Albici
(Those of the white)
The Albici was a Celto-Ligurian group of peoples located in Northern Italy/ South Eastern Gaul between the Sainte-Baume and Marseille around the Central and lower parts of the Durance river. There name (Those of the White) could be relating to do with the snow covered mountain terrain. There are other proposed meanings like (Those of the Celestial Domain) and (Those of the luminous world from above).
We have references of them from Caesars in his works The civil War they helped to defend the Marseillais against the Romans. They where supposable part of a tribal confederation with the Albienses, Vordenses, and the Vulgientes.
Jules César, The Civil War , I, 34 : ” the Marseillais had closed their doors to César, by calling to their help the Albiques, savage people which, from time immemorial, were devoted to them and which lived in the mountains above Marseilles . “
Julius Caesar, The Civil War , I, 56 : ” While these things are happening on the side of Ilerda, the Marseillais equip, by the advice of L. Domitius, seventeen galleys, of which eleven decked. light boats, in order to frighten our fleet by the quantity, put there a multitude of archers and these Albics of which one spoke above, and spare, to excite them, neither rewards nor promises. “
Julius Caesar, The Civil War , I, 57 : ” We fought fiercely and with vigor on both sides. The Albics, robust and seasoned mountain dwellers, hardly yielded to ours in courage, and, barely left the city , they still had their minds full of promises made to them. “
Julius Caesar, The Civil War , I, 58 : ” After a great carnage of the Albics and the shepherds, they [the Marseillais] sank part of their ships, took several, with the crew, and drove the others into the port. That day the Marseillais lost nine galleys, including those which were taken. “
Julius Caesar, The Civil War , II, 2 : ” But the extent of the works, the height of the wall and the towers, the great number of machines of the besieged, delayed all the works. In addition, the Albics made frequent exits and came to launch fires on the towers and the terrace; but our soldiers repulsed them easily, and, after having made them lose many people, threw them back into the city. “
Julius Caesar, Civil War , II, 6 : ” Our ships having gradually separated, the enemy was able to take advantage of the skill of his pilots and the agility of his ships; if sometimes we found the means to ‘seize one with iron hands, all the others rushed to its aid. Gathered with the Albics, they fought closely and willingly and did not yield much to ours in value. “
Incription of the Dêuio
Osdiavae
Riez (CIL 12, 362)
QVARTVS SVRAMI F (ILIVS) V (OTVM) S (OLVIT) L (IBENS) M (ERITO) OSDIAVIS
“Quartus, son of Suramus , fulfilled his vow, willingly, as it should, to the goddesses Osdiavae.”
Personally I think she might be like the Suleuiâ or the Materês
Reiunii
Riez (AE 1986, 482)
REIVNII [S] M (ARCVS) IVL (IVS) IVSTVS HASTATVS PRIM (VS) LEG (IONIS) IIII MACED (ONICAE) V (OTVM) S (OLVIT) L (IBENS) M (ERITO)
“In Reiuniae, Marcus Iulius, hastatus primus (centurion), of the 4th Macedonic legion, fulfilled his wish, willingly, and rightly”.
This seems to most likely be a Roman Legionary dedication to a local God.
Albiorix
We have another Deoui that comes up with the name Albiorix. The inscriptions I have found are not found in the exact location as the other two Deoui, but since his inscriptions are found around this Tribe, I will include him as his name shares roots with the Tribe. I will only include the ones closest to this tribe and save the other ones for the other Tribes.
Montsalier (AE 1990, 0710)
[ ]CI L CAN[ ]VS SEVE[ ]
V S L M
[Marti? Albiori]ci(?) L(ucius) Can[ini]us(?) Seve[rus] / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)
The Chief Dêuoi of the Albici was Albiorix “King of the World.” Whether they derived their name from Albiorix, or Albiorix derived his name from them is up for debate. This is probably because of the name of the Tribe and the Dêuoi, along with an association with Mars from an inscription located in Sablet, in the province of Gallia Narbonensis.
Now I have found him within the Vocontii tribe and Neighbouring tribes. This Tribe and others in the area are part of the Gallo-Ligurians peoples.
An interesting theory I came across is that Albiorix is the founder of The (Celts) as this would make him The Dis Pater that Caesar mentioned that they claimed descendence from. This is based on the thought that Albion (Britain) comes from Alba, meaning white, possibly suggesting the White Cliffs of Dover as Albiorix has a stem of the same in the name. Now it seems farfetched for me but nonetheless an interesting thought.
Fun fact one of Saturns moons is named after Albiorix
Suggested Boundaries of this Tribe
References
http://www.mediterranee-antique.fr/Auteurs/Fichiers/JKL/Jullian_C/Gaule/T6/HG_612.htm
https://www.maryjones.us/jce/aliborix.html
https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/moons/saturn-moons/albiorix/in-depth/
https://theses.ubn.ru.nl/bitstream/handle/123456789/5182/Hermans%2C_Dennis_G.A._1.pdf?sequence=1
http://visualiseur.bnf.fr/CadresFenetre?O=NUMM-110256&M=tdm
https://edh-www.adw.uni-heidelberg.de/home
Repertoire des dieux gaulois: LES NOMS DES DIVINITES CELTIQUES CONNUS PAR L’EPIGRAPHIE
Note the image is of a coin from Massalia, Gaul, c. 121 – 49 B.C. As I could not find a coin from the Tribe so I used this coin in its place as they where part of the peoples that help to defend them from the Romans.
The Carnutian Nemeton 