#tulingi

Tulingi

The Tulingi were a Germanic and/or a Belgic tribe located in between modern day Strasbourg, France and Heidelberg, Germany. They were neighboured to the South by the Latobrigi, a Celtic tribe, with whom the Tulingi were in an alliance. In the North they were neighboured by the Marcomanni.

Their origin is not yet fully known. They might have been completely Germanic in origin and settled in these lands around 100AD but they could also be Belgic in origin and adopted the Germanic culture or were taken over by force. They could also be a mix of both.

Their name might come from the Proto-Germanic word Tulguz, which means 'steadfast'. The ingi' suffix you see often in tribe names, means 'to belong' so Tulingi could possibly mean 'the firmly/steadfast people.

Sadly barely anything is known about this tribe. The only written evidence we have about the Tulingi comes from Julius Caesar in his work 'Bello Gallico'. He described the Tulingi as a migrating tribe. Caesar managed to drive away these migrating tribes in 58BC which resulted in the battle between the Romans and the Suebi about which I wrote a post before.

Ceasar however also fought the battle of Bibracte in 58BC between six of his legions and the Celtic tribe of Helvetii, the Helvetii were supported by the Boii, Rauraci and the Tulingi tribes. This battle led to a huge disaster for the Celts, losing around 238,000 people according to Caesar. The Tulingi fought with 36,000 men in this battle.

The beaten tribes were forced back into their homelands, including the Tulingi and that is sadly all we know about this tribe. The debate whether they were Germanic is still on. Why would they ally themselves with the Celts instead of the invading Germanics during Caesar's campaign?

After his death, the Helvetii nevertheless attempt to do that which they had resolved on, namely, to go forth from their territories. When they thought that they were at length prepared for this undertaking, they set fire to all their towns, in number about twelve-to their villages about four hundred-and to the private dwellings that remained; they burn up all the corn, except what they intend to carry with them; that after destroying the hope of a return home, they might be the more ready for undergoing all dangers.

They order every one to carry forth from home for himself provisions for three months, ready ground. They persuade the Rauraci, and the Tulingi, and the Latobrigi, their neighbors, to adopt the same plan, and after burning down their towns and villages, to set out with them: and they admit to their party and unite to themselves as confederates the Boii, who had dwelt on the other side of the Rhine, and had crossed over into the Norican territory, and assaulted Noreia.