The COIN Series is similar to Card-Driven Games (the CDG System) in leveraging event cards to bring political, diplomatic, economic, and other non-military aspects into a wargame without muss.  (Consider, in this regard, the lineage from 1994’s “We the People” by Mark Herman to today’s Liberty or Death.)  Falling Sky,is no different.  Here we preview a few of the events in the deck that help depict the politics and diplomacy of 1^st-Century BC Gaul. Background notes are from the game’s Playbook (thanks to additions from Marc Gouyon-Rety). Citations are from Caesar’s Commentaries on the Gallic War in the format [book.chapter] with quotations as translated by Carolyn Hammond, Oxford University Press, 1996.

Event #5:  Gallia Togata

The Roman conception of Gaul included nearer Gaul in what is now Italy. By the 50s BC this part of Gaul was politically quite Roman indeed, providing important logistical and recruiting benefits to Caesar’s campaign just across the Alps.

Background.  Caesar was able to grow his forces or replace losses in the Gallic wars with emergency levies in the province of Cisalpine Gaul (northern Italy), where he was governor. [2.2, 6.1] The province did require legionary garrisons, however, against ongoing incursions by Illyrian brigands or other barbarians and—perhaps—unrest due to Roman war-weariness or in reaction to the building anarchy in Rome.  Caesar sent Legio XV there in 51 BC, at least ostensibly for that reason. [8.24, 8.54]

Event #22:  Hostages

Today nations seal accords with signatures on treaties; ratifications by legistatures; and perhaps peacekeepers, monitors, or other confidence-building measures.  Ancient Gaul as a matter routine did so with hostages.

Background.  The Romans and the Gauls both demanded hostages (often, leading citizens’ children) as guarantees of good behavior—not only from subdued enemies but also among allies about to go to war together.  Caesar on campaign appears to have done so as a matter of routine and guarded and moved his Gallic hostages as he did his baggage, grain, and war chest. [7.55] Vercingetorix did the same at his assembly unifying the Gauls—including the Aedui—into the Great Revolt. [7.64] Over time and in the context of general uprising of one culture against another, however, such practice can only have bred resentment at continued domination.  Indeed, on both sides, the line between a hostage and an allied contingent was sometimes rather vague!

Event #41:  Avaricum

We know not only from Caesar but also from modern archeology that the Gauls of his time built great commercial, cultural, and political centers—exemplified by the city of Avaricum.

Background.  The Bituriges (“Kings of the World” in Celtic) had been the dominant nation among the Gauls in the past, and so their capital Avaricum (Bourges) may have had extra symbolic value.  Caesar’s impression of Avaricum upon his arrival there was as “a very large and well-fortified town … and in a particularly fertile area of the territory.” [7.13] The Bituriges themselves appealed to Vercingetorix not to include the city in his program of devastation because it was “nearly the finest city in the whole of Gaul”, and Vercingetorix accepted the argument. [7.15] Avaricum’s central locale in Celtica, moreover, almost certainly gave commercial as well as symbolic merit to the strenuous efforts that both sides in the Great Revolt made to possess it. 

Event #48:  Druids

It is fortunate for history that Caesar took time to record his observations of Gallic political, cultural, religious, and social ways—including the role of Gaul’s priest-judges, the druids.

Background.  Caesar appeared impressed with the level of Gallic social organization under the druids: “They decide almost all disputes, both public and private … If there is a dispute over an inheritance or over territory, they decide the issue and settle the rewards and penalties. … A chief druid rules over all the rest and has supreme authority among them.” [6.13] This organization of justice gave the druids at least the potential to unify the otherwise quarrelsome Gallic chieftains.

Event #50:  Shifting Loyalties

One aspect of ancient Gaul that made it an ideal setting for a COIN Series volume is that political and diplomatic volatility and skullduggery appear to have been the norm.

Background.  “He knew how unreliable were his Gallic allies….” [4.13] Though Caesar wrote this regarding events in a specific context of 55 BC, it was a motif of all the Gallic wars—and from all sides’ perspectives.

Caesar described all Gallic tribes as riven by factions within: “In Gaul there are factions, not only in every state and every village and district but practically in each individual household as well. … The same structure holds throughout Gaul as a whole….” [6.11] Tribal allegiances could shift frequently as competing chieftains within a tribe or confederation waxed and waned in their influence.  The conflict between pro-Roman Aeduan Diviciacus and his anti-Roman brother Dumnorix was only one prominent example of such rivalries found throughout Caesar’s account.  Caesar might not have pointed fingers at Gallic factionalism, however, in light of the rampant and even violent tearing apart of the Roman polity back home during the ongoing death throes of his own Republic.

Event #52:  Assembly of Gaul

Not only raw military or economic power but also political tradition gave certain Gallic tribes more importance than others.

Background.  Caesar notes of the druids: “At a certain time of year they sit in judgement in a sacred spot in the territory of the Carnutes, in an area right in the middle of Gaul.  Everyone who has a dispute comes to this place from every region, and submits to their decisions and judgements.” [6.13] Caesar seems to have mimicked this practice, summoning Rome’s allied and subdued tribes “Gallic assemblies” in the center of the country. [6.3, 6.44]

Event #65:  German Allegiances

In the parts of Gaul closest to the Rhenus, Germanic tribes were in regular diplomatic discourse with Gauls and Romans alike.

Background.  Not only the Belgae but also the Arverni and Aedui at times enjoyed military ties with various Germanic tribes.  Arverni enlistment of Germanic mercenaries against the Aedui was one of the latter’s original charges drawing Caesar into Gaul. [1.31] Later, anti-Roman Aedui fought alongside Germans on the near side of the Rhenus. [8.45] As for German allegiances with the Romans, Suebi king Ariovistus had been an official Friend of the Roman Senate before clashing with Caesar in 58 BC. [1.35] Thereafter, the Ubii stood out as the lone Germanic tribe pursuing alliance with the Romans, motivated by the need for a protector against the more powerful Suebi.  In 55 BC, they even offered to provide the boats to ferry a Roman army across the Rhenus. This allegiance endured through the Belgic revolt of 53, with Ubian scouts tracking the Suebi’s movements and reporting to the Romans. [4.8, 4.11, 4.16, 4.19, 6.9-6.10, 6.29] By 52, Caesar was able to call upon Germanic cavalry to serve within his army in the fight against Vercingetorix. [7.65]

Event #68:  Remi Influence

As with the Carnutes for the Celts, the Remi tribe for Caesar provided political clout—and a web of diplomatic control—beyond what sheer combat power might suggest.

Background.  Upon Caesar’s 57BC Belgian campaign, the Remi were the first Belgic tribe to seek Rome’s favor. Interwoven by marriage with the rest of the Belgic tribes, they supported the Romans not only with supplies but also with intelligence on Belgic forces. They were also “the Belgic people closest to Gaul (i.e., Celtica)”. Caesar for his Roman audience may have exaggerated the Remi’s pre-war influence. But they clearly were up and coming in the new Gallic order under Rome. With Caesar’s suppression of the formerly dominant Sequani, “the Aedui were considered by far the most important leaders, while the Remi came second in prestige.” The Remi took dependents to their south under their patronage, for whom they mediated with Caesar; the Carnutes were one such client. [2.3-2.6, 6.4, 6.12]

Author: Volko Ruhnke