CELTILLUS by Josh Fallis

From what Ive gathered,
Vercingetorix was a title rather than a name, the Arvernian prince that assumed that ancient 'fundementalist Gallic/Gaelic/Celtic' title was a son of an Aduan King/Cheiftain (Rix) named Celtillus, a descendent of Gallic high nobility who was put to death (when 'Vercingetorix' was a child) for his efforts to solidify his rule over most of Gaul.

The title 'Vercingetorix' translates roughly to 'supreme warlord', an anciet title evoked by Celtillus in his bid to unite the Gallic tribes under a banner of 'the old ways' and a return to traditional Gallic culture which was being inundated with Roman influences and vices, such as rampant wine consumption, disfavorable trade agreements and a growing and destructive slave trade (associated with the wine market)and other disturbances/affects.

The failed bid by 'Vercingetorix' father Celtillus (Vercingetorix Sr.) was foiled through assination and collusion and intrigue, not many details have been recorded.

There is a very good likelyhood that as member of a noble and elite warrior lineage, that both Celtillus and his son had connections/influence with the Gallic theologic orthodoxym (Druids).

The name Celtillus hints at classical Greek origins or at least of some contact and exchange with that culture with which it shares more than is generally appreciated.

The Gallic city fortress of Massala (Marsielle) was founded by a Greek prince who married into a noble Gallic (Celtoi) family and was awarded a territory by the adopting Gallic Chieftain.

This was apparently as early as 734-580 BC, after the Le Tene and Halstatt periods and before King of Macedonia (Alexande the Great, 336-323 BC) met with Gallic Chiefs; Alexander was impressed.

Much of the arms and armor of the ancient Gauls/Celts were state of the art during its times (infantry/cavalry) right through to the Caesarian invasions and conquests.

Gallic weapons craft and technology is on par and in keeping with the 'Hoplite traditions' of the ancient Greeks and the Spartans in particular. Traditions of heroic hundity and the hunting of wild boars and the waepons craft were almost undistinguishable, the Phalanx withstanding.

While often depicted as 'barbarians' and crude fur clad maniacs are in no way reconcilable with the archaeological records, ornate chariots, arms and armor (wealthy votive deposits and grave goods) all speak of a gifted and skilled culture and martial traditions. Chain and ling mail is now understood to be of Gallic origin, even the famous roman coolus helmet and the Falcatta speak of a Gallic origin or design.

Druidic trainings were varied and specialized and incorporated everything from fire making (votive), astronomy/astrology, healing, animal husbandry, metal works and warfare and magic; it is recorded that some of these teachings took 20 years of training; it is likely that it contained a wealth of natural 'understandings' and knowledges that dated back to the Ice ages.

It was a completely verbal tradition and the orthodoxy forbit any of these teachings to be put into written terms, it was top-secret.

Christians were still trying to burn this info out of suspected 'heathens' right up into modern times, it didnt start or end with Constantine.

Caeser outlawed the Druids (as other Caesers did) and changed the calendar of Gaul. witch burning was at hand, the practice (wickerman sacrifices) was already common in Gaul and Druidic regions, only it was typically the Druids that were administering the sentance.

When Julius Caesar found cause to attack the migrating Helvetii and later the evict the Germanic warlord Ariovistus, Gaul was in disarray; pressured by traditional enemies to the east (Germanics) and inebriated by the influences, temptations and coercions of the Roman Empire and associated industries.

Caeser recognized his opportunity in the disarry of the Gallic 'unions' and tribal alliances and the softening of the traditional Gallic mores and values; the very same qualities that led them (Gauls/Celts) to sack Rome and Delphi; these were now apparently rare or vanishing virtues in 'Old Gaul'.

It wasnt until after Caeser was nearly defeated by the Nervii and their client tribes the Atebates and Virumandui at the Sambre that the son of Celtillus adopted his fathers title of 'Vercingetorix', the supreme warlord of Gallia, (there were actually 3 linguistic regions of Gaul, the son of Celtillus rose to lead the Celtic region).

It should be remembered that Caesers 'War Commentaries' are editorials, and he hated the Gauls, whom he branded in his book as a 'race of criminals'.

His refrences to the numbers of enemy (Gallic) combatants include men, woman and children, and the numbers are typcially suspect; one could righty replace the word 'Armies' for 'tribes' in many regards. His defeat of the Helvetii involved the defeat of the whole tribe, not just armed men of war.

Likewise, Vercingetorix's armies were mostly 'peasents' pressed into service by the nobility regardless of the warlords charisma, that being said, it can be rightly assumed that among the Gallic warrior nobilty that there were 'troops' and retinues of warriors who were supremely armed, armoured and trained; as well as the most formidible hoplite or spartans.

The 'armies' mustered by Vercingetorix for this 'Last Stand' of fundementalist/orthodox Gallia, may not have been as uniform and logistically well off as Caesers legions; but they did contain strong elements of elite warriors who on more than one occasion worsted the Romans in open warfare and cleverness.

Cotta et al; were wiped out by Ambiorix and the battle of Gergovia was a clear and present embarrassment for Julius Caesar.
Prior to Vercingetrix oprising, the Nervii (Belgae) fought the Roman legions to a stand still and fought literally to the last man, ala the Spartans at Thermopolae; Caeser commented that "not a single warrior was seen to flee". They stood atop their fallen comerades and hurled back the Roman javelins which they caught in flight or pulled from their bodies.

The hillfort city of Alesia, was said to be the birthplace of Heracles by some.

After J.C. tricked Vercingetorix into surrendering himself in order to forgive the 'sins' of his people (spare them from sword/bondage) he was put to death and his peoples liquidated inspite of the promise of clemency.

After the Fall of Alesia, a surviving noble of the warrior caste named by Caeser as 'Correus' led a force against the Romans, after a hard fought battle the Gauls were surrounded in a wooded clearing.

Trapped, Correus stood his ground, and according to Caesers commentaries refused to flee or surrender; instead he stood within a circle of Romans, uttering oaths and insults to the Romans and issuing challenges to centurions for duels of single combat, after "dealing out wounds, left and right" he was dipatched with projectiles out of frustration.

Caeser ever afterwards included cadres of both Gallic swordsmen and cavalry, including his personal bodyguards; he used these forces along with his favored legions (many ethnic Gauls among them) to defeat Pompey.

Vercingetorix was like most 'supreme commanders' (&Caesar himself) both warrior and politician and priest.
The Gallic drawbacks were their general disregard for 'support weapons' such as siege engines, artllary and even archers, it was considerd scandalous and cowardly, as with the Spartans; even archery was considered as 'cheating' and unmanly. Whereas the Romans used Baleric slingers, numidian archers and all sorts of 'indirect fire' weapons.

In single combat, Id wager a Gallic warrior noble was a match for any Roman legionaire, a lone legionaire is a dead legionaire; unlike conscripted or enlisted Roman soldiery, which didnt really begin until young adulthood, the Gallic warrior of the Belgic/Celtic regions were trained from childhood to be warriors, like the Spartans; and suffered hardships from earliest of ages and were steaped in religous beliefs that fixed upon rebirth and reencarnation of the 'brave soul'.

Cheers,
Rix Correus