Curiosolites

The Coriosolites or Curiosolitae were a Gauls, Gallic people dwelling on the northern coast of present-day Brittany during the La Tène culture, Iron Age and the Roman period.

Name

They are mentioned as ''Coriosolitas'' (var. ''coriosolitos'', ''curiosolitas'', ''curiosolitas'') and ''Coriosolites'' (var. ''coriosultes'', ''coricoriosuelites'', ''cariosu''-) by Julius Caesar, Caesar (mid-1st c. BC), and as ''Coriosvelites'' by Pliny the Elder, Pliny (1st c. AD).Pliny the Elder, Pliny. ''Naturalis Historia,'' 4:18., s.v. ''Coriosolites''.

The etymology of the ethnonym ''Coriosolites'' remains uncertain. The first element is certainly the Gaulish language, Gaulish root ''corio-'' ('army, troop'), derived from Proto-Indo-European *''kóryos'' ('army, people under arms'). However, the meaning of the second element is unclear. Pierre-Yves Lambert has proposed to interpret ''corio-solit-es'' as 'those who purchase (or sell) mercenaries', by positing a Gaulish root ''solitu-'' ('purchase/salary of mercenaries'; cf. Gaul. ''soldurio-'' < 'body-guard, loyal, devoted', Old Breton, OBret. ''solt'' 'Solidus (coin), solidus'). Alternatively, a connection with the Gaulish root ''sūli-'' ('[good] sight'; cf. Old Irish, OIr. ''súil'', 'sight', Brittonic languages, Britt. ''Sulis'') has also been conjectured, with ''corio-soli-tes'' as the 'troop-watchers', 'those who watch over the troop'.

The city of Corseul, attested ca. 400 AD as ''civitas Coriosolitum'' ('civitas of the Curiosolites', ''Aecclesia Corsult'' ca. 869, ''Corsout'' in 1288) is named after the Gallic tribe.

Geography

Territory

The Coriosolites are mentioned by Caesar together with the Veneti (Gaul), Veneti, Unelli, Osismi, and others that Caesar calls ''maritimae civitates'', "maritime cities" which border on the Atlantic Ocean. In another place he describes the position of the Coriosolites on the ocean in the same terms, and includes them among the Armorica, Armoric states, a name equivalent to ''maritimae''.Caesar, ''B. G.'' vii. 75. Pliny the Elder, Pliny mentions them with the Unelli, Diablindi, and Rhedones.

Settlements

The ancient settlement of Corseul was most likely established ''creatio ex nihilo, ex nihilo'' by the Roman authorities during the reign of Augustus, as the capital of the ''civitas'' Coriosolitum. The town is generally identified with the settlement of ''Fanum Martis'' ('temple of Mars (mythology), Mars') mentioned on the ''Tabula Peutingeriana'' (5th c. AD). Due to the lack of early Epigraphy, epigraphic record, however, the original Gaulish name of the town remains unknown. Corseul reached at size of 47ha in the first centuries of the Common Era.

Around 340 AD, the capital of the ''civitas'' was moved to Aleth (Saint-Servan), situated on the coast.

Notes

Bibliography

*
*
*
*
*

{{Authority control

Historical Celtic peoples
Gauls
Tribes of pre-Roman Gaul
Curiosolitae
History of Brittany