Cativolcus

Family: Eburones · Role: leader · First appears: The Gallic War, Book V, 23–28

In Book V of the Gallic War, about fifteen days after the Roman troops entered winter quarters, Cativolcus and Ambiorix led a sudden revolt. Although they had met Q. Titurius Sabinus and L. Aurunculeius Cotta at their kingdom’s borders and supplied grain to the Roman winter quarters, they were prompted by messages from Indutiomarus to stir their people, attack Roman soldiers gathering wood, and assault the camp.

In Book VI, Caesar describes Cativolcus as king of one-half of the Eburones and as having joined the plan with Ambiorix. Worn out by age and unable to endure the hardships of war or flight, Cativolcus cursed Ambiorix and killed himself with yew-tree juice.

Relationship record

Life events

Ambiorix and Cativolcus launched a sudden revolt and attacked the Roman soldiers and camp.(The Gallic War, Book V, 23–28 · 📍 the borders of their kingdom)
- With: Q. Titurius Sabinus L. Aurunculeius Cotta Ambiorix
- “the beginning of a sudden insurrection and revolt arose from Ambiorix and Cativolcus, who, though they had met with Sabinus and Cotta at the borders of their kingdom, and had conveyed corn into our winter-quarters, induced by the messages of Indutiomarus, one of the Treviri, excited their people, and after having suddenly assailed the soldiers, engaged in procuring wood, came with a large body to attack the camp.”
Cativolcus killed himself with yew-tree juice.(The Gallic War, Book VI, 30–36)
- “Cativolcus, king of one-half of the Eburones, who had entered into the design together with Ambiorix, since, being now worn out by age, he was unable to endure the fatigue either of war or flight, having cursed Ambiorix with every imprecation, as the person who had been the contriver of that measure, destroyed himself with the juice of the yew tree”

The Gallic War, Book V, 23–28

enemies with Ambiorix “the beginning of a sudden insurrection and revolt arose from Ambiorix and Cativolcus, who, though they had met with Sabinus and Cotta at the borders of their kingdom, and had conveyed corn into our winter-quarters, induced by the messages of Indutiomarus, one of the Treviri, excited their people, and after having suddenly assailed the soldiers, engaged in procuring wood, came with a large body to attack the camp.”
enemies with Q. Titurius Sabinus “and after having suddenly assailed the soldiers, engaged in procuring wood, came with a large body to attack the camp.”
enemies with L. Aurunculeius Cotta “and after having suddenly assailed the soldiers, engaged in procuring wood, came with a large body to attack the camp.”
friends with Indutiomarus (Acted in concert in instigating the revolt.) “induced by the messages of Indutiomarus, one of the Treviri, excited their people, and after having suddenly assailed the soldiers, engaged in procuring wood, came with a large body to attack the camp.”

The Gallic War, Book VI, 30–36

friends with Ambiorix “Cativolcus, king of one-half of the Eburones, who had entered into the design together with Ambiorix”

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Extracted from the original text of Caesar's Commentaries — The Gallic War and The Civil War. Made with Rho MD.