Brigantes

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Brigantes
Image:England Celtic tribes - North and Midlands.png
Location of the Brigantes tribe
Capital Isurium Brigantum (Aldborough)
Location Yorkshire (NR and WR)
Derbyshire
Lancashire
County Durham
Northumberland
Nottinghamshire
South east Cheshire and
North East Cheshire
East Staffordshire
Origins
(Likely) 		Betanzos, Spain
Briançon, France
Bregenz, Austria

The Brigantes were a Celtic tribe who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of Northern England and a significant part of the Midlands. Centered in what is now known as Yorkshire, the Brigantes were the only Celtic tribe to have a presence in England and Ireland; in the latter of which they could be found around Wexford, Kilkenny and Waterford.[1]

Due to several ancient settlements named Brigantium around Europe, researchers commonly suggest that they may be related to other tribes. The Brigantii from the Alps is an example of this; there were two Alpine settlements bearing the name Brigantium now known as Bregenz, Austria and Briançon, France. Similarly there was also a tribe called the Brigantes from what is modern day Betanzos, Spain falling within an area referred to as Celtic Gallaecia.[2][3]

Within England the territory which the Brigantes dwelled was bordered by that of four other Celtic tribes in total; the Carvetii in the North-West (whom they may have been related to), the Parisii to the East and directly below them in the South was the Coritani and the Cornovii.

Contents

[edit] Name

The tribe are thought to have derived their name from that of the Celtic goddess called Brigantia.[2]


[edit] History

The Brigantes dominated what is now northern England, with settlements at Catterick, The Fylde,[4] Aldborough, Ilkley, Naburn, York and Stanwick. They may have been a confederation of smaller tribal groups, including the Carvetii and Parisii. They remained independent in the initial phase of the Roman conquest of Britain of 43 AD, probably coming to a voluntary alliance with the Romans.

In 47, the governor of Britain, Publius Ostorius Scapula, was forced to abandon his campaign against the Deceangli of North Wales because of "disaffection" among the Brigantes. A few of those who had taken up arms were killed and the rest were pardoned.[5] In 51, the defeated resistance leader Caratacus sought sanctuary with the Brigantian queen, Cartimandua, but she showed her loyalty to the Romans by handing him over in chains.[6]. She and her husband Venutius are described as loyal and "defended by Roman arms", but they later divorced, Venutius taking up arms first against his ex-wife, then her Roman protectors. During the governorship of Aulus Didius Gallus (52-57) he gathered an army and invaded her kingdom. The Romans sent troops to defend Cartimandua and Venutius's rebellion was defeated after fierce fighting.[7] After the divorce, Cartimandua married Venutius's armour-bearer, Vellocatus, and raised him to the kingship. Venutius staged another rebellion in 69, taking advantage of Roman instability in the Year of four emperors. This time the Romans were only able to send auxiliaries, who succeeded in evacuating Cartimandua but left Venutius in possession of the kingdom.[8]

After the accession of Vespasian, Quintus Petillius Cerialis was appointed governor of Britain and the conquest of the Brigantes was begun.[9] It seems to have taken many decades to complete. Gnaeus Julius Agricola (governor 78-84) appears to have engaged in warfare in Brigantian territory.[10] The Roman poet Juvenal, writing in the early 2nd century, depicts a Roman father urging his son to win glory by destroying the forts of the Brigantes.[11] It is possible that one of the purposes of Hadrian's Wall (begun in 122) was to keep the Brigantes from making discourse with the Scottish tribes on the other side. The emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161) is said by Pausanias to have defeated them after they began an unprovoked war against Roman allies,[12] perhaps as part of the campaign that led to the building of the Antonine Wall (142-144).

Tacitus, in a speech put into the mouth of the Caledonian leader Calgacus, refers to the Brigantes, "under a woman's leadership", almost defeating the Romans.[13] This appears to be a reference to Boudica of the Iceni, attributed to the Brigantes in error. The Brigantes are attested in Ireland as well as Britain in Ptolemy's 2nd century Geographia.[14]

[edit] Settlements

Ptolemy named nine principal poleis or towns belonging to the Brigantes, these were;

Latin name Modern name County
EpiacumWhitley CastleNorthumberland
VinoviumBinchesterCounty Durham
CaturactoniumCatterickNorth Yorkshire
CalatumBurrow, LonsdaleLancashire
Isurium BrigantumAldboroughNorth Yorkshire
RigodunumCastleshawGreater Manchester
OlicanaElslackNorth Yorkshire
EboracumCity of YorkYork
CambodunumSlackWest Yorkshire

Other settlements known in Brigantian territory include:

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Celtic Ireland in the Iron Age", WesleyJohnston.com, 24 October 2007. 
  2. ^ a b "The Brigantes", Roman-Britain.org, 24 October 2007. 
  3. ^ "Brigantium", Terra.es, 24 October 2007. 
  4. ^ "Blackpool History", Blackpool Tourist Office. Retrieved on 2007-03-18. 
  5. ^ Tacitus, Annals 12.32
  6. ^ Tacitus, Annals 12:36
  7. ^ Tacitus, Annals 12:40
  8. ^ Tacitus, Histories 3:45
  9. ^ Tacitus, Agricola 17
  10. ^ Tacitus, Agricola 20
  11. ^ Juvenal, Satires 14.196
  12. ^ Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.43.4
  13. ^ Tacitus, Agricola 31
  14. ^ Ptolemy, Geographia 2.1, 2.2

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Celtic tribes of England
Atrebates • Belgae • Brigantes • Cantiaci • Carvetii • Catuvellauni • Coritani • Cornovii (Midland) •
Cornovii (Cornish) • Dobunni • Dumnonii • Durotriges • Iceni • Parisii • Regnenses • Trinovantes
ca:Brigants

cy:Brigantes bg:Бриганти de:Briganten fr:Brigantes fy:Briganten it:Briganti (tribù) no:Briganter simple:Brigantes sv:Briganter

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