TheAmbiani (Gaulish:Ambiāni, 'those around') were aBelgic coastal tribe dwelling in the modernPicardy region during theIron Age andRoman periods.
They settled in the region between the 4th century and the second part of the 2nd century BC. In 113–101 BC, they took part in the fights against theCimbri andTeutoni invaders during theCimbrian War. In 57 and 52 BC, they participated in Gallic coalitions againstCaesar, before their eventual subjugation by Rome in 51 BC. The Ambiani are known for their gold coinage, found in both northern France and Britain, which attest of extensive trading relations across theChannel.[1][2]
They are mentioned asAmbianos andAmbianis byCaesar (mid-1st c. BC),[3]Ambianos in the summary ofLivy'sAb Urbe Condita Libri (late 1st c. BC),[4]Ambianoì (Ἀμβιανοὶ) andAmbianoĩs (Ἀμβιανοῖς) byStrabo (early 1st c. AD),[5]Ambiani byPliny (1st c. AD),[6]Ambianoí (Ἀμβιανοί) byPtolemy (2nd c. AD),[7]Ambianis in theItinerarium Antonini (early 3rd c. AD),[8] and asAmbianenses in theNotitia Dignitatum (5th c. AD).[9][10]
TheGaulishethnonymAmbiāni literally means 'those around', which is generally interpreted as meaning 'the people dwelling around the two banks of theSomme river'; it is formed with the stemambi- ('around, on both sides') attached to a suffix-ani.[11][12] LinguistPierre-Yves Lambert has also proposed to translate the name as 'the people of the surroundings' – perhapshyperbolized as 'the people of the world' –, by derivingAmbiani fromambio- ('surroundings'), a thematized form of the same prefixambi-.[13]
The city ofAmiens, attested ca. 400 AD ascivitas Ambianensium ('civitas of the Ambiani';Ammiens in 1142), is named after the Belgic tribe.[14]
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The Ambiani dwelled in the modern regions of Vimeux,Ponthieu andSanterre, in the present-daySomme department. Their territory was bordered in the north by theCanche river, and in the north-east and south-east by theSamara (Somme) watershed.[15][2] They were located near theCaletes in the west, theBellovaci in the south, theMorini andAtrebates in the north, and theViromandui in the east.[16] The smallerCatuslougi, who lived between them and the Caletes, were probably apagus of the Ambiani during the Roman period.[2]
During the pre-Roman period, the area around Samarobriva (Amiens) was probably located at the extremity of the Ambianian territory, which extended mainly on the lower Somme valley.[17]
During the Roman era, the chief town of the Ambiani was known asSamarobriva (Gaulish: 'bridge on the river Somme'), corresponding to the modern-day city ofAmiens.[18][10] Despite the mention of aSamarobrivae by Caesar ca. 54 BC, archeological evidence indicate that the settlement was built around aVia Agrippa, probably ca. 19–16 BC.[19] Suburbs began to emerge from the middle of the 1st century AD in the lower valley.[17]
The Ambiani settled in their attested homeland between the 4th century and the middle of the 2nd century BC.[20] In 113–101 BC, they participated in the fights against theCimbri andTeutoni invaders of Gauls during theCimbrian War.[21][20]
During theGallic Wars in 57 BC,Caesar learnt from hisBelgicRemi informants that the Ambiani had promised to muster 10,000 armed men against the Roman armies, among the lowest.[22][1]
An equal number were promised by the Nervii, accounted the fiercest among the Belgae, and dwelling farthest away; fifteen thousand by the Atrebates, ten by the Ambiani...
— Caesar 1917.Commentarii de Bello Gallico.2:4.
During the winter of 54–53 BC, returning from an expedition in Britain, Caesar wintered with three legions at Samarobriva.[23] WhenVercingetorix wasbesieged in Alesia in 52 BC, the Ambiani sent 5,000 men.[24][1]
Between 386 and 450 AD, they are still documented by theNotitia Galliarum as living in the province ofBelgica II, between the Bellovaci and the Morini.[25]
There is some evidence from coins that bear a stag on one side and a betorced head on the obverse that the Ambiani were followers of the godCernunnos (horned God).[26]
The Ambiani were consummate minters, especially of gold coins. Whereas other Gallic tribes generally imitatedArverni coins, themselves inspired byPhilip II of Macedonstaters, the Ambiani imitated coinages fromMagna Graecia, in the southern part of theItalian Peninsula.[27] Their first emissions of coins are thus copies of a stater minted byTaranto between 334 and 302 BC.[27][28]
Ambianic coinage has been found throughout the territories of other Belgic tribes, including in theBritish Island, fromCantium (Kent) to theWest Country.[29][26] An Ambianic "monetary hegemony" over the neighbouringParisii andBellovaci is attested at least until the end of the 2nd century BC.[27]
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