The Lexovii (

Gaulish Gaulish was an ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of Continental Europe before and during the period of the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language of the Celts of Gaul (now France, Luxembourg, Belgium, most of Switze ...

: *''Lexsouioi'', 'the leaning, lame'), were a Gallic tribe dwelling immediately west of the mouth of the

Seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/ Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributa ...

, around present-day

Lisieux Lisieux () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. It is the capital of the Pays d'Auge area, which is characterised by valleys and hedged farmland. Name The name of the town derives from the ...

, during the

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly ...

and the

Roman period The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediter ...

Name

They are mentioned as ''Lexovii'' (var. ''Lexobii'') and ''Lexovios'' by

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...

(mid-1st c. BC), ''Lēxobíous'' (Ληξοβίους) and ''Lēxooúioi'' (Ληξοούιοι) by

Strabo Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called " Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-sighted that he could s ...

(early 1st c. AD), ''Lexovios'' (var. ''lexobios'', ''lixouios'') by Pliny (1st c. AD), and as ''Lēxoubíōn'' (Ληξουβίων; var. Λειξουβίων) and ''Lēxoúbioi'' (Ληξούβιοι; var. Λιξούβιοι) by

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...

(2nd c. AD)., s.v. ''Lexovii.'' The ethnic name ''Lexovii'' is a latinized form of the

ethnonym An ethnonym () is a name applied to a given ethnic group. Ethnonyms can be divided into two categories: exonyms (whose name of the ethnic group has been created by another group of people) and autonyms, or endonyms (whose name is created and us ...

*''Lexsouioi'' (sing. ''Lexsouios''), which means 'leaning', possibly 'lame' (cf.

Old Irish Old Irish, also called Old Gaelic ( sga, Goídelc, Ogham script: ᚌᚑᚔᚇᚓᚂᚉ; ga, Sean-Ghaeilge; gd, Seann-Ghàidhlig; gv, Shenn Yernish or ), is the oldest form of the Goidelic/Gaelic language for which there are extensive writte ...

''losc'', 'lame'). It is a derivative of the adjective *''leksu''- ('oblique'; cf. Greek λοξός). An exact parallel has been highlighted in the

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...

''llechwedd'' ('slope'), itself derived from an earlier ''*lexsouíiā''. Given the semantic connotation of the name, ''Lexovii'' was probably an

exonym An endonym (from Greek: , 'inner' + , 'name'; also known as autonym) is a common, ''native'' name for a geographical place, group of people, individual person, language or dialect, meaning that it is used inside that particular place, group ...

, meaning that it was given by outsiders to this tribe. The city of

, attested ca. 400 AD as ''civitas Lexoviorum'' ('

civitas In Ancient Rome, the Latin term (; plural ), according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the , or citizens, united by law (). It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities () on th ...

of the Lexovii', ''Loxovias'' in 614, ''Lisiue'' in 1024), and the region of Lieuvin, attested in the 6th c. as ''Luxoviensis'' (''pagus Lisvinus'' in 802, ''Liévin'' in 1155), are named after the Gallic tribe.

Geography

At the time of the Gallic Wars (58–50 BC), the Lexovii were part of the ''civitates Aremoricae''. Their chief town was Noviomagus (modern Lisieux).

History

When the Veneti and their neighbours were preparing for

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...

's attack (56 BC), they applied for help to the

Osismii The Osismii, Ossismii, or Ostimii (also Ossismi, Osismi) were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the western part of the Armorican Peninsula (modern Brittany) during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Etymology They are mentioned as ''Osismos'' and ...

, Lexovii,

Namnetes The Namnetes were a Gallic tribe dwelling near the modern city of Nantes during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name They are mentioned as ''Namnitō͂n'' (Ναμνιτῶν) by Polybius (2nd c. BC) and Strabo (early 1st c. AD), ''Namnete ...

, and others. ('' B. G.'' iii. 9, 11.) Caesar sent

Quintus Titurius Sabinus Quintus Titurius Sabinus was one of Caesar's legates during the Gallic Wars. He is first mentioned in Caesar's campaign against the Remi, in 57 BC. In 56 BC, he was sent by Caesar with three legions against the Venelli, Curiosolitae, and Lexovi ...

against the

Unelli The Venellī or Unellī (Gaulish: *''Uenellī/Wenellī'') were a Gallic tribe dwelling on the Cotentin peninsula, in the northwest of modern Normandy, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. In 57 BC, they capitulated to Caesar's legate Publi ...

, Curiosolites, and Lexovii, to prevent their joining the Veneti. A few days after Sabinus reached the country of the Unelli, the

Aulerci Eburovices The Aulerci were a group of Gallic peoples dwelling in the modern region of Normandy, between the Loire (Liger) and the Seine (Sequana) rivers, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. They were divided into the Cenomani, the most powerful of ...

and the Lexovii murdered their council or senate, as Caesar calls it, because they were against the war; and they joined

Viridovix Viridovix was the chief of Unelli, a Gallic tribe which faced the legions of Julius Caesar at the time of the Roman conquest of Gaul, between 58 and 51 BC. He assumed the command of a Gallic army of Lexovii and Aulerci Eburovices against the le ...

, the chief of the Unelli. The Gallic confederates were defeated by Sabinus, and compelled to surrender. (''B. G.'' iii. 17–19.) The Lexovii took part in the great rising of the Galli against Caesar (52 BC); but their force was only 3000 men. (''B. G.'' vii. 75.)

Religion

Berthouville Berthouville () is a commune in the Eure department in Normandy in northern France. Population Sights The Manoir de Berthouville is a hunting lodge that was built 1652. It is privately owned. See also *Communes of the Eure department The ...

were found three coins engraved with the name of a

Gallo-Roman Gallo-Roman culture was a consequence of the Romanization of Gauls under the rule of the Roman Empire. It was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman culture, language, morals and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context ...

god Mercurius Canatonnessis (''Mercurio Kanetonnessi, M rcurioC netonnessi Merc

rio Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil. Rio or Río may also refer to: Geography Brazil * Rio de Janeiro * Rio do Sul, a ...

Can nnessi'). At the border of the civitas of the Lexovii and Viducasses, in

Jort Jort () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. Population See also *Communes of the Calvados department The following is a list of the 528 communes An intentional community is a volunt ...

(ancient ''*Divo-ritum'', named after the ''*

Diva Diva (; ) is the Latin word for a goddess. It has often been used to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music. If referring to an actress, the meaning of ''diva'' is cl ...

'' river), was found a bronze stylus found carved with the name of the Celtic god

Toutatis Toutatis or Teutates is a Celtic god who was worshipped primarily in ancient Gaul and Britain. His name means "god of the tribe", and he has been widely interpreted as a tribal protector.Paul-Marie Duval (1993). ''Les dieux de la Gaule.'' Éditio ...

(''Toutati'').

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * {{Gallic peoples Historical Celtic peoples Gauls Tribes of pre-Roman Gaul Tribes involved in the Gallic Wars Lisieux