> > > I suggest that Ariovistus was active in Southern Germany at the
> > > time, colonizing it(?).
> > >
> > >
> > > GK: The known facts have him colonizing Sequaniland.
The Boii
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boii
at that time lived in Bohemia or possibly in Bavaria (Baiovarii).
They attacked Noricum. They left Helvetia with the Helvetians.
Ariovistus married the sister of king Voccio of Noricum.
The 'Harigasti' helmet was buried in Noricum.
The Helvetii was constantly at war with the 'Germani', sometimes on
their, sometimes on their own territory.
Now tell me again that in all this turmoil, Ariovistus wasn't involved?
How would he have gotten to Noricum territory without being embroiled
in this war between Boii and Norici and Helvetii and nameless Germani?
I think Caesar had Ariovistus in mind all the time, since first
styling him friend of the Roman People. As far as he was concerned,
the Rhine was Ariovistus' Rubicon.
BTW the long inactivity on Ariovistus' part before the debacle is
reminiscent of Gildas' account of the hired Sxons in Britain or the
events up to Odoacer's deposing the last Roman emperor: the Germani
expect to be fed, and if they're not, there's trouble. Possibly the
Sequani were trying to tell Ariovistus' people their services were not
required any more by starving them out.
Torsten