They are mentioned as
Tricasses by
Pliny (1st c. AD), and as
Trikásioi (Τρικάσιοι) by
Ptolemy (2nd c. AD). The
Gaulish ethnonym Tricasses derives from the root for 'three',
tri-. The meaning of the second element
-casses, attested in other Gaulish ethnonyms such as
Bodiocasses,
Durocasses,
Sucasses,
Veliocasses or
Viducasses, has been debated, but it probably signifies '(curly) hair, hairstyle' (cf. Old Irish
chass 'curl'), perhaps referring to a particular warrior coiffure. The name
Tricasses may thus be translated as 'the three-braided ones' or 'those of the three (many) curls'. The city of
Troyes, attested ca. 400 AD as
civitas Tricassium ('
civitas of the Tricasses';
Trecassis in the 7th c.,
Treci in 890,
Troies in 1230), is named after the Gallic tribe. == Geography ==