European Kingdoms

Tigurini (Gauls)

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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).

By the middle of the first century BC, the Tigurini were located in south-western Switzerland as part of the Helvetii tribe or confederation (that name is examined in greater detail in the accompanying feature). This powerful collection of Celts was neighboured to the north by the Latobrigi, to the north-east and east by the Brigantii and Vindelici, to the south by the Vennones (either a sub-division of the Vindelici or a tribe of the Raeti), and to the west by the Raurici.

By the time they were interacting with Julius Caesar and his gradual conquest of Gaul, the Tigurini formed one of the four Helvetii pagi, or cantons. Most likely they were accepted into this position by the Helvetii, or were absorbed, after they had broken off from the Cimbri and Teutones in 107 BC. Their settlement area was in western Switzerland, around Lake Neuchatel in today's Canton Neuchâtel, at the northern end of which is the La Tène type site.

The core word in the tribe's name is 'tigur'. This appears to mean 'royal', to which is added a distorted '-on' suffix which appears as '-in', plus a Latin suffix '-i'. The proto-Celtic word list provides *tigern-āko-, meaning 'royal', and *tigern-atsu- (?), meaning 'kingdom', plus *tigerno-, meaning 'ruler'. Therefore the name probably means 'the rulers'. This would be appropriate seeing as the Tigurini seem to have been a leading force in the Cimbri-Teutones migration, even managing to defeat a Roman force.

(Information by Peter Kessler & Trish Wilson, with additional information by Edward Dawson, from Strabo's Geography, H C Hamilton & W Falconer, from Geography, Ptolemy, from Roman History, Cassius Dio, from Research into the Physical History of Mankind, James Cowles Pritchard, from Geography, Strabo, translated by H C Hamilton Esq & W Falconer, M A, Ed (George Bell & Sons, London, 1903), from Europe Before History, Kristian Kristiansen, from The History of Rome, Volume 1, Titus Livius (translated by Rev Canon Roberts), from Les peuples préromains du Sud-Est de la Gaule: Étude de géographie historique, Guy Barruol (De Boccard, 1999), from Encyclopaedia Britannica (Eleventh Edition, Cambridge (England), 1910), from Encyclopaedia of the Roman Empire, Matthew Bunson (1994), and from External Links: The Works of Julius Caesar: Gallic Wars, and United Nations of Roma Victrix, and the Indo-European Etymological Dictionary, J Pokorny, and Jones' Celtic Encyclopaedia, and L'Arbre Celtique (The Celtic Tree, in French), and Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz or Dictionnaire Historique de la Suisse or Dizionario Storico dell Svizzera (in German, French, and Italian respectively).)

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) and the Tigurini, but it also drops off tribal fragments such as the Atuatuci.

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

Their passage sparks a partial tribal movement by elements of the Boii who invade the Norican region south of the Danube, and it is either the Cimbri or the Boii who attack the Scordisci Celts in the Balkans (the latter of the two being the more likely).

Together this band enters southern Gaul and northern Italy, and comes up against the Roman republic. The resultant Cimbric War sees initial Teuton and Cimbri success against tribes which are allied to Rome and a huge Roman army is destroyed at the Battle of Arausio in 105 BC.

fl 107 BC

Leader of the Tigurini canton of Helvetii.

107 BC

During the Cimbric War it is Consul Lucius Cassius Longinus who enters Gallia Narbonensis to oppose the Cimbri in defence of Rome's Allobroges allies. He is killed along with his lieutenant, Lucius Piso (grandfather of Lucius Calpurnius Piso, father-in-law to Julius Caesar), at the Battle of Burdigala, the chief town of the Bituriges Vivisci, and modern Bordeaux.

Roman Burdigala in the third century AD, clearly showing its expansion from a Celtic tribal oppidum to a sizeable thriving town

The victors are the Helvetii, who rout the Roman force under Cassius and force it to 'pass under the yoke' after it has surrendered the bulk of its supplies. The Helvetian canton which is responsible for the deed is that of the Tigurini, who are led by Divicus.

They have only recently broken away from the main Cimbri group after following it for two years so that they can raid Roman territories on both banks of the Rhône. It is an unfortunate coincidence for them that this is the canton which Caesar is first able to attack at the Battle of Bibracte in 58 BC. As such, they suffer the heaviest casualties of all the Helvetii, being all but annihilated.

102 - 101 BC

Consul Gaius Marius has been rebuilding Roman forces, and also employing numbers of Iberian Mercenaries (see feature link), while the Cimbri raid into Iberia. Now the weakened Teutones are defeated and enslaved.

The effective weapon of the Balearic warrior was the sling, with each man carrying three, wound around the head according to Strabo or, according to Diodorus, one around the head, one around the body, and one in the hand

The Ambrones are also defeated by Consul Marius, alongside allied Celto-Ligurians who, somewhat peculiarly, are also ascribed the name Ambrones when referring to their origin.

The Cimbri are similarly destroyed, at the Battle of Vercellae in 101 BC (potentially the home of the Libici Gauls). It could be this event which sees the surviving Helvetii who had joined the migration from north of the Rhine now settle in south-western Switzerland.

They have been dragged away from their earlier homeland which is still home to the Helveconae, who are possibly their former fellow tribesmen. It could also be this point at which the Tigurini are absorbed by the Helvetii, or join their collective, having escaped the slaughter of the Cimbri.

The origins of the Euganei, Ligurians, Raeti, Veneti, and Vindelici are confused and unclear, but in the last half of the first millennium BC they were gradually being Celticised or were combining multiple influences to create hybrid tribes (click or tap on map to view full sized)

61 BC

The Helvetii are coming under greater pressure from migrating Germanic tribes who have now arrived to their north and are occupying territory on the east bank of the Rhine. In order to escape this pressure the Helvetii plan to migrate into the lowlands to the west.

However, their proposed path will take them through the territory of the Aeduii, a Roman ally, and tribes which lie in the way fear that the Helvetii will plunder and destroy as they go. Orgetorix, the Helvetii leader, dies before the planned exodus can go ahead, and a new chief is selected by the name of Divico.

Despite the death of Orgetorix, the Helvetii (and Tigurini) decide to go ahead with their planned exodus. Aquitania seems to be their target, where they hope to tie up with Boii who have settled there, close to the Atlantic coast, although Julius Caesar understands their target to be the land of the Santones, a little to the north of the Boii.

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)

During a forced march from Italy, Caesar recruits two new legions to face the threat, although the Ceutrones, Graioceli, and Caturiges attempt to block his passage through the Alps. As he passes through the territory of the Vocontii to enter that of the Allobroges and then the Segusiavi, groups from several local tribes are joining the Helvetii.

These include the Latobrigi, Raurici, and Tulingi, making them one of the largest and most powerful forces in all of Gaul. They also unite themselves to those Boii who have crossed the Rhine to assault the Taurisci.

61 - 58 BC

As the Helvetii and their allies depart, they burn their villages and any food stocks which cannot be carried. The statement is clear - they do not intend to return. After some skirmishing, the Helvetii and the Romans face each other at the Battle of Bibracte in 58 BC, just outside the Aeduii oppidum of the same name.

The Helvetii are mercilessly crushed by Caesar's total of six Roman legions. Perhaps two thirds of their number, men, women and children, are killed on the day, while another twenty thousand are killed in the subsequent pursuit.

The Roman troops of Julius Caesar prepare to face the Helvetii and their allies (which probably include some Boii elements) at the Battle of Bibracte in 58 BC, outside the oppidum of the Aeduii tribe

The Tigurini appear to be a leading force during the battle, and it is they who suffer perhaps the worst casualties, being all-but annihilated as a recognisable entity. The shattered remnants of the Helvetii are forced back to their homeland but, having been so greatly reduced, they will be unable to fight off Germanic incursions which could also threaten Gaul.