
Divico was a
Celtic king and the leader of the
Helvetian tribe of the
Tigurini.
During the
Cimbrian War
The Cimbrian or Cimbric War (113–101 BC) was fought between the Roman Republic and the Germanic peoples, Germanic and Celts, Celtic tribes of the Cimbri and the Teutons, Ambrones and Tigurini, who migrated from the Jutland peninsula into Roma ...
, in which the
Cimbri and
Teutons
The Teutons (, ; ) were an ancient northern European tribe mentioned by Roman authors. The Teutons are best known for their participation, together with the Cimbri and other groups, in the Cimbrian War with the Roman Republic in the late seco ...
invaded the
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
, he led the Tigurini across the
Rhine
The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
to invade
Gaul
Gaul () was a region of Western Europe first clearly described by the Roman people, Romans, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy. It covered an area of . Ac ...
in 109 BC. He defeated a Roman army near present-day
Agen on the Garonne river at the
Battle of Burdigala in 107 BC, killing its leaders
Lucius Cassius Longinus, the Roman consul, and
Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus.
Eventually he led his people back to the tribes of the
Helvetii
The Helvetii (, , Gaulish: *''Heluētī''), anglicized as Helvetians, were a Celtic tribe or tribal confederation occupying most of the Swiss plateau at the time of their contact with the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC. According to Ju ...
, near present-day
Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
where they settled in the
Jura Mountains
The Jura Mountains ( ) are a sub-alpine mountain range a short distance north of the Western Alps and mainly demarcate a long part of the French–Swiss border. While the Jura range proper (" folded Jura", ) is located in France and Switzerla ...
near
Lac Leman. 49 years later, before the
Battle of Bibracte, he led a delegation back to Gaul to negotiate for a safe passage for his tribe through the Roman region of
Provence. The request was denied by
Caesar who wanted revenge for a relative who had been killed in the battle near Agen in 107 BC.
He is not to be confused with the military and religious leader of another gaulish tribe,
Diviciacus of the
Aedui.
See also
*
Campaign history of the Roman military
*
Helvetii
The Helvetii (, , Gaulish: *''Heluētī''), anglicized as Helvetians, were a Celtic tribe or tribal confederation occupying most of the Swiss plateau at the time of their contact with the Roman Republic in the 1st century BC. According to Ju ...
Notes
2nd-century BC births
1st-century BC deaths
2nd-century BC monarchs in Europe
1st-century BC monarchs in Europe
Barbarian people of the Gallic Wars
Celtic warriors
1st-century BC Gaulish tribal chiefs
Helvetii
People of the Cimbrian War
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