Aquitani tribes at both sides of the Pyrenees.

The Cocosates or Cocosates Sexsignani were an Aquitani tribe dwelling in present-day Landes during the Iron Age.

Name

They are mentioned as Cocosates by Caesar (mid-1st c. BC),[1] and as Cocosates Sexsignani by Pliny (1st c. AD).[2][3]

The etymology of the name remains obscure. It can be derived from the Gaulish stem cocos- ('scarlet red') attached to the suffix -ates ('belonging to'). Red is a colour commonly used in personal names (Cocus, Cocca, Cocidius, etc.) and associated with warfare.[4][3]

Geography

The Cocosates lived in present-day Landes. Their territory was located east of the Atlantic Ocean, west of the Oscidates and Sotiates, north of the Tarbelli and Tarusates, and south of the Boii.[5]

Their chief town was known as Caequosa (modern Sescouze, near Castets).[6]

Political organization

The Cocosates were a confederation of six tribes. They were probably clients of the neighbouring Tarbelli.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ Caesar. Commentarii de Bello Gallico, 3:27:1.
  2. ^ Pliny. Naturalis Historia, 4:108.
  3. ^ a b Falileyev 2010, s.v. Cocosates (Sexsignani).
  4. ^ Delamarre 2003, pp. 120–121.
  5. ^ Talbert 2000, Map 25: Hispania Tarraconensis.
  6. ^ a b Duval 1989, p. 166.

Bibliography

  • Delamarre, Xavier (2003). Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental. Errance. ISBN 9782877723695.
  • Duval, Paul-Marie (1989). "Les peuples de l'Aquitaine d'après la liste de Pline". Travaux sur la Gaule (1946-1986). Vol. 116. École Française de Rome. pp. 721–737. ISBN 9782728301676.
  • Falileyev, Alexander (2010). Dictionary of Continental Celtic Place-names: A Celtic Companion to the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. CMCS. ISBN 978-0955718236.
  • Talbert, Richard J. A. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0691031699.

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