Tricasses


The Tricasses were a Gallic tribe, dwelling on the upper Seine and the Aube rivers during the Roman period. Until the first century BCE they were probably reckoned among the Senones.

Name

They are mentioned as Tricasses by Pliny, and as Trikásioi by Ptolemy.
The meaning of the name Tricasses is unclear. The Gaulish suffix tri- certainly means 'three', but the translation of the element -casses is less certain, possibly 'hair, hairstyle', perhaps a particular warrior coiffure, or 'tin, bronze '. Based upon such interpretations, the meaning 'the three-braided ones', 'those who have three braids' has been proposed.
The city of Troyes, attested as civitas Tricassium ca. 400 CE, is named after the Gallic tribe.

Geography

The Tricasses dwelled near the Senones, the Parisii, the Meldi, the Remi and the Lingones.
From the reign of Augustus, they were organized as a civitas with Augustobona Tricassium as their capital.