Coins of the Elusates 5th 1st century BCE

The Elusates were an

Aquitani The Aquitani were a tribe that lived in the region between the Pyrenees, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Garonne, in present-day southwestern France in the 1st century BC. The Romans dubbed this region '' Gallia Aquitania''. Classical authors suc ...

tribe dwelling in the modern

Gers Gers (; or , ) is a departments of France, department in the regions of France, region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Southwestern France. Gers is bordered by the departments of Hautes-Pyrénées and Pyrénées-Atlantiques to ...

department, around present-day

Eauze Eauze (; Gascon language, Gascon: ''Eusa'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Gers Departments of France, department in southwestern France. History Located in the heart of south-west France, 130 kilometers from the Spanish border, Eauze i ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

during the

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

and the

Roman period The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

. They were subjugated in 56 BC by the Roman forces of

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 ...

legatus A legate (Latin: , ) was a high-ranking Roman military officer in the Roman army, equivalent to a high-ranking general officer of modern times. Initially used to delegate power, the term became formalised under Augustus as the officer in comman ...

P. Licinius Crassus.

Name

They are mentioned as ''Elusates'' by

(mid-1st c. BC) and Pliny (1st c. AD), and as Elusa on the ''

Tabula Peutingeriana ' (Latin Language, Latin for 'The Peutinger Map'), also known as Peutinger's Tabula, Peutinger tablesJames Strong (theologian) , James Strong and John McClintock (theologian) , John McClintock (1880)"Eleutheropolis" In: ''The Cyclopedia of Bibli ...

'' (5th c. AD)., s.v. ''Elusates'' and ''Elusa''. The etymology 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 used ...

''Elusates'' remains uncertain, but the root ''elus(a)''- is generally presumed to be of Aquitanian origin. Alternatively, a connection with the Celtic root *''elu(o)''- ('numerous') has also been proposed. The city of

, attested in the 4th century AD as ''

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 Roman law, law (). It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilitie ...

Elusa'', is named after the tribe.

Geography

The Elusates dwelled south of the Sotiates, north of the Onobrisates, east of the Tarusates, west of the Lactorates, and northwest of the

Ausci The Auscii or Ausci were an Aquitani tribe dwelling around present-day Auch during the Iron Age. Alongside the Tarbelli, they were one of the most powerful peoples of Aquitania. Name They are mentioned as ''Ausci'' by Caesar (mid-1st c. B ...

., Map 25: Hispania Tarraconensis. The pre-Roman

oppidum An ''oppidum'' (: ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age Europe, Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celts, Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread acros ...

of Esbérous was located 3km northwest of Eauze. During the Roman period, their chief town was known as Elusa (modern

). Made a Roman ''colonia'' in the early 3rd century AD, Elusa is documented as the capital of the province of Novempopulana by the ''

Notitia Galliarum The ''Notitia Galliarum'' (or ''Notitia provinciarum et civitatum Galliae'') is a Roman register of cities dating to the 4th–6th centuries AD., contains the text of the ''Notitia'' with a map. The Latin register is divided into two headings. ...

'' in the 4th century. The settlement of ''Tasta'', mentioned by Pliny, may be identified with the city since the field that partly covers the ancient Elusa is called ''La Taste''.

References

Bibliography

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Name

Geography

See also

References

Bibliography

Further reading