Arvernian Empire

Modern Gaulish: Gwelaunoláith Arwernía

The Trinity spiral is a symbol for God, King and Country

The  **Arvernian Empire** (184-407 CE), was a Pagan, and later Teutarist Gallic kingdom, first centered in the territory of the Arverni tribe and then in all of Gaul and Italy by 237 CE. Through trading and influence, the power of the Arverni grew. In 202 CE, the Arvernian king, \*Leucorix I, adopted Teutarism, the view of Teutates as the one true god, leading to the foundation of the monotheistic Arvernian Empire. From 205 CE onwards, his Empire grew heavily in size. By 229 CE, all of Gaul was under Arvernian hegemony, as well as northern Italy by 237. In the mid 4th Century, the empire suffered from great instability, eventually collapsing due to Germanic and Alan invasions in 407 CE.

## History

### Background

From around 100 CE, Greek, Cimbrian, Teuton and Carthaginian trading with the Gauls, especially the Arverni tribe, improved. However, not only trading increased, but also influence. Over time, the southern Gauls adopted parts of the Carthaginian and especially the Greek, alphabet, army tactics and culture.

### Arvernian Kingdom (184-202 CE)

In 184 CE, the Arvernian chief, \*Caturix, reorganized the Arverni tribe into a centralized kingdom, with the capital located in Gergovia. He adopted aspects of Greek urban architecture, and greatly expanded Arvernian influence in southern Gaul. In 202 CE, \*Caturix I, came into conflict with the Aedui, due to a territorial dispute, resulting in a battle between the Arverni and the Aedui near Bibracte. \*Caturix died in combat, when an arrow had shot his head, knocking the dead king from his horse, while the Arverni retreated.

In 202 CE, the young and newly succeeded Arvernian king, \*Leucorix, had a vision, where he visited his capital and saw the god Teutates sitting on the throne, and telling him:

> "A Gaul with multiple tribes, worshiping multiple gods could never be powerful. But one Gaulish Empire under the single and only god Teutates, me, can be more powerful than you could ever imagine. If you expand your realm in my name, you will gain invicibility, and you can revenge your father. Together, we will be unstoppable."
>
>

Driven by revenge and thirst for power, \*Leucorix was inspired by this vision, and started to worship only Teutates, as well as writing a holy book, named the Visions of Teutates, in his honour, based on the teachings of his visions, and commandments of Teutarism. Additionally, the book included various old mythological tales, some rewritten to fit the new religion and to clarify certain qualities and rules. Numerous people followed him, spreading Teutarism in southern Gaul.

### Establishment of the Empire and Conquest of Gaul (202-235 CE)

To his advantage, \*Leucorix I, was a military genius and founded the Arvernian Empire that same year. He reformed the Gallic army by replacing the light infantry, with heavy phalanxes, armed with sarissas made entirely from iron instead of the usual wooden spear. This new weapon proved to be decisive against Gallic cavalry charges. Their phalanx, mostly comprised of Greek mercenaries, was supported with Arvernian cavalry on their flanks. To separate the Teutarist Arverni from the Pagan Gauls, the usual oval shield was replaced by the Greek inspired round iron shield. From 205 CE onwards, \*Leucorix's Empire heavily grew in size. The following campaigns are listed below:

- 205-206 CE: Invasion of western territories inhabited by small Gallic tribes, most knowingly the Helvetii.

- 207 CE: Siege of Tolosa, owned by the Tectosages.

- 208 CE: Defeat of the Helvetii and other small tribes around them.

- 209 CE: Siege of Burdigala.

- 210 CE: Invasion of some Biturigian (Cubi) territories.

- 211 CE: Siege of Avaricum.

- 212 CE: Defeat of the Pictones; Siege of their capital, Lemonum. Capture of Carthaginian outposts at the West Gallic coast, resulting in rising tensions between the two Empires.

- 213 CE: Invasion of the Allobroges.

- 214 CE: Siege of Nicava (Greek: Nikaia); Connection to the Mediterranean Sea.

- 215 CE: Siege of Vienna and Geneva; Defeat of the Allobroges.

In 216, the Sequani and Aedui formed an alliance, hoping to stop the Arvernian expansion.

- 218 CE: Siege of Vesontio; Defeat of the Sequani.

- 220 CE: Siege of Bibracte; Defeat of the powerful Aedui. Public execution of the leader of the Aedui.

- 221 CE: Siege of Alesia.

- 222 CE: Defeat of the Lingones.

- 223 CE: Invasion of the Cimbrian Kingdom; Siege of Massalo (Massalia)

- 224 CE: Invasion of the Teuton Kingdom; Siege of Agatho (Agathe)

   - 225 CE: Defeat of the Tectosages near Tolosa.

- 226 CE: Battle of Agedincum; Senones are pushed back.

- 227 CE: Invasion of the Carthaginian Colony of Aremorica, which was not only inhabited by the Osismii, the Redones and partly also the Aulerci, in addition to a Phoenician minority.

- 228 CE: Siege of Vindinium and Cenabum and defeat of the Aulerci. The Senones and various other tribes are pushed back behind the Sēquana (Seine) river; Fortification of Lucotocia.

In 229, most of the surviving tribes form an alliance, known as the Belgian Alliance to protect the Belgian tribes from the Arverni, though it was already too late.

- 229 CE: Battle of Lucotocia; Senones, Remi, Nervii, Eburones and most other powerful Belgian Alliance members are defeated and have suffered heavy losses. They retreated to the cities of Bagacum, Durocortorum and Aduatuca. Though these were all quickly overrun by the Arvernian military soon after.

- 230 CE: Defeat of the Treveri and Leuci and eventually the defeat and surrender of the entire alliance.

(For better visuality see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjoGh8F1CK8. May has some mistakes. Consider this article as the **most accurate** information source).

In 234 CE, the Germanic Alemanni were invading the region the Treveri lived in. However, they were pushed back in early 235 CE.

### Conquest of Italy (235-237 CE)

During the Padanian War (235-237 CE), the Arvernian Empire invaded northern Italy, to unite with the Italian Gauls and possibly to honor Brennus, who in 388 BCE, founded the Senonian Kingdom. During the conquest of Northern Italy, the inhabitants were predominantly Rasennan and Umbrian, with the Gallic population being a minority. In 235, the Arverni crossed the Alps, starting the campaign against Rasenna, a satellite state of the Carthaginian Empire. The Arvernians successfully sieged Mantua in 236 CE and took the cities of Atria and Spica. The Arverni were weakened, when in Summer of 237, the Alemanni invaded OTL western Switzerland, halting further advance for a short time. However, greatly underestimating the "barbarians", the Carthaginians were defeated at the Battles of Felsina (236 CE) and Sena (237 CE). As a result, all land north of Aritim (OTL Arretium), was now controlled by the Arverni.

### Invasion of Albion (238-240 CE)

In 238 CE, \*Leucorix attacked the Island of Albion, launching a naval offensive at the south-eastern coast, in order to avoid superior naval confrontation with the Carthaginian Empire, which occupied the south-western coast. After the embarking of 20,000 soldiers, the Arverni marched on to the Carthaginian colony, occupying settlements, and taking along thousands of auxiliary units, who sought to end Carthaginian influence in the region. By 239 CE, an invasion was launched into the colony, capturing the capital city Isca. As the Phoenicians were already suffering enormous casualties in the First Italian War (238-240 CE), a lack of manpower caused the province to fall after a few months. During the next year, additional eastern territories in Albion, including the powerful Catuvellauni were conquered and assimilated.

### Aquitanian War (241-242 CE)

In 241 CE, \*Leucorix invaded Aquitania and sieged their capital Elusa, during the Aquitanian War (241-242 CE).

### New Grecian War (243 CE)

Meanwhile, the Arverni expansion did not come to a halt. After conquering Aquitania from 241-242 CE, the Gauls began craving for the rich north Iberian coast, inhabited by Greeks. In 243, Leucorix assaulted New Greece, and quickly broke through the city gates of Rhode (OTL Roses), yet the unfamiliar Greek military tactics had kept further advances stagnant. Out of panic, the main capital of Nova Graecia, Emporion sent a letter to Carthage, asking for military assistance. The Phoenician senate initially hesitated, but after realizing the importance of a buffer state securing Iberia from the Arverni, they then sent a 30,000 strong army, under suffete \*Sicarbal to defend Emporion. The combined forces then managed to drive back \*Leucorix, forcing him to retreat behind the Pyrenees. Relations between Carthage and New Greece remained stable. Trading, as well as Phoenician influence, increased, especially in the neighbouring cities of Tarraco (OTL Tarragona) and Barcino (OTL Barcelona).

### Intermediate Era and Germanic Invasions (241-327 CE)

During May 254, Saxon raiders, had raided the region between Caletia and Morinia. However, they were pushed back by Autumn.

By early 256, the Franks were invading the Northern Rhine frontier, before being pushed back in September.

After the death of \*Leucorix I in 258, and the ascension of his son \*Caturix II, religious beliefs, with the preference of Teutarism and Pagan Gaulish, were granted increased tolerance. This stabilized the Empire, as numerous religions and views existed within the Arvernian kingdom.

### Great Mediterranean War (327-335 CE)

#### Prelude

With the reign of Rasennan King \*Larth Vulca (r. 312-346 CE), who was far more ambitious than his predecessors, Etruscan power expanded. Two years after he ascended the throne, \*Vulca offered the Arvernian King, \*Samorix I (r. 301-320 CE), an alliance and their adoption of Teutarism. In return the Rasennan king, needed help for the following invasion into Umbria. The Gauls accepted, and the alliance was forged. In 315, their combined force overran Umbria, and only a few months later, the kingdom was subjugated. Most of the territory was transferred to Etruria, while the northern border town of Ikuvium, the initial capital of the Umbrians, was annexed by the Arverni.

In 320, \*Samorix I died, and his son \*Dumnorix I (r. 320-341), ascended the throne, who supported an alliance with Rasenna, but only as long as it profited Gaul.

Meanwhile, the interest of \*Vulca slowly shifted to the east, into the Illyrian kingdoms. The most powerful of them, were conquered by the Gothic King Cniva, back in 250 CE. Thus, hostilities between the two were used as a tool for Rasenna, to offer an alliance, if they adopted Teutarism. The Illyrians accepted. During the next years, the three kingdoms raided and pirated Gothic and even Carthaginian trading ships, as well as harbors.

##### Italian Front

After Shapur II, of the Persian Empire, marched into the Carthaginian Levant, Rasenna and the Gauls used this as a chance to assert dominace in Italy, as well as the Adriatic Sea. In 327, the Etruscans, together with a few thousand Gaulish reinforcements, after the refusal of an alliance from the Samnites, began to siege their capital, Aeclanum, with a force of 50,000 men. Having no other choice, the Samnite king, \*Cassius Papius, sent an envoy to Carthage, asking for help. The Phoenicians accepted, and shortly after, a 60,000 strong army, commanded by suffete \*Mastanabal, was sent to Italy. After the Carthaginians disembarked, the siege was succesfully lifted, as their enemy was completely taken by surprise, and retreated, after suffering 15,000 casualties. This act of protection, slowly but surely vassalized the Samnite kingdom.

Meanwhile, king \*Larth Vulca asked for more reinforcements, and thus, 35,000 Gaulish soldiers, under general \*Eburo, were sent to Etruria. At the same time, the Illyrians, planning to distract the Carthaginians, naval raided the city of Barion (OTL Barium). This turned out to be effective, as around 15,000 Phoenician troops were respositioned to deal with the Illyrians.

##### Iberian Front

A third front was opened against the Carthaginian Empire, in Iberia, in 328, when the Arverni king, \*Dumnorix I, crossed the Pyrenees. The first clash between Gauls and Phoenicians occurred at the city of Barcino, overpowering the local garrisons and then capturing, as well as plundring Tarraco. The Carthaginian senate quickly sent suffete \*Atarbas, nicknamed "the Bald", alongside an army of 60,000 men, to meet their enemy at Sagunt.

###### Battle of Sagunt (328 CE)

The Carthaginian army met the Gaulish forces, consisting of 80,000 soldiers, on a field near the town. \*Atarbas himself was surprised when he saw how organized the so-called "barbarians" were, forming up a phalanx, protected by cavalry on each flank, with around 15,000 Belgic javelinmen behind the center. The Phoenician formation was similar, however, with the difference that 25 war elephants were kept in reserve. When both armies charged, none of the two could overpower the other. This rapidly changed, when the Carthaginian war elephants were unleashed, causing panic inside the Arverni ranks, who had never seen those beasts before. The Gaulish cavalry was frightened and smashed into its own army, inflicting great casualties. \*Dumnorix ordered a full scale retreat, but had to endure losses of 25,000 men, while the Phoenicians only suffered around 5,000 casualties.

After a failed attempt to fortify in Tarraco, because they were catched up too fast, the Arverni prepared for battle near the city of Emporion.

###### Battle of Emporion (329 CE)

As both armies began settung up their formation, the Gauls were the first one to charge, numbering an army almost identical in size, compared to their opponent. Once again, no dominance could be achieved on either side, until the Carthaginian war elephants were sent in. However, this time the Gauls attempted to counter these beasts, by throwing spears from Belgic javelinmen onto them, targeting the riders. Nonetheless, this tactic only succeeded partly, and in the end, the elephants stomped out any resistance, forcing the Arverni into retreat once again, suffering casualties of 20,000 troops, with the other side lost about 5,000 men, and 5 war elephants. The Carthaginians now entered Gaulish territory, advancing along the coast after crossing the Pyrenees.

###### Siege of Massalia (330 CE)

After defeating the Arverni at the Battle of Agathe (329 CE), the Phoenicians slowly reached the wealthy and prosperous city of Massalia, and began besieging it. However, constant naval raids, centered on Corsica, made it almost impossible to resupply the siege or to assault the harbor, and while the other Carthaginian fronts began to collapse, \*Atarbas experienced the first signs of equipment shortages and low morale, after months of sieging the city, which was able to be reinforced with food and supplies.

Realizing that \*Atarbas was trapped inside enemy territory, he decided to abandon the siege and retreat, only barely escaping a Gaulish reinforcement of 50,000 troops, forcing the Phoenicians to leave their rather slow war elephants behind, not even having enough time to kill all of them, in order to prevent the elephants to fall into enemy hands. \*Dumnorix pursued \*Atarbas, and decisively defeated the Phoenicians at the Battle of Rhode (330 CE), decimating their army by 30,000 men, by using their own war elephants against them.

###### Aftermath

Leading an insufficient ground army, now the Carthaginian fleet showed its first signs of ineffectiveness, after losing dozens of ships to raids on Corsica, which fell in 331. The island was initially captured by the Etruscans; however, this enraged \*Dumnorix, and thus, Corsica was split in half.

Meanwhile, the Gauls penetrated far into Iberia, plunging it into chaos, and shattering the region into various kingdoms, namely: Lusitania, the Gallaeci Confederation, the Astures, Cantabri, Vascones, Vaccaei, Celtiberians, Carpetani, Vettones, Celtici, Turduli, Turdetani, Bastetani, Oretani, Constestani, Edetani and the Ilercavones, after being sacked and looted by the invaders. To avoid total annihilation, \*Atarbas managed to evacuate with his 20,000 men at Carthago Nova, leaving the peninsula to its own fate.

With the Arverni annexing the north eastern coastal region between the Ebro River and the Pyrenees, the Phoenicians gathered every man they could to defend their homeland.

In 333, the commander of the Carthaginian navy, \*Mastanabal, was defeated during a naval battle against Etruscan and Gaulish warships, near the coast of Bocchoris. After constant incursions into naval facilities, the Phoenicians were forced to retreat from the islands and the Arverni occupied it.

However, the Carthaginians managed to strike back, and one year later, they launched an amphibious assault into Corsica, capturing the key town of Ourkinion (OTL Ajaccio), as well as around half of the island. Nonetheless, in 334, the Gauls and Rasennans landed in northern Sardinia, and the Carthaginians were forced to withdraw their forces from Corsica yet again, successfully defending Sardinia.

By this point, the war turned into a war of attrition, and in 335, a peace treaty was finally signed. However, Carthage had to pay massive war reparations, that drained out their economy even further.

### Sardinian Wars (338-342 CE)

In 338, the situation on the divided island of Corsica escalated, after years of skirmishes. On June 14th, Etruscan troops crossed the border and marched into the Gaulish territory, encircling the island with their superior navy in the process.

Meanwhile, the population of the Carthaginian Empire was extremly discontent with the war reperations they had to pay, and began revolting. The war of Corsica appeared to be the chance to recapture Southern Italy, and so in 339, they went for it, crossing the channel under the command of \*Atarbas, and advancing northwards to the city of Sybaris.

By this point however, Corsica already fell, and after subjugating the isolated Balearic islands from the Arverni, a two sided naval attack was carried out on Sardinia, overwhelming the local forces. The Italian front began to stagnate, and slowly but surely the Carthaginians were pushed out of Italy.

One year later, the Gauls launched an offensive into Rasenna from Northern Italy, and \*Vulca swiftly made peace with the exhausted Phoenicians, agreeing on Sardinia being divided in half.

However, \*Dumnorix I was heavily defeated at the Battle of Aretim (OTL Arretium), after failing to command the army properly, giving completely unlogical orders, like placing the phalanx behind the archers, which made him suffer casualties of over 70,000. It is believed that by this point he had developed a disease similar to Alzheimer, and after he was sent back to the court, his son and successor was now in command. The problem was, that his son, \*Dumnorix II (r. 341-359), did not want a full war scale with the Etruscans, especially after the humiliation they had just witnessed, so he made peace with \*Vulca in 341, shortly after his father died from the illness.

### Decline and Collapse (342-407 CE)

In 350, the Salian Franks, who had been pushed to the Rhine frontier by the Saxons, asked the Arvernian king to allow them to settle in a region we call in OTL Batavia. The Arverni accepted. However, the Franks had to convert to Teutarism and had to defend the Rhine frontier against outside invaders. Thus, the Kingdom of the Salian Franks was founded, while the other, Ripuarian Franks, remained tribal.

During the late 4th Century, the ethnic diverse Arvernian Empire suffered heavily from instability. This led to numerous revolts and uprisings, especially in Albion, Belgium, Aquitania, and the Germanic minority in southern Gaul. This escalated, when the corrupt and less tolerant king \*Dagorix I (r. 380-382) ascended the throne in 380 CE. A tribal chieftain of the Catuvellauni named \*Bredon, rose to power and began subjugating Arvernian holdings in Albion, defeating the Arverni in 381 at the Battle of Calleva.

The situation even further escalated, when King \*Sethre Vulca of Rasenna, assaulted Northern Italy and completely annihilated 25,000 Gaulish garrisons, guarding the cities of Sena, Bononia and Genoa, against an army of 75,000 men. This was the same year, \*Dagorix was assassinated by \*Tenorix I (r. 382-407 CE). Shortly after, Gauls were pushed back behind the Po River by 383.

As the Gallic army was already dealing with numerous rebellions and the Etruscans, their garrisons in Albion suffered from manpower and supply shortages. To gather increased support from the natives, \*Bredon promised to establish a united Albian Federation, where all major tribes possess equal power. The Arverni were once again defeated at the Battle of Isca in 382 CE, completely losing control over Albion.

Meanwhile, \*Dermot I, king of the powerful Brigantes in the North, felt threatened by the expanding Albian Federation, and began assimilating neighboring tribes to compete with the Catuvellauni. \*Dermot invaded all tribes located south, except those isolated in the Welsh highlands, from 382 to 385, establishing the Brigantian Kingdom.

In 406, the Alans, Vandals, Suebi, and the Burgundians, crossed the Rhine and invaded Gaul, being forced to migrate west, because of Hunnic pressure in the east. The Vandals, Suebi and Alans sacked Gergovia in 407, killing the Arvernian king \*Tenorix I, and his son \*Caturix III. This marked the end of the Arvernian Empire, and soon after, a new federational government was formed under the Gallic Empire. The three tribes, then moved into Iberia, while the Burgundians settled in the area of OTL Rhineland-Palatinate along the Middle Rhine, establishing a Burgundian kingdom, which soon after, converted to Teutarism.

## Government

The Arvernian Empire is a multi-ethnic nation, united by the religion of Teutarism and a brutal military as well as paramilitary tradition, which is often earned by taking young boys of different backgrounds and sending them to the capital, where they are educated in Arvernian custom and indoctrinated to be loyal to the emperor as well as the nation. High priests of non-Arverni background are also often sent to manage a different region outside their homeland to further prevent uprisings. However, despite these efforts at keeping the empire united, the Arvernian Empire remains a confused cross between a federation and a union, similar to that of the OTL Holy Roman Empire.

The governors sent to manage were often rebellious and acted almost in autonomy, prompting the usage of High Priests as leaders of different regions, although the High Priests too were eventually as greedy as the governors, and due to the earlier king \*Leucorix I being appointed by Teutates as well as the priests speaking for Teutates, a loop hole of sorts was realized, which meant that only the priests could elect an emperor, but that a king is also capable of electing priests too being emperors.

## List of Arvernian kings

These are the names and reign dates.

**Caturian Dynasty**

\*Caturix I (184-202 CE) - Died in 202.

\*Leucorix I "the Great" (202-258 CE) - Born 185 CE; Died in 258, with 73 years.

\*Caturix II (258-279 CE) - Born 205 CE; Died in 279, with 74 years.

\*Leucorix II (279-301 CE) - Born 226 CE; Died in 301, with 75 years.

**Samorian Dynasty**

\*Samorix I (301-320 CE) - Born 246 CE; Died in 320, with 74 years.

**Dumnorian Dynasty**

\*Dumnorix I (320-341 CE) - Born 267 CE; Died in 341 from Alzheimer, with 74 years

\*Dumnorix II (341-359 CE) - Born in 287 CE; Died in 359, with 72 years.

**Samorian Dynasty**

\*Samorix II (359-380 CE) - Born in 308 CE; Died in 380, with 72 years.

\*Dagorix I (380-382 CE) - Born in 327 CE; Assasinated because of corruption in 382 CE, at the age of 55 years.

**Tenorian Dynasty**

\*Tenorix I (382-407 CE) - Born in 346 CE; Died in 407 CE, during the sack of Gergovia, with 61 years.

*\* Indicates that a name is fictional, though made to fit with the timeline.*

## See also

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjoGh8F1CK8 YouTube video about the Arvernian and Gallic Empire. (May has some mistakes. Consider this article as the most accurate information source).

List of Gallic Tribes

## Flag credits

This flag was made by myself, using https://www.reddit.com/r/BannerlordBanners/comments/g33yi2/wanna\_give\_it\_a\_try\_you\_legends/