The Caeracates (Gaulish: *Caeracatis, 'the shepherds' or 'sheep-folk') were small tribe dwelling in Gallia Belgica during the Roman period. Like the Aresaces, they were probably a sub-tribe (pagus) of the larger Treveri, since they were too small to form their own civitas.[1][2]
Name
editThey are mentioned by Tacitus (early 2nd c. AD) as Caeracatium and Caeracatibus.[3]
The ethnonym Caeracates is a latinized form of Gaulish *Caeracatis. It derives from a stem *caerac-, meaning 'ewe' or a similar animal (cf. Old Irish gen. caerach 'ewe', Welsh caeriwrch 'roe deer'), attached to the suffix -atis ('belonging to'). It thus means 'those of the sheep', that is to say 'the shepherds' or 'sheep-folk'. Caeracates is cognate with other Celtic tribal names such as the Belgic Caeroesi, the Brittonic Caereni, and the Pictish Kairรชnoi (ฮฮฑฮนฯฮทฮฝฮฟฮฏ).[4][5][6]
History
editTacitus mentioned them in his account of the Batavian revolt of 69โ70 AD. They were called up, along with the Vangiones and the Triboci, to reinforce a Treveran force:
Tutor first added to the Treviran troops a fresh levy of Vangiones, Caeracates, and Triboci, and then reinforced these with veteran foot and horse, drawn from the legionaries whom he had either corrupted by hope or overcome with fear; these forces first massacred a cohort despatched in advance by Sextilius Felix; then, when the Roman generals and armies began to draw near, they returned to their allegiance by an honourable desertion, followed by the Triboci, Vangiones, and Caeracates.
โโTacitus 1925, Historiae, 4:70.
References
edit- ^ Wightman 1985, p.ย 54.
- ^ Spickermann 2019, p.ย 468.
- ^ Tacitus. Historiae, 4:70.
- ^ Sergent 1991, pp.ย 10โ11.
- ^ Neumann 1999, pp.ย 110โ111.
- ^ Delamarre 2003, p.ย 97.
Primary sources
editBibliography
edit- Delamarre, Xavier (2003). Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental. Errance. ISBNย 9782877723695.
- Neumann, Gรผnter (1999), "Germani cisrhenani โ die Aussage der Namen", in Beck, H.; Geuenich, D.; Steuer, H. (eds.), Germanenprobleme in heutiger Sicht, Walter de Gruyter, ISBNย 978-3110164381
- Sergent, Bernard (1991). "Ethnozoonymes indo-europรฉens". Dialogues d'Histoire Ancienne. 17 (2): 9โ55. doi:10.3406/dha.1991.1932.
- Spickermann, Wolfgang (2019). "Les Provinces Germaniques, un Champ d'Analyses pour l'Histoire des Religions". In Hurlet, Frรฉdรฉric (ed.). Rome et l'Occident: Gouverner l'Empire (IIe siรจcle av. J.-C. - IIe siรจcle ap. J.-C.). Presses universitaires de Rennes. ISBNย 978-2-7535-6690-3.
- Wightman, Edith M. (1985). Gallia Belgica. University of California Press. ISBNย 978-0-520-05297-0.
