They are mentioned as VeliocassesbyCaesar (mid-1st c. BC) and Pliny (1st c. AD),[2]asOu̓éliokásioi (Οὐέλιοκάσιοι; var. οὐενελιοάσιοι) by Ptolemy (2nd c. AD),[3] and as VelocassesbyOrosius (early 5th c. AD).[4][5]
The meaning of the Gaulishethnonym is uncertain. The first part is certainly the Gaulish root uelio-, which could either stem from Proto-Celtic*wēliyā- ('modesty'; cf. OIr.féle, OBret.guiled 'honestas'), or else from Proto-Celtic *wēlyo- ('better'; cf. Welsh gwell 'better').[6][7] The second etymology is semantically more probable for a tribal name, but the unknown length of the vowel einuelio- makes it difficult to conclude with certainty.[6][8] The meaning of the second element -casses, attested in other Gaulish ethnonyms such as Bodiocasses, Durocasses, Sucasses, Tricasses, or Viducasses, has been debated, but it probably signifies '(curly) hair, hairstyle' (cf. Old Irish chass 'curl'), perhaps referring to a particular warrior coiffure.[9][7]Patrizia de Bernardo Stempel has proposed to interpret the name as 'those with better helmets'.[10]
The county of Vexin, attested in 617 as pagus Veliocassinus ('pagus of the Veliocasses'; Vilcassinum in 1092, Vulesin in 1118), is named after the ancient tribe.[11]
Geography
The territory of the Veliocasses was located in the north and, limited extent, also in the south of the lower reaches of the Sequana (Seine) river.[1] Their territory was situated between that of the Caletes and Bellovaci. Wooded heights constituted a natural frontier with the Bellovaci, where the latter dominated.[12]
During the pre-Roman period, their capital was probably the oppidumofCamp de Calidou (near Caudebec), then Rotomagus (present-day Rouen) after the reign of Augustus (27 BC–14 AD).[1] The settlement was an important harbour for exports to the British Island in the 2nd century AD.[13]
History
During the Gallic Wars (58–50 BC), the Veliocasses participated in the tribal coalition of the Belgae that resisted the Romans in 57 BC. In 52 they raised 3,000 men to support Vercingetorix, and fought alongside the Bellovaci in the final rebellion against Roman hegemony.
Culture
As for the neighbouring Calates, whether the Veliocasses should be regarded as GallicorBelgic is debatable.[12]
^Delamarre 2003, pp. 109–110: "H. Birkhan parvient cependant à la conclusion raisonnable que -cassesetcassi- sont deux mots différents, que -casses signifie probablement 'au cheveux bouclés / crépus' ("mit wirrem Kraushaar") et s'explique par la coiffure spéciale des Celtes au combat (une forme celto-germanique *kazdh- permettrait d'unifier le celtique -cass- et les mots v.norr. haddr 'longs cheveux de femme', ags. heord 'chevelure' < *kazdh-to-/ti-)."
de Bernardo Stempel, Patrizia (2015). "Zu den keltisch benannten Stämmen im Umfeld des oberen Donauraums". In Lohner-Urban, Ute; Scherrer, Peter (eds.). Der obere Donauraum 50 v. bis 50 n. Chr. Frank & Timme. ISBN978-3-7329-0143-2.
Delamarre, Xavier (2003). Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental. Errance. ISBN9782877723695.
Falileyev, Alexander (2010). Dictionary of Continental Celtic Place-names: A Celtic Companion to the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. CMCS. ISBN978-0955718236.
