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Ordovices

February 16, 2024

The Ordovīcēs (Common Brittonic: *Ordowīces) were one of the Celtic tribes living in Great Britain before the Roman invasion. Their tribal lands were located in present-day North Wales and England, between the Silures to the south and the Deceangli to the north-east. Unlike the latter tribes that appear to have acquiesced to Roman rule with little resistance, the Ordovices fiercely resisted the Romans. They were eventually subjugated by the Roman governor Gnaeus Julius Agricola in the campaign of 77–78CE when the Romans overran their final strongholds on Anglesey.

Tribes of Wales at the time of the Roman invasion. The modern Anglo-Welsh border is also shown, for reference purposes.

Etymology edit

The Celtic name *ordo-wik- hammer fighters, cognate with the words for 'hammer': Irish: ord, Welsh: gordd (with a prothetic g-) and Breton: horzh (with a prothetic h-) and Old Irish: fichid- to fight (cf. Lemovices, Eburovices). John Edward Lloyd suggested that the name of this tribe is preserved as the element -orwig, -orweg in the place name Dinas Dinorwig ("Fort of the Ordovices") in North Wales,[1] though Melville Richards rejected the idea.[2]

Geology edit

In 1879 the pioneering English geologist Charles Lapworth named the Ordovician geological period after the Ordovices because the rocks he was studying were found in the tribe's former territories in North Wales.

Territory edit

South of the Brigantes, the geographer Ptolemy reported three tribes whose territories stretched from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. The Ordovices occupied the westward lands and had two noteworthy cities, Branogenium which was located 195 Roman miles from London, most likely at Leintwardine, and Mediolanum which was located 200 Roman miles from London. Neither has been conclusively located.[3] The boundaries of the tribal territory are also unknown; they have been taken to extend through modern Powys into what is now the English Midlands, or alternatively to be limited to the land north of the rivers Dyfi and Dee.[4]

History edit

They were among the British tribes that resisted the Roman invasion. The initial resistance was mainly organised by the Celtic leader Caratacus, exiled in their lands after the defeat of his tribe in the Battle of the Medway. Caratacus became a warlord of the Ordovices and neighbouring Silures, and was declared a Roman public enemy in the 50s AD. In Caratacus' last battle, governor Publius Ostorius Scapula defeated Caratacus and sent him to Rome as a prisoner.

In the 70s, the Ordovices rebelled against Roman occupation and destroyed a cavalry squadron. This act of war provoked a strong response from governor Agricola. According to Tacitus, He collected a force of veterans and a small body of auxiliaries; then as the Ordovices would not venture to descend into the plain, he put himself in front of the ranks to inspire all with the same courage against a common danger, and led his troops up a hill. The tribe was all but exterminated.[5] Agricola went on rapidly to conquer Anglesey. The location of this battle is unknown but the hill-fort Dinas Dinorwig encloses a hectare of land about 3 km from the Menai Strait.[6]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "A History of Wales: from the earliest times to the Edwardian conquest - National Library of Wales". www.library.wales. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
  2. ^ Richards, Melville (1972). "Some Welsh place-names containing elements which are found in Continental Celtic". Études celtiques. 13 (1): 364–410. doi:10.3406/ecelt.1972.1512.
  3. ^ Ptolemy's Britain and Ireland: A New Digital Reconstruction. May 2018 Proceedings of the ICA 1:1-6 DOI:10.5194/ica-proc-1-1-2018 Authors: Corey Abshire, Anthony Durham, Dmitri Gusev, Purdue University, Sergey K. Stafeyev https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325124983_Ptolemy's_Britain_and_Ireland_A_New_Digital_Reconstruction/fulltext/5af99361aca2720af9ef32c2/Ptolemys-Britain-and-Ireland-A-New-Digital-Reconstruction.pdf
  4. ^ E. W. Williams. 2015. J.E.Lloyd and his intellectual legacy; the tribes of Wales reconsidered. https://www.library.wales/fileadmin/fileadmin/docs_gwefan/amdanom_ni/cylchgrawn_llgc/cgr_erth_XXXVIrhif2_2015_4.pdf
  5. ^ "Cornelius Tacitus, the Life of Cnæus Julius Agricola, chapter 18".
  6. ^ Dinas Dinorwig Hillfort https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/95283/

External links edit

  • Ordovices at Roman-Britain.co.uk
  • at Romans in Britain

February 16, 2024
ordovices, ordovīcēs, common, brittonic, ordowīces, were, celtic, tribes, living, great, britain, before, roman, invasion, their, tribal, lands, were, located, present, north, wales, england, between, silures, south, deceangli, north, east, unlike, latter, tri. The Ordovices Common Brittonic Ordowices were one of the Celtic tribes living in Great Britain before the Roman invasion Their tribal lands were located in present day North Wales and England between the Silures to the south and the Deceangli to the north east Unlike the latter tribes that appear to have acquiesced to Roman rule with little resistance the Ordovices fiercely resisted the Romans They were eventually subjugated by the Roman governor Gnaeus Julius Agricola in the campaign of 77 78CE when the Romans overran their final strongholds on Anglesey Tribes of Wales at the time of the Roman invasion The modern Anglo Welsh border is also shown for reference purposes Contents 1 Etymology 1 1 Geology 2 Territory 3 History 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksEtymology editThe Celtic name ordo wik hammer fighters cognate with the words for hammer Irish ord Welsh gordd with a prothetic g and Breton horzh with a prothetic h and Old Irish fichid to fight cf Lemovices Eburovices John Edward Lloyd suggested that the name of this tribe is preserved as the element orwig orweg in the place name Dinas Dinorwig Fort of the Ordovices in North Wales 1 though Melville Richards rejected the idea 2 Geology edit In 1879 the pioneering English geologist Charles Lapworth named the Ordovician geological period after the Ordovices because the rocks he was studying were found in the tribe s former territories in North Wales Territory editSouth of the Brigantes the geographer Ptolemy reported three tribes whose territories stretched from the Irish Sea to the North Sea The Ordovices occupied the westward lands and had two noteworthy cities Branogenium which was located 195 Roman miles from London most likely at Leintwardine and Mediolanum which was located 200 Roman miles from London Neither has been conclusively located 3 The boundaries of the tribal territory are also unknown they have been taken to extend through modern Powys into what is now the English Midlands or alternatively to be limited to the land north of the rivers Dyfi and Dee 4 History editThey were among the British tribes that resisted the Roman invasion The initial resistance was mainly organised by the Celtic leader Caratacus exiled in their lands after the defeat of his tribe in the Battle of the Medway Caratacus became a warlord of the Ordovices and neighbouring Silures and was declared a Roman public enemy in the 50s AD In Caratacus last battle governor Publius Ostorius Scapula defeated Caratacus and sent him to Rome as a prisoner In the 70s the Ordovices rebelled against Roman occupation and destroyed a cavalry squadron This act of war provoked a strong response from governor Agricola According to Tacitus He collected a force of veterans and a small body of auxiliaries then as the Ordovices would not venture to descend into the plain he put himself in front of the ranks to inspire all with the same courage against a common danger and led his troops up a hill The tribe was all but exterminated 5 Agricola went on rapidly to conquer Anglesey The location of this battle is unknown but the hill fort Dinas Dinorwig encloses a hectare of land about 3 km from the Menai Strait 6 See also editList of Celtic tribes Prehistoric WalesReferences edit A History of Wales from the earliest times to the Edwardian conquest National Library of Wales www library wales Retrieved 31 January 2024 Richards Melville 1972 Some Welsh place names containing elements which are found in Continental Celtic Etudes celtiques 13 1 364 410 doi 10 3406 ecelt 1972 1512 Ptolemy s Britain and Ireland A New Digital Reconstruction May 2018 Proceedings of the ICA 1 1 6 DOI 10 5194 ica proc 1 1 2018 Authors Corey Abshire Anthony Durham Dmitri Gusev Purdue University Sergey K Stafeyev https www researchgate net publication 325124983 Ptolemy s Britain and Ireland A New Digital Reconstruction fulltext 5af99361aca2720af9ef32c2 Ptolemys Britain and Ireland A New Digital Reconstruction pdf E W Williams 2015 J E Lloyd and his intellectual legacy the tribes of Wales reconsidered https www library wales fileadmin fileadmin docs gwefan amdanom ni cylchgrawn llgc cgr erth XXXVIrhif2 2015 4 pdf Cornelius Tacitus the Life of Cnaeus Julius Agricola chapter 18 Dinas Dinorwig Hillfort https coflein gov uk en site 95283 External links editOrdovices at Roman Britain co uk Ordovices at Romans in Britain Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ordovices amp oldid 1202923718, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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