Caesarus (known as ''Césaro'' in Portuguese and

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

) was a chieftain of the

Lusitanians The Lusitanians were an Indo-European languages, Indo-European-speaking people living in the far west of the Iberian Peninsula, in present-day central Portugal and Extremadura and Castilla y Leon of Spain. It is uncertain whether the Lusitanians ...

, a proto-

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

tribe from western

Hispania Hispania was the Ancient Rome, Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two Roman province, provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior. During the Principate, Hispania Ulterior was divide ...

. He followed and later replaced Punicus as their major military leader during the

Lusitanian War The Lusitanian Wars, called ''Pyrinos Polemos'' ("the Fiery War") in Greek, were wars of resistance fought by the Lusitanian tribes of Hispania Ulterior against the advancing legions of the Roman Republic from 155 to 139 BC. The Lusitanians re ...

Biography

He is considered to have served as Punicus's lieutenant, which would explain the quick way he was promoted to leader after the latter's death. Caesarus might have previously accompanied him during his service as a

mercenary A mercenary is a private individual who joins an armed conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any other official military. Mercenaries fight for money or other forms of payment rather t ...

for

Phoenicia Phoenicians were an Ancient Semitic-speaking peoples, ancient Semitic group of people who lived in the Phoenician city-states along a coastal strip in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily modern Lebanon and the Syria, Syrian ...

n or

Punic The Punic people, usually known as the Carthaginians (and sometimes as Western Phoenicians), were a Semitic people who migrated from Phoenicia to the Western Mediterranean during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' ...

territories in the south of the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

. In 155 BC, Punicus provoked the Lusitanians and

Vettones The Vettones (Greek language, Greek: ''Ouettones'') were an Prehistoric Iberia#Iron Age, Iron Age pre-Roman people of the Iberian Peninsula. Origins Lujan (2007) concludes that some of the names of the Vettones show clearly Hispano-Celtic lan ...

into revolting and pillaging the Roman colonies, but after being killed in 153 BC, he was relieved by Caesarus. The new chieftain had his first major battle in

Hispania Ulterior Hispania Ulterior (English: "Further Hispania", or occasionally "Thither Hispania") was a Roman province located in Hispania (on the Iberian Peninsula) during the Roman Republic, roughly located in Baetica and in the Guadalquivir valley of moder ...

against the forces of Roman Praetor

Lucius Mummius Lucius Mummius (2nd century BC) was a Roman statesman and general. He was consul in the year 146 BC along with Gnaeus Cornelius Lentulus. Mummius was the first of his family to rise to the rank of consul thereby making him a novus homo. He r ...

. Although the Roman forces were initially successful, obliging the Lusitanians to fall back and abandon their plunder, the Roman forces became disorganised in the chase, which Caesarus capitalised on to counter-attack. Mummius was defeated in the ensuing battle with as many as 9,000 of his men dying, allowing the Lusitanians to regain their spoils and also capture many of the Romans' weapons and

standards Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object t ...

. It has been speculated the whole sequence might have been a deliberate ruse by the Lusitanians. In any case, Caesarus then paraded mockingly with the Roman standards through the Iberian peninsula, helping to provoke the

Second Celtiberian War The Second Celtiberian War (154–151 BC) was one of the three major rebellions by the Celtiberians (a loose alliance of Celtic tribes living in east central Hispania, among which we can name the Pellendones, the Arevaci, the Lusones, the Titti ...

. Caesarus's forces faced Mummius again later, after the latter had remained in fortified positions training his army. This time Mummius won, recovering part of the lost plunder. Caesarus is not mentioned as being among the Lusitanians, making his ultimate fate unknown. Meanwhile, another Lusitanian contingent from adjacent lands had joined the war, led by the warlord Caucenus.

Etymology

The meaning of the name ''Kaisaro'' is disputed, though it is believed it has a Phoenician root, bringing the possibility it was a title gained during his military experience in Phoenician or Punic territories. It might derive from the word ''ksr'', related to the Carthaginian god Kusor, or alternatively from ''kysr'', translating as "

elephant Elephants are the largest living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ('' Loxodonta africana''), the African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''), and the Asian elephant ('' Elephas maximus ...

" (the same origin as the Roman surname and title ''

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 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. He ...

''). Departing from the Phoenician thesis, it might come as well from the

Celtic language The Celtic languages ( ) are a branch of the Indo-European language family, descended from the hypothetical Proto-Celtic language. The term "Celtic" was first used to describe this language group by Edward Lhuyd in 1707, following Paul-Yves ...

, more specifically the words ''gaesi'' ("valiant man") or ''gaesum'' ("iron dart"), similar to the Celtic-Germanic name Caesorix.

In film and television

The Spanish television series ''

Hispania, La Leyenda ''Hispania, la leyenda'' () is a Spanish adventure drama television series starring Roberto Enríquez, Lluís Homar, Ana de Armas, Juan José Ballesta, Jesús Olmedo, Manuela Vellés and Nathalie Poza, among others. Set in the 2nd century ...

'' (2010-2012) features Caesarus as the chief of

Viriathus Viriathus (also spelled Viriatus; known as Viriato in Portuguese language, Portuguese and Spanish language, Spanish; died 139 Anno Domini, BC) was the most important leader of the Lusitanians, Lusitanian people that resisted Roman Republic, Roma ...

's home village. He is played by Lluís Marco.

Notes

{{reflist 155 BC Lusitanians Celtic warriors Spanish rebels Year of birth unknown Ancient Hispanic mercenaries

Biography

Etymology

In film and television

See also

Notes