Caletes


The Caletes or Caleti were a Belgic or Gallic tribe living in Pays de Caux, in present-day Normandy.

Name

They are mentioned as Caletes by Caesar, as Káletoi and Kalétous by Strabo, as Galetos by Pliny, as Kalē̃tai by Ptolemy, and as Caleti by Orosius.
The name Calates, stems from the Gaulish root caleto-, itself from Proto-Celtic *kaleto-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱelto-.
The city of Calais, attested as Kaleis in 1181–1182, is named after the Gallic tribe, perhaps after the settlement of Cateles migrants. They also gave their name to the Pays de Caux, attested as Pago Calcis in 843.

Geography

The territory of the Calates closely corresponded to the Pays de Caux. They dwelled north of the neighbouring Veliocasses, and were separated from the Ambiani in the northeast by a minor tribe, the Catoslugi.
They occupied a section of the coast, between the Sequana and the Phrudis rivers.
Harfleur was their principal port.

Culture

Whether the Catales should be regarded as Gallic or Belgic is debatable. Caesar appears to attribute them to Belgica, their coins were of Belgic type, and they joined the Belgic opposition to Rome 57 BC. But, elsewhere, Caesar lists them along Armorican peoples, and they were not, unless briefly, part of the province of Gallia Belgica under the Roman Empire.