The Ambiani (Gaulish: Ambiāni, meaning "those around") were a Belgic coastal tribe who lived in the area that is now Picardy during the Iron Age and Roman times. They settled in the region between the 4th century and the second half of the 2nd century BC. Between 113 and 101 BC, they participated in battles against the Cimbri and Teutoni invaders during the Cimbrian War. In 57 and 52 BC, they joined other Gallic groups to fight against Julius Caesar, but were conquered by Rome in 51 BC. The Ambiani are known for their gold coins, which have been found in northern France and Britain. These coins show that the Ambiani had strong trading connections across the English Channel.

Name

The Ambiani people are named in historical writings by several authors. Julius Caesar wrote about them as Ambianos and Ambianis around the middle of the first century BC. Livy, in his work Ab Urbe Condita Libri, also referred to them as Ambianos in the late first century BC. Strabo, writing in the early first century AD, used the Greek forms Ambianoì (Ἀμβιανοὶ) and Ambianoĩs (Ἀμβιανοῖς). Pliny the Elder called them Ambiani in the first century AD. Ptolemy, in the second century AD, used the Greek form Ambianoí (Ἀμβιανοί). The Itinerarium Antonini, from the early third century AD, mentioned them as Ambianis. By the fifth century AD, they were referred to as Ambianenses in the Notitia Dignitatum.

The name Ambiāni in Gaulish means "those around," which is usually understood to describe "the people living on both sides of the Somme River." The name is formed by combining the prefix ambi- ("around, on both sides") with the suffix -ani. A language expert named Pierre-Yves Lambert suggested that Ambiani might also mean "the people of the surroundings" or, more broadly, "the people of the world," based on the root ambio- ("surroundings").

The city of Amiens was first recorded around the year 400 AD as civitas Ambianensium ("the city of the Ambiani"). It was later called Ammiens in 1142 AD. The city’s name comes from the Belgic tribe known as the Ambiani.

Geography

The Ambiani lived in the areas now known as Vimeux, Ponthieu, and Santerre, which are part of the modern Somme department. Their land was bordered by the Canche River to the north and by the Samara (Somme) watershed to the northeast and southeast. They were near the Caletes to the west, the Bellovaci to the south, the Morini and Atrebates to the north, and the Viromandui to the east. The smaller Catuslougi, who lived between the Ambiani and the Caletes, were likely a part of the Ambiani during the Roman period.

Before the Roman era, the area around Samarobriva (modern-day Amiens) was probably at the edge of the Ambiani’s territory, which mainly covered the lower part of the Somme valley.

During the Roman period, the main town of the Ambiani was called Samarobriva, which means "bridge on the river Somme" in Gaulish. This location is now the city of Amiens. Although Julius Caesar mentioned Samarobriva around 54 BC, archaeological evidence suggests the settlement was built near the Via Agrippa, likely between 19 and 16 BC. Suburbs began to develop in the lower valley starting in the middle of the 1st century AD.

History

The Ambiani settled in their known homeland between the 4th century and the middle of the 2nd century BC. Between 113–101 BC, they fought against the Cimbri and Teutoni invaders during the Cimbrian War.

During the Gallic Wars in 57 BC, Caesar learned from his Belgic Remi informants that the Ambiani had promised to gather 10,000 armed men to fight against the Roman armies, the least among the groups. An equal number was promised by the Nervii, who were considered the fiercest among the Belgae and lived farthest away; 15,000 by the Atrebates, and 10,000 by the Ambiani. — Caesar 1917. Commentarii de Bello Gallico. 2:4.

In the winter of 54–53 BC, after returning from an expedition to Britain, Caesar wintered with three legions at Samarobriva. When Vercingetorix was surrounded at Alesia in 52 BC, the Ambiani sent 5,000 men to help.

Between 386 and 450 AD, the Ambiani were still recorded in the Notitia Galliarum as living in the province of Belgica II, between the Bellovaci and the Morini.

Religion

There is some evidence from coins that have a stag on one side and a betorced head on the front side that the Ambiani worshipped the god Cernunnos, also known as the horned god.

Economy

The Ambiani were expert coin makers, especially known for creating gold coins. While other Gallic tribes usually copied coins made by the Arverni, which were inspired by coins from Philip II of Macedon, the Ambiani copied coins from Magna Graecia, a region in southern Italy. Their first coins were copies of a gold coin made by the city of Taranto between 334 and 302 BC.

Ambianic coins have been found in the areas controlled by other Belgic tribes, including parts of the British Isles, from the region of Kent to the West Country. Evidence shows that the Ambiani had influence over the neighboring Parisii and Bellovaci in matters of money at least until the end of the 2nd century BC.