Viridomaros

Viridomaros is the name which was carried by several Gallic chiefs in antiquity, most famous being Éduen of the time of César.

Viridomaros Éduen

Viridomaros was a Gallic chief of the people of the Éduens which took part in the insurrection against César in -52.

It is one of the Gallic chiefs at the time of the insurrection of -52. He is known to us by the account of the war of Gaules of Jules César. According to César it was then, like its Éporédorix fellow-citizen, an young man ( adulescens ). It had a strong prestige however. Its origins were humble and it owed its rise in César, on recommendation of Diviciacos. Arrived at highest dignities - undoubtedly one of the magistratures éduennes - it was strongly implied in the political conflicts which agitated Éduens. Thus, it had engaged strongly at the time of the adverse conflict Cotos with Convictolitavis, taking positions opposed to that of Éporédorix (César, BG , VII, 39).

At the time of the Head office of Gergovie, Éduen Litaviccos claims it dead and spreads the rumor of its execution by the Romans in order to obtain the defection of the riders éduens which were to support César (César, BG , VII, 38). Thanks to Éporédorix César can however thwart trickery. The fidelity of Viridomaros to the Roman chief does not last however: after the failure of César in front of Gergovie, Viridomaros and Éporédorix make him defection. Having left the troops of César to go to try to restore the situation in country éduen, they change camp once arrived in Noviodunum and pass to the sides of Vercingétorix. They then massacre the small garrison of Noviodunum (often identified with Nevers) and the Roman merchants who were there, share the richnesses of the city before setting fire to it not being able to preserve it and not wishing to leave supply to César. Having raised troops, they continue the scorched earth policy intended to push back the army Cesarean (César, BG , VII, 54-55).

César allots however their shares more to the personal ambition that with a sincere rallying with Vercingétorix: nourishing high ambitions, they would have been subordinated only to back-plate with the authority of the Arverne chief: their city, it is true seemed to lose the first rank then that César had returned to him ( BG , VII, 63).

After the beginning of the Head office of Alésia, Viridomaros is chosen by the assembly of the Gallic chiefs revolted to direct the army of help with Commios the Atrébate, Vercassivellaunos a Arverne and the Éduen Éporédorix (César, BG , VII, 76,3). They are then, according to César, with the head of 8000 riders and 140.000 infantrymen gathered in territory éduen. This army of help is intended to break the seat, but does not reach that point. One loses then the trace of the character.

Viridomaros Gésate

Viridomaros , or Britomaros or Britomartus or Virdumarus was the chief of the Gésates and the Insubres who was overcome by Marcus Claudius Marcellus at the time of the Bataille of Clastidium in -222. Marcellus was the third and last Roman to receive the honor of the Dépouilles opimes. The event was recorded in the records capitolins and was told by Tite Live ( Periochae , 20) and Plutarque ( Marcellus , 6-8). This last describes in detail the episode and tells how Gésates passed the Alps and raised Insubres of the plain of Po, Viridomaros devastating the campaigns with the head of ten thousand men. Marcellus met them in Clastidium with lower troops of number. At the court of the combat it killed out of its Viridomaros own hands and devoted at once its skins to Jupiter Férétrien. The battle turned to the advantage of the Romans. After this victory Marcellus could then help the remainder of the Roman armies, in front of Milan which was the capital of the Gallic one. The account of the skins opimes, i.e. taken by the chief of the Roman armies when it kills out of itself the chief of the armies enemies, strongly marked the Roman literature and ensured the maintenance of the memory of Viridomaros.

Source

César, War of Gaules (= BG ), text established and translated by L. - has. Constans re-examined by A. Balland, Paris, 1995.
Venceslas Kruta, the Celts. History and dictionary of the origins to the romanisation and Christianity , Robert Laffont, coll “Books”, Paris, 2000.

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