European Kingdoms

Tricasses (Gauls)

Indo-Europeans - Celtic Tribes (Intro) Anatolian Tribes Balkans Tribes Baltic Tribes Celtic Tribes Germanic Tribes Italic Tribes Indo-Iranian/Aryan Tribes Slavic Tribes Tocharians (Intro)

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 (see feature link for a discussion of the origins of the Celtic name).

By the middle of the first century BC, the minor Tricasses tribe was located immediately to the south of the Belgic-Gaulish border, on the right bank of the Sequana (the modern River Seine). They were neighboured to the north-west by the Senones, to the north by the Catalauni, to the east by the Leuci, to the south by the Lingones and Mandubii, and to the west by the Carnutes.

The tribe's name is an easy one to break down, containing as it does some old favourites when it comes to Celts naming their groups. With the plural suffix removed from the name, the first part, 'tri-', means 'three' just as it does today.

The second part is 'cass', which appears to be another form of 'cat-', meaning 'battle'. Similar forms of this have cropped up many times, notably in tribes such as the Insular Catuvellauni and the Continental Boiocasses and Veliocasses. This tribe were 'the three battles', no doubt a reference to an important event in their personal history.

The tribe occupied territory which roughly matches the modern region of the Aube. Not much is known about them, although they were probably loyal to Rome as were the nearby Remi after their quick capitulation in 57 BC.

Julius Caesar failed to note them at all, although both Pliny in Natural History and Ptolemy in Geography do both name them, suggesting the possibility that they were subordinate to one of the bigger tribes and perhaps only a late division of them. They probably had their oppidum at Tricasses (modern Troyes), but in the first century AD this was Romanised as Augustobona. It became a transport hub which was connected to the Via Agrippa.

Principal author(s): Page created: Page last updated:

(Information by Peter Kessler and Edward Dawson, with additional information 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 Geography, Ptolemy, from the Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, William Smith, from The History of Rome, Volume 1, Titus Livius, translated by Rev Canon Roberts, from Celts and the Classical World, David Rankin, from the Encyclopaedia of European Peoples, Carl Waldman & Catherine Mason, from The Celtic Encyclopaedia, Harry Mountain, from Encyclopaedia of the Roman Empire, Matthew Bunson (1994), and from External Links: Geography, Strabo (H C Hamilton & W Falconer, London, 1903, Perseus Online Edition), and Indo-European Etymological Dictionary, J Pokorny, and The Natural History, Pliny the Elder (John Bostock, Ed), and Perseus Digital Library, and The Works of Julius Caesar: Gallic Wars, and Polybius, Histories, 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).)

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.

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)

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 (probably along with the Tricasses). Their brethren, the Suessiones, remain enthusiastic about the venture.

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.

Caesar encourages his ally, Diviciacus of the Aeduii, to attack the Bellovaci and divert part of the Belgic forces. The remaining Belgae march en masse against the Romans, attacking the Remi town of Bibrax along the way.

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

Rather than face such a large force with a reputation for uncommon bravery, Caesar elects to isolate them in groups using his cavalry, and the tribes are largely picked off or 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.