The Santones – Celts on the Atlantic Coast

History & Finds The Santones: Where the Helvetii Wanted to Go

The Santones were a Celtic people on the Gaulish Atlantic coast, around today's Saintes (Mediolanum Santonum).

Gold coin of the Santones, 5th to 1st century BC. World Imaging, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Flourishing Roman land

Under Rome the land of the Santones grew wealthy: Saintes received a triumphal arch and a large amphitheatre. The region supplied wine and was a hub of Atlantic trade.

"They resolved to move into the territory of the Santones, which is not far from the land of the Tolosates."after Caesar, The Gallic War I (public domain, own translation)

A people on the Atlantic coast

The Santones were a Celtic people in the west of Gaul, on the Atlantic coast of today's Saintonge (Charente-Maritime). Their fertile, mild land was coveted – and played a role right at the start of Caesar's Gallic War.

The goal of the Helvetii

In 58 BC the Helvetii wanted to leave their homeland and move into the land of the Santones. Caesar used this migration as a pretext to intervene – the beginning of the conquest of all Gaul. Thus the Santones stood, unwillingly, at the start of a world-historical war.

Wine and craft

Under Rome the land of the Santones flourished. It became famous for its wine and its pottery; Santonian ceramics were widely traded. The region was one of the wealthiest of Roman Gaul.

Mediolanum Santonum – Saintes

Their chief town Mediolanum Santonum became a splendid Roman city with amphitheatre and triumphal arch – today's Saintes. The name of the city and of the Saintonge region goes directly back to the tribe.

Why this moves us

The Santones show how closely seemingly small peoples were woven into the great turning points of history. At GLANZ & GRAVUR we tell this from the sources – from the trigger of a war to the flourishing wine region.

Myth check: The Santones themselves did not begin the Gallic War – they were only the goal of the Helvetian migration. Caesar made this migration the pretext for his intervention; the depiction in his own war report is correspondingly self-interested.

What is documented: Santones as the goal of the Helvetian migration (Caesar, The Gallic War I), Mediolanum Santonum/Saintes with arch and amphitheatre as an important Roman city (archaeological remains).

What is interpretation: About the pre-Roman culture of the Santones we know little; their reputation as a "rich wine region" comes from Roman times. Caesar's note on the Helvetian goal also serves to justify his intervention.

The Santones lead to the Celtic Atlantic coast. Continue with the Helvetii and Veneti.

Glanz & Gravur — From our workshop: Celtic-Germanic motifs on natural slate, laser-engraved. To the shop →

Sources & literature

Caesar, The Gallic War I; archaeological remains of Saintes; quote public domain (own translation).

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The Santones: Where the Helvetii Wanted to Go

Flourishing Roman land

A people on the Atlantic coast

The goal of the Helvetii

Wine and craft

Mediolanum Santonum – Saintes

Why this moves us

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Sources & literature

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