In 57 BC, Caesar and his army invoked the wrath of the Venetii. For years, Caesar had been sweeping through Gaul, with the aid of the Aedui Chief, Diviciacus. Diviciacus was urging his fellow Gauls to submit peacefully to Roman control and many in Gaul did join the tyrant’s army. With his invitation by the Aedui and the aggression of the Belgae, Caesar had previously been defensible in his military campaign against Gaul.
But, in the year 57 BC, under the command of a subordinate, Caesar’s army went too far. They attacked the Atlantic coastal towns and all but destroyed the people who lived there. These unprovoked attacks had left the Gauls reeling and it was a full year before they realized the extent of the Roman occupation. Caesar was going to take all of Gaul, whether peacefully or militarily.
According to my one and only source, “The next year, recovering from the shock of Roman occupation, the Celts of Brittany, led by the Venetii tribe took up arms. The Venetii were a maritime power, deriving much wealth from their shipping of British tin from Cornwall to Gallic traders. Their strongholds stood on headlands or islands in tidal estuaries, which were cut off from the land for most of the time by the sea.”
The Venetii and Breton forces built up their fleets and also gathered fellow tribesman and warriors from Britain to help in their fight.
Caesar was justified in his attack this time: quelling a renegade tribe who had already submitted to his “peace” and punishment for the terrorist kidnappings of Roman envoys. Using tactics that had worked in the past, Caesar again employed other Gauls to help him defeat his foe. They aided the Roman by supplying him with Gallic ships, built along the Loire. Of the ships, Caesar wrote, "They have flat bottoms, which enables them to sail in shallow coastal water. Their high bows and sterns protect them from heavy seas and violent storms, as do their strong hulls made entirely from oak. The cross-timbers -- beams a foot wide -- are secured with iron nails as thick as a man's thumb. Their anchors are secured with chains not ropes, while their sails are made of raw hide or thin leather, so as to stand up to the violent Atlantic winds.”
Again, my one and only source states, “With his land forces, he tried to capture the Breton strongholds. Using all the ingenuity of Roman Seigecraft, he had hugh dykes constructed to the island fortresses of the Celts. However, no sooner had these been completed then the defenders simply evacuated into awaiting ships and moved to another fortress. The lack of natural harbors and rough ocean weather made Roman assaults by sea difficult.”
Before long, the two fleets met each other in battle. It seemed it would be an easy victory for the maritime Venetii and Bretons, who also had the advantage of knowing the local seaways. But, with their inventiveness the land loving Romans soon adapted to naval warfare. They put scythes at the end of poles and cut the rigging on the Celtic ships. The Venetii and Bretons didn’t have oars to propel their ships and soon they were boarded and the fight was over.
Whether Caesar’s account of the events were true, or if, as it is more probable, the Gauls helped to defeat the resistant Celts, in the end they were utterly defeated.
As I’ve stated before, this account of the Venetii come from one, sole source. It’s an internet source at that, so I can’t say how accurate it is. If you know of a better source, or more about the Venetii, I would like to hear from you. *G*
