Dumnorix

Dumnorix , chief éduen of high birth, brother of Diviciacos and son-in-law of Orgétorix, king of the Helvètes. He was opposed to Jules César. The only information known on Dumnorix comes from the Guerre of Gaules. With Bibracte, capital of the Éduens, one found currencies with its effigy like some inscriptions of its name.

Etymology

Gallic dumno (world) and rix (king), its name means literally the king of the world .

Its life

According to the writings of César, Dumnorix, then Vergobret of Éduens conspired with Orgétorix, the helvète chief who prepared the migration of his people, and Casticus, chief séquane to take respective control their tribes then to seize Gaulle whole. Dumnorix married the girl D' Orgétorix to seal their alliance. The helvètes discovered the conspiracy and judged Orgétorix. They continued their plans of migration however.

In -58, during the migration of the helvètes, it acts to authorize the passage of Helvètes on the grounds séquanes. Then, it the USA of its influence on the people to prevent the corn delivery which Éduens had promised in César. Lastly, at the time of the battle of the Roman against Helvètes, it flees with its cavalry of the Roman rows not to fight the latter. of He is denounced by the vergobret Liscus and his own brother Diviciacos. César forgave him not to disturb the friendly bonds which it maintains with Diviciacos, but however made it supervise. It however continued to plot.

In -54, it plots against César which wanted to oblige it to follow it in its invasion of Brittany (the island) to supervise it. Here is the extract of the War of Gaules (5.6):

With the number of these chiefs was Héduen Dumnorix, about which we already spoke. It was first that César had thought of keeping with him, because it knew its taste of the adventure, its thirst for domination, its boldness and the authority which he enjoyed among the Gallic ones. Moreover, Dumnorix had said in an assembly of Héduens that César offered to him to be a king of these people, matter which worried them extremely, without them daring to appoint in César to say that they did not accept his project or to request that it renonçât there. César had known the feature by its hosts. Dumnorix started by using of all kinds of prayers to obtain that one left it as a Gaulle: “It was not accustomed to sailing and feared the sea; it was retained by religious duties. ” When he saw that he encountered a categorical refusal, not having more any hope of success, he started to intrigue near the Gallic chiefs, frightening them, taking them each one separately and exhorting them to remain on the continent: “It was not without reason, said it, that one removed in Gaulle all his nobility: the project of César, which did not dare to massacre it under the eyes of the Gallic one, was to transport it to Brittany for making there perish. ” With the others, Dumnorix swore and made swear that they would carry out by mutual agreement what they would believe useful for the interests of Gaulle. Many people denounced these led to César.

Dumnorix flees with its cavalry, César ordered that it is brought back and that it was killed if it resisted. Dumnorix was thus killed and its cavalry joined the armies of César.

Source

Julius Caesar, the War of Gaules 1.3,1.9,1.16-20, 5.5-7

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