Viridovix
Viridovix | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1st century BC |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | Resisting the Roman conquest of Gaul |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | Unelli |
Conflicts | Gallic Wars |
Viridovix (fl. 56 BC) was the chief of Unelli, a Gallic tribe who resided on the Cotentin peninsula, in what is now Normandy, in the 1st century BC. During the Roman conquest of Gaul (58–50 BC), the Unelli would submit to Roman rule following the campaign of Publius Licinius Crassus in 57 BC along with various other peoples of maritime Gaul but there would be a revolt the following year.
Viridovix assumed command over a combined army composed of the Unelli, Lexovii and Aulerci Eburovices and would wage a campaign against the Roman legate Quintus Titurius Sabinus. Sabinus would lure Viridovix into attacking his camp directly which was placed atop a hill. When the Gallic force reached the camp exhausted from the march, the Romans sallied out and drove them back, dispersing them.
Viridovix's fate after the battle is unknown.
In popular culture
One of the main characters of the fantasy novel series The Misplaced Legion (also known as The Videssos Cycle or The Legion Cycle) by Harry Turtledove is a Gaulish chief named Viridovix. While he comes from the same time period as the historical Viridovix, he is stated to be Lexovii rather than Unelli, and has other differences in his biography, making it likely that he is a composite character, loosely based on the historical figure.
Sources
- Commentarii de Bello Gallico, Book 3, 17—19