Viridovix was the chief of

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 ...

, a

Gallic tribe The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They spo ...

which faced the legions of

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, ...

at the time of the

Roman conquest of Gaul The Gallic Wars were waged between 58 and 50 BC by the Roman general Julius Caesar against the peoples of Gaul (present-day France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland). Gallic, Germanic, and British tribes fought to defend their home ...

, between 58 and 51 BC. He assumed the command of a Gallic army of

Lexovii The Lexovii (Gaulish: *''Lexsouioi'', 'the leaning, lame'), were a Gallic tribe dwelling immediately west of the mouth of the Seine, around present-day Lisieux, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name They are mentioned as ''Lexovii'' (v ...

and

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 ...

against the legate

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 whom he suffered a defeat in 56 BC.

In popular culture

One of the main characters of the fantasy novel series ''

The Misplaced Legion The ''Videssos cycle'' (sometimes also referred to as the ''Lost Legion'' series) is a fantasy novel series by Harry Turtledove and set in the Videssos fictional universe. Turtledove uses his knowledge of Byzantine Empire history and military exper ...

'' (also known as ''The Videssos Cycle'' or ''The Legion Cycle'') by

Harry Turtledove Harry Norman Turtledove (born June 14, 1949) is an American author who is best known for his work in the genres of alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, and mystery fiction. He is a student of history and completed hi ...

is a Gaulish chief named Viridovix. While he comes from the same time period as the historical Viridovix, he is stated to be Lexovii rather than Unelli, and has other differences in his biography, making it likely that he is a composite character, loosely based on the historical figure.

Sources

Commentarii de Bello Gallico ''Commentarii de Bello Gallico'' (; en, Commentaries on the Gallic War, italic=yes), also ''Bellum Gallicum'' ( en, Gallic War, italic=yes), is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. In it C ...

, Book 3, 17— 19 Celtic warriors Gaulish rulers Barbarian people of the Gallic Wars 1st-century BC rulers {{AncientRome-stub