Éburons

The Éburons were a tribe belonging to the association of the Belgian people, established in the North-East of (large) the Gaulle with the Ier front century J. - C.. Jules César describes them as being of Germanic origin .

Their territory correspond to the modern provinces, in Belgium the Limbourg, Holland Dutch Limbourg, and a neighbouring part of Germany until Aachen. This sandy area (Belgian Campine) still speaks this dialect with the typical song which belongs to the Dutch linguistic group.

Etymology suggested by German etymologists of the word Eburon : eeb-boeren. Eibe, eebe + Bauer, boer (in) (plural). Eibe, eebe = Yew. Bauer, boer (pronounce bour) = farm, farmer. Thus: farmers of yew . Eburons were known for the culture of the yew. This tree par excellence gives wood for the manufacture of the arcs to arrows. Wood is fibrous, elastic and solid. The best wood of yew was cultivated in the sandy areas, where the growth is slow and the fibers of the wood of a great density. The yew is cut well. Nowadays, one makes hedges of them. The Latin word for yew is Taxus. The area was called Toxandria or Taxandrie by the Romans during the empire. The yew of Eburons was appreciated so much as a Gaulle, who had his own yew, that this quality was named éburo . Example: The Swiss city of Yverdon was called Eburodunum in antiquity. Eburo (yew, taxus) + dunum (dune, hill, the strengthened village).

Ambiorix, a éburon chief, is known to have exterminated the 14th Roman legion with its 5 additional troops, at the time of the Bataille of Aduatuca. Perhaps this occurred in the valley from the Geer, in 54 before J. - C.. It is about the most important Roman loss of the Guerre of Gaules (8000 legionaries + the “follower”: merchants, servants, prostitutes, etc). Because of this rebellion, César tried to exterminate Éburons, but lack of figures announced in its work (the War of Gaules), whereas it was so prolix and too happy to announce the number of killed enemies and slaves sold at the time of its victories, shows that César had great difficulty to put the hand on Éburons. According to César, those, on order of Ambiorix, took the maquis and their army divided, driving during two years a war of attrition and guerilla. In 52, they are not quoted any more by César (their name disappearing from the history). Their name was replaced by Tungri, probably their local name. They left their name to their Civitas, today Tongres ( Tongeren ). Ambiorix was never captured by César, which addresses some lines to him eulogistic and moving in the Guerre by Gaules…

Also let us notice that the name of the English city of York is probably related to Éburons Belgian. The city was named civitas eburacum by the Romans (quoted of Éburons). This is according to the English etymologists by no means a chance. In north an area is called Yorkshire Mores (heathers of the county of York). The local farmers supplemented, just like Éburons Belgian, their thin income with the culture of the yew. The village was to be known for its market of the wood of yew, from where the Roman reference.

External bonds

a site on Éburons (primarily in German)
http://eburons.canalblog.com/

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