia, and L'Arbre Celtique (The Celtic Tree, in French).)

113 - 105 BC

A large-scale migration of Cimbri and Teutones passes through Central Europe, and along the way it picks up Celto-Germanic Helvetii peoples who at this time are located in central Germany (in territory which later becomes Franconia). Together this band enters southern Gaul and northern Italy, and comes up against the Roman republic.

An illustration depicting the Teutones wandering in Gaul, part of a large-scale migration from modern Denmark into northern Italy in the second century BC

As shocking as this invasion is to the Romans, according to the later writings of Julius Caesar, the 'Germani' tribes of the Caerosi, Condrusi, Eburones, and Paemani (and perhaps also the unmentioned Segni) have already settled in Gaul, along the eastern edges of Gaulish and Belgae territory around the modern Belgian and Dutch borders.

This suggests that Germanic tribes are already pushing outwards from their Northern European base around the Danish peninsula and the southern shores of the Baltic.

57 BC

The Belgae enter into a confederacy against the Romans in fear of Rome's eventual domination over them. They are also spurred on by Gauls who are unwilling to see Germanic tribes remaining on Gaulish territory and are unhappy about Roman troops wintering in Gaul.

The Senones are asked by Julius Caesar to gain intelligence on the intentions of the Belgae, and they report that an army is being collected. Caesar marches ahead of expectations and the Remi, on the Belgic border, instantly surrender, although their brethren, the Suessiones remain enthusiastic about the venture.

The Battle of the (River) Axona (the modern Aisne in north-eastern France) witnessed the beginning of the end of the Belgic confederation in its fight against Rome

The Bellovaci are the most powerful amongst the Belgae, but the confederation also includes the Ambiani, Atrebates, Atuatuci, Caerosi, Caleti, Condrusi, Eburones, Menapii, Morini, Nervii, Paemani, Veliocasses, and Viromandui, along with some unnamed Germanic units on the western side of the Rhine.

The Caerosi role in the war is not mentioned, but Caesar either faces down the other Belgic tribes in battle (especially at the Axona) or accepts their surrender during the course of a single campaigning season. With this action, northern Gaul has been brought under Roman domination, while the victorious legions winter amongst the Andes, Carnutes, and Turones.

55 BC

As recorded by Julius Caesar in his work, Commentarii de Bello Gallico, the Germanic Tencteri and Usipetes tribes cross the Rhine and attack first the Belgic Menapii and then the Condrusi and Eburones. Again the Caerosi are not mentioned.

This vast map covers just about all possible tribes which were documented in the first centuries BC and AD, mostly by the Romans and Greeks, and with an especial focus on 52 BC (click or tap on map to view at an intermediate size)

53 BC

Ambiorix of the Eburones leads a failed rebellion against Rome, and is forced to flee. Despite this apparent capitulation, the country of the Eburones proves difficult for the Romans, being woody and swampy in parts. Caesar invites the neighbouring people to come and plunder the Eburones.

After stubborn resistance from the tribe, Caesar burns every village and building that he can find in their territory, drives off all the cattle, and confiscates all of the tribe's grain. The tribe is destroyed by this action and no further mention is made of it in history. The tribe's land is occupied by the Germanic Tungri.

The Caerosi seem not to be mentioned, either now or in the future. Could they be included in the devastation suffered by the Eburones, or have they already been dispersed or absorbed into a larger tribe, losing their identity?

Early Germanic peoples in Scandinavia were clustered for the most part along the coasts of southern Scandinavia, and only began to expand inland from around the third century AD or so (click or tap on map to view full sized)