TheVeliocasses orVelocasses (Gaulish: *Ueliocassēs) were aBelgic orGallic tribe of theLa Tène andRoman periods, dwelling in the south of modernSeine-Maritime and in the north ofEure.[1]
They are mentioned asVeliocasses byCaesar (mid-1st c. BC) andPliny (1st c. AD),[2] asOu̓éliokásioi (Οὐέλιοκάσιοι; var.οὐενελιοάσιοι) byPtolemy (2nd c. AD),[3] and asVelocasses byOrosius (early 5th c. AD).[4][5]
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The meaning of theGaulishethnonym is uncertain. The first part is certainly theGaulish stemuelio-, which could either derive fromProto-Celtic*wēliyā- ('modesty'; cf.OIr.féle,OBret.guiled 'honestas'), or else from Proto-Celtic*wēlyo- ('better'; cf. Welshgwell 'better').[6][7] The second etymology issemantically more probable for a tribal name, but the unknown length of the vowele inuelio- makes it difficult to conclude with certainty.[6][8]
The meaning of the second element-casses, attested in other Gaulish ethnonyms such asBodiocasses,Durocasses,Sucasses,Tricasses, orViducasses, has been debated, but it probably signifies '(curly) hair, hairstyle' (cf. Old Irishchass '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] andVenceslas Kruta as 'those with very curly hair'.[11]
The county ofVexin, attested in 617 aspagus Veliocassinus ('pagus of the Veliocasses';Vilcassinum in 1092,Vulesin in 1118), is named after the ancient tribe.[12]
The territory of the Veliocasses lay between theParisii, theCaletes, and theBellovaci, primarily north of the lower course of the Sequana (Seine),[11][1] and to a limited extent also south of the river.[1] Wooded highlands formed a natural boundary with the Bellovaci, who held sway in that region.[13] The Sequana also separated them from theLexovii and theAulerci Eburovices.[11]
During the pre-Roman period, their capital was probably theoppidum ofCamp de Calidou (nearCaudebec), then Rotomagus (present-dayRouen) after the reign ofAugustus (27 BC–14 AD).[1] In the 2nd century AD, the settlement served as a significant harbor for exports bound for Britain.[14]
In 57 BC, during theGallic Wars, they supplied ten thousand men to the army of the coalition ofBelgic peoples led by the Bellovaci, but in 52 BC they sent only three thousand men to the army of the Gallic coalition. They again took part the following year in the mobilization of the chiefs Correos and Commios.[11]
As for the neighbouring Calates, whether the Veliocasses should be classified asGallic orBelgic is debatable.[13]
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