Early history In 57 BCE, Julius Caesar conquered parts of
Gaul and also
Belgica (Belgium, modern-day Northern France, Luxembourg, part of present-day Netherlands below the
Rhine River; and the north-western portion of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany). There were several tribes in the country who fought against each other frequently. The
Eburones were ruled by Ambiorix and
Catuvolcus. In 54 BCE, Caesar's troops urgently needed more food, and so the local tribes were forced to give up part of their
harvest, which had not been good that year. Understandably, the
starving Eburones were reluctant to do so and Caesar ordered that
camps be built near the Eburones' villages. Each
centurion was ordered to make sure the food supplies were delivered to the
Roman soldiers. This created resentment among the Eburones. Although
Julius Caesar had freed him from paying tribute to the
Atuatuci, Ambiorix joined
Catuvolcus in the winter of 54 BCE in an uprising against the
Roman forces under
Quintus Titurius Sabinus and
Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta.
Resisting the Romans Because a drought had disrupted his grain supply, Caesar was forced to winter his legions among the rebellious Belgic tribes. Roman troops led by Sabinus and Cotta were wintering among the Eburones when they were attacked by them, led by Ambiorix and Cativolcus. Ambiorix deceived the Romans, telling them the attack was made without his consent, and further advised them to flee as a large Germanic force was preparing to cross the Rhine. Trusting Ambiorix, Sabinus and Cotta's troops left the next morning. A short distance from their camp, the Roman troops were ambushed by the Eburones and massacred. Elsewhere, another Roman force under
Quintus Tullius Cicero, younger brother of the orator
Marcus, were wintering amongst the Nervii. Leading a coalition of rebellious Belgic tribes, Ambiorix surrounded Cicero's camp. After a long while, a Roman messenger was finally able to slip through the Belgic lines and get word of the uprising to Caesar. Mobilizing his legions, Caesar immediately marched to Cicero's aid. As they approached the besieged Roman camp, the Belgae moved to engage Caesar's troops. Vastly outnumbered, Caesar ordered his troops to appear confused and frightened, and they successfully lured the Belgae to attack them on ground favourable to the Romans. Caesar's forces launched a fierce counterattack, and soon put the Belgae to flight. Later, Caesar's troops entered Cicero's camp to find most of the men wounded. Meanwhile,
Indutiomarus, a leader of the Treveri, began to harass Labienus's camp daily, eventually provoking Labienus to send out his cavalry with specific orders to kill Indutiomarus. They did so, and routed the remnants of Indutiomarus's army. Caesar personally remained in Gaul for the remainder of winter due to the renewed Gallic threat.
Caesar's revenge When the
Roman Senate became aware of the latest events, Caesar swore to destroy all the Belgic tribes. Ambiorix had killed fifteen
cohorts. A Belgic attack on Cicero, then stationed with a legion in the territory of the
Nervii, failed due to the timely appearance of Caesar. The Roman campaigns against the Belgae took a few years, but eventually the tribes were slaughtered or driven out and their fields burned. The Eburones disappeared from history after this genocidal event. According to the writer
Florus, Ambiorix and his men succeeded in escaping across the
Rhine and vanished from history. ==Legacy==