Carnutes

The Carnutes are a people of the Celtic Gaulle .

The Carnutes occupied a vast province in the south-west of the Paris basin, with two principal cities, Chartres - Latin *Autricum - and Orleans - Cenabum . Peasants exploiting the rich person plate of Beauce, tradesmen benefitting from the double outlet of the the Loire towards the south and of the the Eure towards north, Carnutes are famous especially for their bond, reality or supposed, with the Gallic Religion. It is in a locus consecratus , in mythical “the forest carnute”, that the Druide S would have held their annual meeting; it is in country carnute also that César captured and put at dead the mysterious Gutuater. But it is there a field in which it is quite difficult to make the share of the legends and the history.

The name of Carnutes

Carnutes which one finds as a Gaulle at the time of César are the ancients - or at least their name is it. Tite-Live account of Carnutes among the Gallic people which, led by semi-legendary the Bellovèse, emigrated towards Italy at the time of Tarquin Old the (6th front S.J. - C.).

Can one bring these Carnutes closer to obscure the Carni quoted by same Tite-Live and Pline as installed in the North-East of the Venezia, and which would have given their name to a province (the Carniole) and to the neighbouring mountains (the the carnic Alps) ?

These mountain Celts would give body to the etymological assumption most current: the name of Carnutes would rest on Celtic a *karno: irl. carn, gaël. cairn, heap of stones, rock monticule. This form - or a close form - is attested in the toponymy of the Chartres-native country. Although, in the spirit of much, it still evokes the old proximiity of the Celts and the Mégalithe S, it is today the most reasonable explanation, because philologically most satisfactory. That does not guarantee for autantson exactitude.

The comparison of the name of Carnutes with that of the god Cernunnos by a root which would mean “horns” appears as abandoned today as the horned helmets.

A more recent assumption the fact of going back to a root IE *ker/kor, whose would depend the Celtic name on the dogwood and who would put, via a “tree-totem”, our Carnutes in relation to the insular Cornouailles Armorican and . It likes all those which would like to bring closer Carnutes to a hard Celtic core, mythiquement located in Brittany. But there is the right to be skeptic.

Nothing is assured, into définive, as for the direction of this name.

The territory carnute and its inhabitants

At the independent end of Gaulle, Carnutes occupy a very vast territory which covers:
*tout the current department of Eure-et-Loir to the Seine, confining in the cities of the aulerque confederation (Éburovices in north and Cénomans in the west);
*la half of the department of the Yvelines, concerning in the east cities of the Sénons, the Parisis and the Éduens;
*presque all the Loir-et-Cher and the Loiret to the small city of the Turones in the West and the south, beyond the Sauldre, the powerful city of the Bituriges.

Such as they are, these Carnutes represent perhaps already a confederation of older people, such as the Durocasses which, installed in the loop of the Eure, appear well to be to them pledged.

Carnutes are one of the most famous people of Celtic Gaulle. They do not appear therefore among most powerful. Although they undoubtedly exploit the ores of the Perche, they are very far from the industrial capacity of Éduens and their craft industry even did not leave exceptional traces.
Their main wealth is certainly in the farm of Beauce, largely cleared since the Neolithic and which produces already surpluses of cereals (wheat, rye, sarrazin, oats, barley), feeding an active and probably profitable trade, to which abundant a numismatic testifies.
One knows Statère S of gold as of the end of IIe century and, in a more original way, the subdivisions of the statère. A whole series of currencies, associating the eagle and the snake, are caractetristic of Carnutes; their right often carries an imitated head more or less servilely of the sum of money of struck Titus to Rome in 79 av. J. - C. There exist also abundant regional pewters. This coining continues actively while diversifying after the conquest, in particular in the form of famous the Pixtilos. - cf Numismatic Gallic.
The trade was not to be limited to the cereal export: there existed certainly a terrestrial transit of goods between the Eure and the Loire and the river communications with the countries of the Atlantic facade. But if the richness carnute is out of doubt, one cannot however speak about a “gold carnute” as one speaks about a “gold arverne”.

From the political and military point of view, César - which is upset with them and hates them very as much as their Sénons neighbors - us gives, all count made, the impression of people relatively little organized. But it is true that opposite a single and partial source, the impressions can be misleading.

The territory carnute

The geographers of Antiquity give them two cities: Autricum (Ἀύτρικον, in the Geography of Ptolémée, II, 1) and, on the loop of the Loire, Cenabum, (Κήναβον, in the Geography of Strabon, V, 2,3) which qualifies it emporium of Carnutes (τὸ τῶν Καρνούντον ἑμπόριον).

Cenabum

A emporium is a commercial counter. Kénabon /Cenabum transcribes a Gallic word probalement having the same direction. At all events, afterwards many debates, Cenabum today is well identified as the Gallic establishment which precedes the town of Aurelianum, future Orleans.
This port ligérien - that one succeeded in locating - is obviously the outlet for trade of cereals of Beauce.
Strabon speaks in this connection about a “mixed population”. In fact, in Ier century before J. - C., there were ““Roman citizens” who had been established there to make trade. At the beginning of the war, César installed there certain C. Fufius Cita, “a honourable knight Roman”, charged controlling this trade and with ensuring the supply grains of the legions. This “supplier with the armies” will be victim of the knack carnute on Cenabum in -52.
The emporium had defenses, if not true fortifications. It also controlled a bridge on the Loire, of economic and strategic importance considerable.

Autricum

Autricum - that César never quotes - was identified with Chartres thanks to the Table of Peutinger (which in estropie besides the name) and passes for the capital of Carnutes, because it is it which inherits the name of the city at the Lower Empire. Whereas Cenabum (the current town of Orleans) left archaeological traces , epigraphic and literary indisputable, are not identified for first Gallic Autricum, that parts of the ditch of the Oppidum, and two sectors of occupation. It is still not known well if it is necessary to think of an establishment more or less strengthened on the spur which carries the cathedral today, or if it were about a “oppidum of valley”, bound to the river and perhaps to the Batellerie. By the Eure, Carnutes were to communicate with the basin of the the Seine, the Gaulle Belgium and undoubtedly the Brittany.

At all events, of many indices show that the center of the country carnute was rather distant from Cenabum. In the same way, the relations of Carnutes with the other people seem to privilege is and north (the Sénons, the Rèmes…) rather than the south where the Bituriges, allies narrow of the Éduens, have the appearances of enemies rather). For the trade as for the policy, Autricum-Chartres probably played a part much more important than the gap of the sources does not make it possible to establish it.

The recent excavations of rescue, in particular on the place of Scattered and the Chasles boulevard, brought important new knowledge on Autricum Gallo-Roman and, for the Gallic period, put at the day a necropolis with incineration dated around the medium from Ier century before our era.

Structure of the soil

César teaches us that Carnutes had many fortified towns and villages. Local Celtic toponymy is abundant, but difficult to date and delivers only few useful elements to know the structure of the terroir.
One can locate some “fortified towns” in - dunum (See article Dun (fortress): Châteaudun, perhaps Meung-sur-Loire (*Magdunum) and surely the Oppidum Noviodunum of César, placed with the most probability with Neung-on-Beuvron, the borders of the city biturige; two or three markets, of which Noviomagus with Nogent-the-King (on a road towards the country cénoman), like with Nouan-le-Fuzelier and the Nouan-on-Loire (which is perhaps posterior)… A Gallic establishment existed in north, with the confluence of the Eure and the Blaise, but must be paid to Durocasses.
With regard to the religious sites of the time carnute, one with the trace of some local sanctuaries which perduré after the Roman conquest: those of Allauna with Awls, Orgos with Logron, perhaps of Acionna in Orleans… The spectacular lucky finds of Neuvy-in-Sullias and Vienna-in-Valley belong at the time Gallo-Roman, in spite of the anthropophagous monster of Vienne.
The structure of finings will beaucerons was erased by the Gallo-Roman occupation, just as the essence of the communication network. However, the “Ford-with-Longroi” (canton of Auneau), latino-Celtic composite form ( longum + rito , ford), undoubtedly attests the passage of an old way of Chartres towards Parisis, which was not covered by a way romaine.
The rivers have almost all of the pre-Celtic names.

Carnutes in the War of Gaules

During the first two years of the “War of Gaules”, Carnutes do not make speak about them. In 57-56, it is in country carnute that César sends its legions to take their winter quarters, which indicates that the country passes for sure. Perhaps Carnutes (or at least their aristocracy) which trades with the Romans then think of benefitting from the situation.

The failure of protectorate

If one follows César, their city is then a species of “oligarchical republic” taking the succession of a former royalty. It is certainly necessary to be wary: this diagram concerns the usual tropism of any Roman historiography and justifies the policy of the proconsul.
Because César then tries to subject Carnutes (just as Sénons) to a mode of protectorate which should not be without relationship with the economic importance recognized with their countries. It thus supports the accession with the capacity of a “king”, certain Tasgétios, “of very high birth and whose ancestors had reigned on their city”.
We have a trace of Tasgétios apart from César because it had time to emit a currency: it bears to the reverse its name around a winged tank, and to the right a mysterious word: ELKESOOVIX, in which one wanted to see either the name or the title of an ancestor.
But Tasgétios is not very popular. As of autumn 54, César reports that he was assassinated by his enemies “openly supported by a great number of his fellow-citizens”. Carnutes do not seem to replace it: apparently they do without a king extremely well.

Carnutes and Sénons

The revolt of the Belgian has repercussions in the south of the Seine. Sénons are agitated in their turn and it is perhaps only as from this moment that they approach Carnutes narrowly. They want to subject to their false king, Cavarinos, the fate of Tasgétios, but Cavarinos succeeds in fleeing and taking refuge at César. As soon as the legions utilize mine, Sénons, via their “guards” éduens, sends an embassy to obtain the forgiveness of the proconsul who requires hundred hostages. Carnutes hasten to send in their turn ambassadors and hostages by the intermediaries of Rèmes, combined of Rome and which would be also their “guards” (but which direction this “protection” could it have before the Roman intervention as a Gaulle?). César, apparently, forgives, but the following year, he convenes with Durocortorum in country rème an assembly of the Gallic cities; he made there judge Sénon Acco “chief of the conspiracy of Sénons and Carnutes” and this one is carried out “with the Roman”, i.e. beaten rods until the coma, then completed by decapitation. César turns over to Italy, letting Plancus winter at Carnutes to inquire into the murder of Tasgétios.

Two massacres of Cenabum

Into 52, the climate changes. The atrocious death of Acco - which appears to have been a chief respected beyond even of its people - played a part in the mobilization of Gallic against César.
The chiefs are assembled “in places isolated in forest”. Does this memorable meeting in the history of Gaules have to be comparison with the annual meeting of the druids? One discusses it for a long time and the problem is far from being solved. Carnutes in any case proclaim there in general enthusiasm that “no danger will not stop them in the fight for common safety and that they will be the first to take the weapons”.

“At the day agreed upon, Carnutes led by Cotuatus and Conconnetodumnus, two men ready with all, are ruent in Genabum and massacre the Roman citizens there”. C. Fufius Quoted, the right-hand man of César, is among the victims. While massacring, on February 13rd, 52, these “Roman citizens”, as César insists there, it is clear that Carnutes made the irrevocable one.

The knack of Genabum, reflected at once among close people, gives the signal of the general insurrection under the direction of Vercingétorix. César passes by again the Alps. Arrived to forced march at the country sénon, it reduces Vellanodunum easily (perhaps Montargis, or rather Castle-Landon), while Carnutes which believes to have time of them prepare to send troops to defend Genabum. César arrives there before them, the emporium is plundered and set fire to, the Gallic population which tried to cross the Loire nuitamment is massacred or reduced in slavery. Then, on the road of Bituriges, the Romans take Noviodunum (Neung-on-Beuvron) whose inhabitants (or garrison) go without excessive heroism.

The defeat of Carnutes

Carnutes, to saying of César, would have provided a quota of 12000 men - very excessive figure certainly, as it is of rule when César considers manpower Gallic - which “left for Alésia, merry and full with confidence”.
After the rendering of Vercingétorix, the cities do not disarm. Carnutes, for obscure reasons, have mesh to leave with their neighbors bituriges who claim justice aupès of César with Bibracte. Two legions are then confined in Genabum in ruins, from where they launch bloody operations of commando against Carnutes which dispersed, “crushed by the rigor of the winter and the fear, driven out of their roofs, not daring to be delayed nowhere”. The survivors of weapons take refuge among close people. Some of them undoubtedly take part in the unfruitful revolt of the andécave Dumnacos in country picton. Following this countryside, during summer 51, C. Fabius passes by again at Carnutes: “Carnutes which, so often tested, had never spoken about peace, offer hostages and are subjected”.

Gutuater

But César which, while forgiving does not forget anything, comes itself in Genabum to be made deliver “the first person in charge of their crime, the warmonger”. It is famous Gutuatus, Gutuatrus or Gutruatus: manuscripts divergent on the name of that which carries the title of Gutuater, character so considerable that César hesitates to put it at death. However, under the pressure “of the enormous crowd of the soldiers who made it responsible for all the run dangers, of all the undergone losses”, it is like at one time Acco, beaten with died and decapitated.

With this pontiff who only appears on scene to die, Carnutes disappear from the history. It will be never question of them at the time of the later Gallic movements.

Carnutes and the Gallic religion

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