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The Veneti were a Celtic people on the southern coast of Brittany (Armorica). Unlike most Gauls they were a seafaring people: they dominated the trade across the Channel as far as Britain.
Caesar describes the Venetic ships with admiration: high oak hulls, leather sails, built for the rough Atlantic – far superior to the low oared ships of the Romans. They were made for the storm and surf of the open sea.
In 56 BC came the decision. The Romans won by a ruse: with sickles on long poles they cut the rigging of the Venetic sails – the heavy ships were left unmanoeuvrable. When the wind then dropped, they were lost. Caesar punished the Veneti harshly.
"Their ships were built and equipped so that ours could scarcely harm them."after Caesar, The Gallic War III (public domain, own translation)
The Veneti show that the Celts were far more than land warriors. Continue with the Arverni and Aedui.
The Arverni · The Aedui · The Celtic Warriors · The Treveri · The Helvetii.
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