Historical Figures Codexery

Ariovistus

Germanic leader defeated by Caesar in 58 BC

Ariovistus

Peter Johann Nepomuk Geiger · via Wikipedia: Ariovistus · Public domain

In the second quarter of the 1st century BC, a figure named Ariovistus led the Suebi and other Germanic peoples, and his name is prominently recorded in Julius Caesar's work Commentarii de Bello Gallico.[1] Among the earliest named individuals linked to groups later classified by Romans as Germani is Ariovistus.[2]

Quick Facts

Born
1st century BC
Known for
Leader of the Suebi during the 1st century BC

Facts from the source article.

Life and work

Caesar later demanded that Ariovistus cease crossings, release hostages, and respect Rome's allies.[3] In 58 BC, Caesar's forces overcame Ariovistus at the Battle of Vosges, pushing him back across the Rhine.[1] By 54 BC, Caesar recorded that Germanic warriors felt indignation because Ariovistus had died.[4]

What the cited sources add

Pelling finds the Belfort region most credible for the battlefield location, but even this requires assumptions about distances.[5] Emma Allen-Hornblower contends that Caesar uses imagery of beasts and wildness, depicting Ariovistus as quick to anger (iracundus), reckless (temerarius), and violent.[6] Christopher Pelling, a British classicist, argued that Caesar often simplified his descriptions of terrain and army movements to make them understandable for his Roman readers, who lacked detailed geographic knowledge.[7] Pelling emphasizes that any reconstruction relying only on Caesar's narrative is questionable and needs careful handling.[7]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Ariovistus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Caesar 2019, p. 38–39 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Ariovistus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Krebs 2012, p. 43–44; Wolfram 1997, p. 5–7, 17 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Ariovistus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Caesar 2019, p. 38–39; Goldsworthy 2006, p. 186–190; Pliny the Elder 1938, p. 2.170; Goldsworthy 2006, p. 186–190; Caesar 2019, p. 38–39; Goldsworthy 2016a, p. 69 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Ariovistus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Goldsworthy 2016b, p. 216–217; Caesar 2019, p. 38–39 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Ariovistus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Pelling 1981, p. 741–752; Pelling 1981, p. 741–752; Pelling 1981, p. 741–752 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Ariovistus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Allen-Hornblower 2014, p. 682–685; Allen-Hornblower 2014, p. 682–685 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Ariovistus" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Pelling 1981, p. 741–752 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Ariovistus (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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