Hall Of Fame
Celtic leaders
CHIOMARA 2ND CENTURY BCE
A Galatian (a Celtic people) noblewoman and the wife of the chieftain of the Tectosagi, Chiomara’s tribe fought the Romans during the Galatian War. According to philosopher Plutarch, she was captured and raped by a Roman centurion, who then demanded a ransom for her. When her tribesmen arrived to pay it, she nodded at them to attack him and they beheaded the centurion, with Chiomara bringing the head home and throwing it down in front of her husband.
CARTIMANDUA 1ST CENTURY CE
As queen of the Brigantes, who were based in northern Britain, Cartimunda was an ally of the Romans. However, anti-roman sentiment amongst her people grew after she decided to hand over Caratacus, the leader of the Welsh resistance, to the Romans when he sought sanctuary from her in 51 CE. Cartimandua’s situation worsened when she divorced her husband, Venutius, in 57 CE and he retaliated by launching a rebellion against her. In the ensuing civil war, Rome intervened in support of the queen but Venutius eventually seized the crown in 69 CE, causing Cartimandua to flee to the Roman fort of Deva.
AMBIORIX 1ST CENTURY BCE
Ambiorix was a chief of the Eburones, a Gallic tribe, ruling half of its territory while the other half was governed by the other chief, Cativolcus. Ambiorix revolted against Julius Caesar in 54 BCE and destroyed the army of Titurius Sabinus, one of Caesar’s legates, at Atuatuca. He formed an alliance with the Nervii tribe who then besieged the Roman forces staying in their territory for the winter, before Caesar arrived with troops. Ambiorix evaded capture and continued to resist the Romans.
BOUDICCA 30-61 CE
The famous queen of the Iceni tribe in Norfolk, Boudicca nearly ended Roman rule in Britain. Her husband, Prasutagus, was an ally of Rome but he wanted his tribe to remain independent after his death, naming his two daughters as co-heirs of his kingdom alongside Emperor Nero. However, this was ignored and the Romans raided the Iceni’s territory – in the process, Boudicca was publicly flogged and her daughters were raped. Incensed, she united a group of Celtic tribes and led a revolt in 60 CE, killing around 80,000 Roman Britons in the process. Boudicca was eventually defeated by an army led by the general Paulinus, and it’s believed she committed suicide by consuming poison to avoid capture.
VIRIATHUS C.180-C.140 BCE
Viriathus was a Celtiberian and the leader of the Lusitani, who lived in modern-day Spain and Portugal. He escaped the massacre and enslavement of his people at the hands of the Romans, leading a resistance that not only secured several victories, but slaughtered thousands of Roman soldiers. Although he eventually entered peace negotiations, Viriathus was betrayed and killed by three friends who had been bribed by the Romans. Today, Viriathus is seen as a national hero of Portugal.
CALGACUS 1ST CENTURY CE
Calgacus was a chieftain in Caledonia who led the fight against the Romans at the Battle of Mons Graupius in 84 CE at Agricola, which is located in northern Scotland.
His men were defeated, which consequently ended the resistance to Rome in that area for around the next two decades. We know about Calgacus thanks to Tacitus, who claimed that the chieftain had given an inspiring speech about freedom before the battle.
BRENNUS 4TH CENTURY BCE
Brennus was the chief of the Senones, a Gallic tribe who lived in Gaul. With his army, he invaded Italy in about 385 BCE and laid siege to the city of Clusium, before he defeated the Romans at the River Allia, located just outside of Rome. His troops then proceeded to Rome itself and they successfully captured the city, holding it to ransom. Brennus has gone down in history for supposedly using the phrase ‘woe to the conquered’ when Rome delivered the ransom of gold – it was later claimed that his army was subsequently defeated by Camillus before they could leave the city.
VERCINGETORIX 1ST CENTURY BCE
Vercingetorix was the chieftain of the Gallic Arverni tribe, who fought Julius Caesar when he invaded Gaul. He was angered after the Gallic Eburone tribe was massacred by the Romans and after becoming leader of his tribe in 52 BCE, Vercingetorix united other Gallic tribes to launch a revolt. With his new allies, he led a series of campaigns against the Romans and won the Battle of Gergovia, forcing Roman legions to withdraw. However, Vercingetorix was later besieged by Caesar at the Gallic stronghold of Alesia and he had no choice but to surrender, leading to his imprisonment and eventual execution in Rome.
CASSIVELLAUNUS 1ST CENTURY CE
It is assumed that Cassivellaunus was the chieftain of the Catuvellauni tribe, because his territory was located to the north of the River Thames. He refused to send tribute to Julius Caesar and instead led the native resistance to Caesar’s second invasion of Britain in 54 BCE. Cassivellaunus was defeated after five British tribes surrendered and revealed the location of his stronghold to the Romans, forcing him to give up and sue for peace.
CARATACUS 15-C.54 CE
Along with his brother, Togodumnus, Caratacus led the resistance against the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 CE. After his brother was killed and he was defeated in battles at Medway and the River Thames, Caratacus fled to Wales to seek support there. His weakened tribe was finally beaten in 50 CE by an army led by Ostorius Scapula, who captured Caratacus’s wife, brothers and daughter. Caratacus managed to escape and seek safety from Cartimandua, who betrayed him and handed him over to the Romans. Caratacus was sent to Rome and lived the remainder of his days in exile after he successfully appealed to the emperor to spare his life.