Olyndicus (?-170 BC), also known as Olonicus, was a
Celtiberian war chief who led a rebellion against Rome, fighting against the
praetor
''Praetor'' ( , ), also ''pretor'', was the title granted by the government of ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected ''magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to disch ...
Lucius Canuleius Dives and his troops, in the province of
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 ...
. According to
Florus
Three main sets of works are attributed to Florus (a Roman cognomen): ''Virgilius orator an poeta'', the ''Epitome of Roman History'' and a collection of 14 short poems (66 lines in all). As to whether these were composed by the same person, or ...
, he was a great leader, and a cunning and daring warrior.
[Florus, ''Epitomae'', 1.33.13]
Olyndicus was said to have behaved like a
prophet
In religion, a prophet or prophetess is an individual who is regarded as being in contact with a divinity, divine being and is said to speak on behalf of that being, serving as an intermediary with humanity by delivering messages or teachings ...
and to have led his troops wielding a
magical silver
Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
lance
The English term lance is derived, via Middle English '' launce'' and Old French '' lance'', from the Latin '' lancea'', a generic term meaning a wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generic term meaning a spear">wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generi ...
, sent to him by the gods from the sky.
See also
*
Tanginus
*
Celtiberian Wars
The First Celtiberian War (181–179 BC) and Second Celtiberian War (154–151 BC) were two 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 Pelle ...
References
{{reflist
External links
Elementos chamánicos y uránicos en el episodio del celtibero Olíndico (''Shamanic elements about the topic of Olyndicus'') (in Spanish)
La lanza de Olíndico (Spanish)
170 BC deaths
2nd-century BC rebels
Celtic warriors
Spanish rebels
Lance
Prophets