The Witch's and Druids Den

Before we move on to the timeline I would like to give simple brake down when it comes to some of the events in the timeline. First we have Julius Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico (Commentaries on the Gallic War). The Commentarii is divided into 8 books (or chapters), with each book covering one year of Caesar’s campaign in Gaul. The first seven books are written by Caesar himself, while the eighth book is attributed to Aulus Hirtius, a close associate of Caesar, and it covers the final year of the Gallic Wars, 51 BCE.

• Book 1 (58 BCE): The first book begins with the events of 58 BCE, the year when Caesar was elected consul and began his campaign against the Helvetii and the Germanic tribes.
• Book 2 (57 BCE): Covers the events of 57 BCE, including Caesar’s battles with the Belgic tribes.
• Book 3 (56 BCE): This book covers 56 BCE, focusing on the campaigns against the Veneti, a Celtic tribe in Armorica (modern-day Brittany), and the first significant battles against the Belgae and the Belgian tribes.
• Book 4 (55 BCE): Describes the events of 55 BCE, notably Caesar’s invasion of Britain (the first and second expeditions to the British Isles).
• Book 5 (54 BCE): This book covers 54 BCE, including the second invasion of Britain and the revolt of the Eburones in Gaul.
• Book 6 (53 BCE): This book focuses on 53 BCE, with detailed accounts of the campaigns in the eastern part of Gaul, as well as the various uprisings.
• Book 7 (52 BCE): Covers 52 BCE, which was a pivotal year marked by the major rebellion led by Vercingetorix, the chief of the Arverni. The siege of Alesia is one of the most famous events of this book.
• Book 8 (51 BCE): This book covers 51 BCE, with the final suppression of the Gallic resistance and the eventual pacification of Gaul.

Second is when it comes to specific dates that I might have, there’s often a slight range in the interpretation of precise dates, especially when dealing with the shifting and inconsistent nature of the Roman calendar at the time. The pre-Julian Roman calendar and the transitions into the Julian calendar mean that some of the dates from Caesar’s era may not always align perfectly with our modern Gregorian calendar.

Below I give a date Feb, 13th this is from a combination of ancient sources, Roman calendar calculations, and historical reconstruction. Im not sure who original said the date but now its made its way into almost every book on the subject. Alternatively in a paper called RECONSTRUCTING THE CHRONOLOGY OF CAESAR’S GALLIC WARS.

Perhaps on 21 February, the rebellion began with a massacre of Romans at Cenabum (7.3), followed immediately by
an uprising led by Vercingetorix among the Arverni, his consolidation of leadership (7.4), and an attack on the Bituriges (7.5). These events will have consumed at least two more weeks (21 Feb.–10 Intercal. = 9–22 Jan., Jul.).

Kurt A. Raaflaub and John T. Ramsey

Around 600 BCE:

By approximately 500 BCE, a series of incursions by the Gauls into Italy was set into motion. Ambicatus, who held the title of King of the Bituriges “kings of the world,” reigned over Central Gaul, situated between Hispania and Germany. Seeking to expand their dominion, Ambicatus dispatched his nephews, Bellovesus and Segovesus, on exploratory missions. Segovesus embarked on a journey to the Hercynian Forest to identify suitable settlement areas, while Bellovesus ventured into upper Italy. Leading a coalition of six tribes—the Bituriges, Arverni, Senones, Aedui, Ambarri, Carnutes, and Aulerci—Bellovesus boldly traversed the Alps. This historical juncture marks the earliest reference to The Carnutes in the annals of history.

57 BCE: Caesar defeats the Belgic coalition at the Battle of the Sabis and establishes Roman winter quarters among the Andes, Carnutes, and Turones.

The year 57 BCE marked a crucial turning point in the history of Gaul. Julius Caesar’s growing influence over the region cast a long shadow, and the Belgic tribes, united by their disdain for Roman expansion, formed a formidable coalition. The Belgae, comprising the Ambiani, Atrebates, Nervii, and other tribes, rose in defiance against Caesar’s expanding power. A brutal campaign ensued, culminating in a decisive victory for Caesar at the Battle of the Sabis (modern Sambre), where the Belgic forces were crushed. Following this victory, Caesar established Roman winter quarters in central Gaul, specifically among the Andes, Carnutes, and Turones, consolidating his control over the region.

56 BCE: Caesar appoints Tasgetius as ruler of the Carnutes, but tensions grow as the tribe becomes disillusioned with Roman control.
55 BCE: The Carnutes assassinate Tasgetius, and Caesar sends Lucius Munatius Plancus to restore order, though other uprisings delay his mission.

By 56 BCE, the Roman presence was firmly entrenched, and Caesar sought to strengthen his hold over the Carnutes, a tribe located in the heart of Gaul. He appointed Tasgetius, a Carnute noble, to rule over his people as a client king. However, this move, instead of ensuring loyalty, fueled growing resentment among the Carnutes, who saw their autonomy slipping away. The simmering discontent came to a head in 55 BCE when Tasgetius was assassinated by a faction within his own tribe. The murder sent ripples through the region, signaling that the Carnutes were no longer willing to submit quietly to Roman control.

Fearing further unrest, Caesar dispatched Lucius Munatius Plancus to restore order. Plancus’ mission was hindered, however, as multiple uprisings broke out across Gaul, notably involving the Eburones, led by the notorious Ambiorix. Caesar’s attention was diverted by these crises, and he was unable to fully address the growing tensions among the Carnutes at that time.

52 BCE: The Carnutes, under Cotuatus and Conconnétodumnos, massacre Roman citizens at Cenabum (modern Orléans) on February 13. Caesar retaliates by sacking the town, killing or enslaving its inhabitants. The Carnutes send 12,000 warriors to aid Vercingetorix in the Battle of Alesia, but the Gauls are defeated, and Vercingetorix surrenders to Caesar.

The real turning point came in 52 BCE, when the Carnutes, led by Cotuatus and Conconnétodumnos, launched a brutal and unprovoked attack on the Roman settlement at Cenabum (modern Orléans). On February 13, 52 BCE, the Carnutes massacred the Roman inhabitants of the town, including high-ranking officials. This bloody uprising ignited the flames of rebellion across Gaul, as Caesar’s authority was increasingly challenged. Caesar responded swiftly and mercilessly, marching to Cenabum, sacking the town, and selling its inhabitants into slavery or executing them. The brutal retribution was a clear message to all of Gaul that resistance against Roman power would be met with devastating force.

Meanwhile, the Carnutes’ actions reverberated beyond their own borders. The news of their rebellion reached Vercingetorix, the leader of the Arverni, who had already begun rallying other Gallic tribes to his cause. The Carnutes, eager to stand against Rome, sent a contingent of 12,000 warriors to assist Vercingetorix in his campaign against Caesar. The forces of the Gauls met Caesar’s legions at Alesia, but despite the Carnutes’ efforts, the siege ended in defeat for the Gauls. Vercingetorix ultimately surrendered to Caesar, marking the beginning of the end for the Gallic resistance.

51 BCE: After the defeat at Alesia, Caesar returns to the Carnutes. He captures and executes Gutuater (likely Cotuatus), quelling the rebellion.

Though the defeat at Alesia in 52 BCE shattered the Gaulish alliance, the repercussions for the Carnutes were not over. In the summer of 51 BCE, after his victory at Alesia, Caesar turned his attention back to the Carnutes. He led an expedition to their territory, determined to punish the tribe for its role in the rebellion. There, he captured Gutuater (likely the same as Cotuatus), the leader of the revolt, and publicly executed him, ensuring the rebellion was stamped out once and for all. The once proud and independent Carnutes were now fully subdued, their power broken.

27 BCE: Under Emperor Augustus, the Carnutes are incorporated into Gallia Lugdunensis. They retain some autonomy but are increasingly absorbed into Roman rule.

Following the defeat of the Carnutes, the region fell under Roman dominion. Under Emperor Augustus in 27 BCE, the Carnutes were incorporated into the Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis. Though they retained some cultural autonomy and were not fully Romanized, their once-powerful tribal identity began to fade into the larger Roman administrative system. Autricum (modern Orléans) became the administrative center for the Carnutes during this period, and the tribe’s presence in Gaul was gradually absorbed into the wider Roman world.

275 CE: During Emperor Aurelian’s reign, the town of Autricum is renamed Aurelianum. The Carnutes persist as part of the Roman Empire despite continued invasions and incursions.

Despite their subjugation, the Carnutes did not vanish entirely. In 275 CE, during the reign of Emperor Aurelian, the town of Autricum was renamed Aurelianum in his honor, and the Carnutes continued to persist, albeit as part of the larger Roman Empire. Even in the face of Roman invasions and incursions, the legacy of the Carnutes endured, standing as a testament to their once-unstoppable resistance to Roman rule.