Arverni

The Arverni (Latin Arverni ) were a Celtic tribe in modern French region of Auvergne. Its main town, was Gergovia (now Gergovie ), south of Clermont -Ferrand and from the 1st century AD Augustonemetum (now Clermont- Ferrand ).

History

The Arverni were first called, when they invaded in the 6th century BC with other Celtic tribes in Italy. Later, when the Romans began southern Gaul to subdue the Arvernerkönig Bituitus supported the Allobrogians, but was defeated in 121 BC and jailed by the Romans. The Romans then put his son Congonnetiacus (or Contoniatus ) as a client king. 52 BC Vercingetorix led on by Gergovia, son of Arvernerkönigs Celtillus, the great Gallieraufstand, who was defeated in the city mandubischen Alesia by Julius Caesar. Then the Arverni were incorporated into the Roman Empire.

Cult

The Arverni had two major sanctuaries: When capital Augustonemetum there was the source sanctuary of Clermont -Ferrand, where wooden gods idols were found. But the tribal sanctuary was located on the summit of the 1465 meter high Puy -de- Dôme, where one of the largest Gallic temple was excavated. The main deity was inferior as Mercurius Arvernus / Arvernorix after the interpretatio romana Mercurius, which was called at the Arverni under the name Dumias but outside the tribal area in the province of Germania, in which the relationships are not released. The Frankish historian Gregory of Tours met the temple still in good condition to. According to Pliny the Arverni had the sculptor Zenodorus commissioned to produce a colossal statue of Mercury, which had cost 400,000 sesterces.

Around the year 256 the Alemannic king Chrocus plundered the territory of the Arverni the Temple of Mercury Vasso galates.

Known Arverni

• Luernius: King of the Arverni in the 2nd century BC, father of Bituitus
• Bituitus: King of the Arverni to 121 BC, son of Luernius
• Congonnetiacus ( Contoniatus ): son of Bituitus, used by the Romans as a client king
• Celtillus: father of Vercingetorix, brother of Gobannitio, 1st century BC
• Gobannitio: first half of the 1st century BC, uncle of Vercingetorix
• Vercingetorix united 52 prevent BC almost all the Gallic tribes (up to Remer and Treverians ) against the run of Julius Caesar Roman troops, but the defeat of the Gauls could not

Trivia

In the Asterix comic books often play a role Arverni. They are characterized both in the French-language original and the German translation in that they pronounce the "s" like a "sh".