Orgetorix

Orgetorix was a wealthy aristocrat among the Helvetii, a Celtic-speaking people residing in what is now Switzerland during the consulship of Julius Caesar of the Roman Republic.

In 61 BC he convinced the Helvetians to attempt to migrate from Helvetian territory to south-western Gaul (modern-day France). He was also party to a clandestine arrangement with Dumnorix of the Aedui and Casticus of the Sequani to seize control of their respective tribes by arms and between them rule most of Gaul. The conspiracy was denounced, Orgetorix was called to a hearing in chains before the government of the Helvetii, he arrived with a small army, and was released but died mysteriously, a rumored suicide. The Helvetians went on with their plans for migration but were defeated in 58 BC and returned by Julius Caesar. This incident was the beginning of the Gallic War in which Caesar subjugated Gaul.

Julius Pokorny segments the name [P]orgeto-rix, where the first element contains Gallic orge, "kill,", related to Old Irish orcaid, "kill," from the Indo-European root *per-g-, "to hit." The second element is manifestly Celtic rīx, "king:" "warrior-king," which does not imply that the owner of the name is necessarily a legal ruler. Although Orgetorix had aspirations in that direction, he was not one.

According to Julius Caesar in I.2 of De Bello Gallico, Orgetorix was by far the wealthiest and noblest. He made himself an ambassador on behalf of the Helvetians to the other Gallic tribes and he gave his own daughter to Dumnorix as a bona fide gesture. Orgetorix failed in his attempt to become one of three ruling triumvirs of Gaul.

The Helvetians made elaborate plans for making such a journey. According to Caesar they spent two years sowing crops and buying beasts of burden, intending that the migration should start in the third year. The effort came by way of marital exchange and individual alliances among some of the young nobles from all three tribes.

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